Hawk attempting to get in cage!

[Show Me Chick]

Never said I do it... just stating the facts. Lol

 

[ekemily]

I would not advise shooting the hawk. They are a protected animal along with some other birds of prey. Like some other posts have said, another animal will just take its place. It's best to beef up your security. Hawks play a vital role in the ecosystem. Kill it and the next thing you will be posting about is how to keep the rats and snakes out of your coop!

 

[Show Me Chick]

Well if the hawk is eating chickens and not snakes/rats like he should be then nothing will be replacing the hawk (they will already be around)...since he's not eating the right prey to begin with. Plus any animal that takes it's place can be disposed of as well.

Again I'm not saying break the law just stating the facts. Lol.

 

[Zahboo]

But since it's illegal give up trying to kill the hawk and just put either a roof on the pen or expand the hiding area.

 

[Fruitloopz]

Alrighty then, I won't shoot the hawk. *winks* Yesterday it was actually hanging off the bottom of it trying to get their feet! Building a new coop, complete with hot wires, the pie plates as suggested and everything else I can think of!

 

[MoSo]

I hang old CDs (and DVDs) from the wire on fishing line, the slightest breeze sends them spinning. I've seen hawks (and eagles) eye my coop and run, but never try for it. It also stopped the scrub jays, Stellars jays and magpies from testing to wire to see if they could get in to get at the chicken scratch.

Although lately my favorite hen has been jumping to peck at the lowest-hanging CD, which she can't quite reach....

I might also try a garden hose and water, if you're close enough to spray the hawk and not the chickens.

 

[duck walk]

Is hitting one with a bucket illegal? lol I had one land on a pullet within four feet of me...I was on one side of a wooden gate and he on the other side...evidently he did not see me standing there...I had a heavy metal bucket in my hand, flung the gate open and upper cut him with the bucket knocking him several feet from my pullet...he landed up side down and seemed dazed for a few seconds...he stayed away for a very long time...they are back this year...got my bucket handy!

 

[arch_cpj]

run a few hot wires along the bottom starting at say 6 inches and go every 8 inches after that up the run then run a few across the top same distance maybe a foot apart... get a weed chopper fencer one that doesnt tick if you can.. also the chicken wire or hardware cloth run and hook your ground rod to that and the rod in the ground Mr hawk or anything else will NOT ever mess with it if they do it once... also a very nice way to get rid of house sparrows they are dumb birds the sparrows and grab ahold well the 1 ounce cant handle it... you can do this for under 100 bucks...

 

[ADozenGirlz]

We had a hawk reach in through the chicken wire on our run and pull our silke chick partially through when we first put our chickens in their big girl coop. We reinforced the run with hardware cloth and have had no trouble since then.
Good luck. Stay legal.

We took these pictures the day he got our Silkie baby.

We didn't know he had already done the deed on the other side of the run. He doesn't hang around any more.

 

[bufforphfan]

One day I was sitting with my front door open and a Red-tail Chicken Hawk landed on a rail near my door. I walked to the door and he stared at me until I opened the screen door. Then he flew off. He was after a bantam rooster I had free-ranging and he eventually got him. I have never seen him again! This year I bought some small mesh bird netting, but I have not put it up yet. BTW- Most birds are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Act and there is a very heavy fine if you are even caught with a feather. Even wood-peckers are a protected species! American Indians who use Eagle feathers as ceremonial items can get a Federal Permit to possess feathers, but they too must have a Federal permit.