Hawk behavior qeustion

[canesisters]

I'm just finishing up my coop and will be starting the run soon. I've seen a few hawks around but I've never seen one attack - anything - ever. My question is - do they always drop in from on high (dive bomb)? My run will be half pine trees and half open. Will a hawk just simply sit in the tree and drop on a chicken? Or do they only hunt while soaring?
Sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm trying to decide if I need to cover my run of if the girls will likely be ok with cover available.

The run will go out behind the coop and off the the right.
OR
I could fencing to the left under the trees and not use the open area at all. What do yall think?

 

[hearts34]

I have a pair of hawks nesting within eye sight of my chicken coop and run. I have seen hawks catch doves in mid-air, dive bomb field mice and chase rabbits.

So far, I have not had any hawk/chicken encounters. I do let my chickens free range, and I am currently comfortable enough to allow them unsupervised.

I have nine pullets/cockerels, and I do not let them out unless I am able to be out there with them. Ultimately, I think it all depends on how hungry the hawks are. It's a risk/reward scenario in the predator's mind. An eight pound hen could be a little intimidating to a five pound hawk.

My brother-in-law raises game chickens, and he actually had a hawk fly inside of a grow off pen after a six month old pullet. She weighed about three pounds. Also games are slightly smaller than domestics.

He was able to close the door and trap/relocate the hawk. Luckily he happened to be looking out the window when it happened, and the game was quick enough to out manuver the hawk long enough for him to get out there.

To answer your question - They will exert the least amount of energy to get a chicken, if that is what they decide to do. A domestic is not a hard target at all, so all they would have to do is drop down on them.

 

[canesisters]

Hum.... I know that there is a huge population of rabbits, etc in the fields around the yard so hunger shouldn't be a big motivator. But the chickens would be easier than a rabbit or a any other wild game.

The run fence won't go all the way to the yard fence - so that the dogs will be able to circle it. I'm hoping that will make it less attractive to any preds.
I'm wondering now if I should maybe only fence a small area under the trees for now - the girls are around 8wks. I have a screen room (was supposed to go under one of those retractable awanings) that I could drape over/attach to the fence to protect against overhead daytime attacks. They'll be locked inside the building at night.

 

[hearts34]

You could top a small portion immediately outside the building 12x24 with chicken wire and confine them to that, only letting them in the large open area when you are outside.

I have three separate 12x24 runs covered with chicken wire, and only allow free ranging when I am at home. I don't always stay outside with them, but I keep a check on them every few minutes while they are out.

There have been a couple occasions where I forgot about them and they were unattended for several hours, but so far no losses. I would keep anything under 6-8 months old under covered area unless directly supervised, they are just too small of a target.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Whether or not you have a hawk problem depends upon what species of hawk you have living there. The majority of hawks will not bother adult chickens. I've got a family of Merlins who weigh well under a pond. They go right into my runs hunting sparrows, but they will not tackle a 10 pound duck. I am very glad to have them around.

Hawks might drop straight down, or they might swoop in low. Either way, they hit fast and hard and need a clear flight path.

Owls, on the other hand, typically hunt through branches and they can twist and turn and fly through very tight places.

 

[ThiefPouter06]

I have lost over 14 full size hens (brahmas, wyandottes, sumatra roo) since last spring. I have lost as many as 2 in a day. They basically set in the trees and drop on them then take them to a secure location to dispatch. I live in a heavily wooded area surrounded by open fields. Its quite discouraging. I guess I am am going to get hogs after the last is gone.

 

[Fishbone]

Hawks will swoop, dive bomb or wait in a tree branch for the right moment.

They can also fly through woods 'with the greatest of ease'.

I used to raise racing pigeons, seen hawks around but they never took a bird.
One day while watching them exercise, unknown to me a red tail hawk had nested in the top of ole pine tree about 75 yards from my coop.

One un-lucky bird flew over that nest, this hawk flew straight up about 20' (which took about 5 wing beats) went upside down and grabbed my pigeon and landed back in the nest!
UNBELIEVABLE act of flying ability!

It never happened again!

Chicks would be easy prey...you also have an issue with your dogs taking the chickens too.

 

[chiques chicks]

I have watched a redtail chase a squirrel through branches of a pine. The hawk came from about halfway down a nearby oak. They will use whatever tactic works for the situation.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I was worried about hawks too, so we decided to make a smaller completely enclosed, predator proof run attached to the coop for those days when we might be gone and don't want to risk the chickens being out, but so they don't have to stay "cooped up." I don't even have to close up the coop, just the run. From the run, my hubby made a really slick guillotine style door that slides up and down and this is how they access the uncovered (but dog proof) chicken yard.

The best kind of cover for chickens is not tall trees, but low thick bushes and shrubs. They will instinctively dive into thickets to evade hawks and other predators. My current project is adding these types of plants to my chicken yard as a few large fruit trees are their only cover at this point.

 

[Fishbone]

I have watched a redtail chase a squirrel through branches of a pine. The hawk came from about halfway down a nearby oak. They will use whatever tactic works for the situation.

I have seen them do this in a 'pack' some will srcreech and fly over head (to make the squirrels run) the others will fly and chase squirrels in the trees.