Hawk - bought to lose my patience

[Wooden_Pony]

Chickens are not a wild hawks' natural prey, in fact rats, mice, small snakes and smaller "pest" birds such as pigeons and doves are their preferred prey

Pssst... hey eichenluft can you come over and tell my hawk this info.

My hawk swoops in and crashes/hangs onto my wire walls of my coop. Thank goodness the top is roofed.​

 

[Windy Ridge]

Quote:
If it comes down to having to exterminate, do it legally. Most extension agencies will try to relocate a "pest" predator for you, for the very reason that they're a protected species. We even have people who will do that near where I live, and my closest town only has 200 people in it.

There may be times some people will SSS, but in my opinion that shouldn't be with a protected wild animal species... especially not when there are legal alternatives. SSS shouldn't be the FIRST alternative, it should be the very, very last, when you've exhausted all your other options. My opinion is that you should keep your poor chickies locked up for a few days and make some calls to find out if the hawk can be relocated, or removed for you. Most extension agencies take livestock damage very seriously, even if you only have quite small flock.

 

[JudyMcKinn]

Are your chicks in a pen, or just free-ranging? If in a pen, maybe you cancover with deer netting, or such. It isn't very expensive.
I understand those who say not to, but my cure would still be to shoot it. Just as he is getting your chickens because they are there, you could shoot him because he is there, getting your chickens.

 

[CovenantCreek]

Any ideas for protecting a large area? The hawk that moved into my neighborhood had one of my 8 mos old pullets for lunch a couple weeks ago. Since then, the others have been locked in the coop but I'd really like to be able to let them roam again. My property is 5 acres, though the girls only roamed on about 3 of them, generally staying close to the house, barn, or sheds except when cruising the horse paddocks (where the evidence of the attack was located).

 

[McGoo]

Covenant Creek, do you have a roo? Mine seems to keep the gals protected. He's always on the lookout and runs them undercover. I've got Redtails and cooper's hawks all around. they've got a nest right on my property.

 

[JudyMcKinn]

A hawk will easily take a full sized hen, so keeping them in till they are grown won't take care of the problem. And while I am sure it helps some for a roo to give an alert and all of them to run under bushes, etc, a hawk will (and I speak from experience) land and walk under a bush to attack a chicken.
The ONLY way to protect your chickens, if you have a hawk or hawks who have discovered them, is to cover your pen, or string fishing line over your pen about 6 inches apart, or get rid of the hawk, or forget keeping chickens. Good Luck, I feel for you.

 

[Juliechickens]

Oh man,,,,reading these responses is making ME lose my patience!!! Save the Hawk????? Are you all freakin nuts??????? I just had a hawk kill my precious white silkie hen who at the time was my only bird who laid eggs for me. She was so sweet and special to me and a hawk came and killed her where I caught him in the act! I bought a strong pellet gun and law or no law,,,if that jerk comes back,,,I'm going to blow his stupid head off! Yes, I understand he's doing his job for food but so am I! I'm not going to sit by and watch him take out my chickens one at a time and do nothing! He better hope I don't see him back in my yard or else! That's all I have to say about that...sorry if it offends but if you would have known my little sweet silkie bird like I did,,,you'd want to be rid of the hawk too I bet. If not, perhaps I can catch him for you and bring him to your house and let him loose over your chickens,,,,I bet you wouldn't WUV him so much then! Aggravated and angry, Julie

 

[clustercluck]

Shoot a coyote and have him stuffed. Put the stuffed coyote by your pen. Sounds crazy but it works. Will also keep other coyotes away.

 

[JudyMcKinn]

Isn't it rather expensive to mount an animal that size? I have never had any experience at it. Also, probably not too easy to shoot one, tho if one could shoot one and afford to stuff him, it might help keep things away. Would it scare the chickens, also, as well as the predators??

 

[clustercluck]

Quote:
I never really thought about the cost cause my uncle is the one who stuffed it for us. I guess you could try just leaving the pelt out there, near the pen.
If you can't shoot one, you can always trap him.
The chickens seem to get used to it being there.