Hawk Attack

[LauraL3]

So we've had a raccoon & fisher attack our ducks & chickens before, but in 3 years we've never had a hawk come...until this weekend! We lost a hen & runner duck! I usually let them all free range during the day, but now I'm afraid to let them out, but I feel terrible leaving them cooped all day!

Does anybody know if the hawk will just move on, or do they tend to know where the free meals are & keep coming back?

Any info is appreciated... It's always something, huh?

Laura

 

[zazouse]

Sorry for your losses

They will keep comming back.

I keep mine at bay with bottle rockets,but i have no close neighbors and live on a large parcel of land.

 

[ranchhand]

Might be time for a covered run. I thought I was in good shape for free ranging here under very heavy tree cover. I was wrong. Now my birds stay in covered runs attached to the coops. I do let them ramble about once a week but only if I am right there scanning the trees, and that's only a "chance" deterrant. A hawk will swoop in and grab a chicken so fast you can be right there and not stop it.

As far as bottle rockets, be really careful where they land! I've seen them start gound fires, once in the woods and once in a field.

They will hang around if there are easy meals to be had. If they're migrating through it'll be okay if you lock up the chickens for a while, but they live and winter here in SC so I had to be the mean one and put them in the runs.

Hope you can resolve the problem, sorry for the losses.

 

[sourland]

As long as there is a food source, they will stay. Stop free ranging for a week, and then free range for short periods while supervised to test the waters.

 

[zazouse]

Thay's very true about bottle rockets,ya got to be carefull what ya fire them over.
In my case i have 30 of our 100 acres that the flocks range in, this area is kept cut close at all times, this is the no fly zone and while we have lots of hawk they rarely enter it.

We also place old fencing bent to hoops on the ground for cover.

i had an encounter with migrating hawks last year,they flew right over my place, these photos were taken over my feeding area.

 

[sharol]

Dang. That's lots of hawks. I like the rolled up wire idea. We have redtails in this area that winter here, so they are an ongoing threat. We just got the run completely covered, but my girls are out in the yard part of the day. Yesterday just before I was going to let them out, one of the local Redtails glided along our e-w fence right above the run. My DH said the hawk was "checking out the buffet offerings." It was at that point that we went out and completed the netting over the run. It won't stop a raccoon, but it will deter flying predators. The girls may not be getting much free range time for a while.

You have a beautiful place.

 

[NellaBean]

I have a hawk that was frequenting my flock. Losing one a day for at least a few days. I think I lost 5 or 6 total in a week or two. I let a bunch of roosters out of the rooster pen into the main yard to help with hawk calls. I moved my "best" birds into a covered pen (bantam mottled cochin breeding flock). I put out a bunch of 5 foot decorative scarecrows (LOL). I put "hiding spots" out in the yard. Pallet leaning against a wall. Small trailer propped up near the garage. Places for them to dive under. I have been outside when the hawk attacked and it is FAST. From the bird in the tree to when it makes contact with the prey......just a second or two. They have to have somewhere to go to get away once the roosters sound the hawk call.

I haven't lost any recently.....not sure if that is simply because they picked off the easy ones and the rest are a bit smarter.......or if the scarecrows and hiding places worked. I can't cover my yard or keep everyone safe, so just had to hope for the best. My next step was reflective tape strung up around the yard to flap in the breeze. Big yard (about 1/2 acre) so it would be a lot easier said than done!