Hawk checking out the birds.

[Mikeeeeeeeeee]

My 5 acres is heavily wooded.
All my birds are standards and my main roo is a big BR.

Yesterday they were free ranging and my wife called to me that there was a hawk sitting on a limb in the backyard.
I clapped my hands, shouted and he just sat there.
So I went inside and got the 22 pistol and............NO< I DIDNT SHOOT HIM!
I got the pistol and shot the tree he was in.
He flew to another tree and I shot it.
He flew away then.

I know I can expect him to come back.
I hope he doesnt want to try taking a standard size bird.

I will keep shooting the trees he sits in to try and discourage him.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

Good luck! You will have to keep a sharp eye out for him from now on.

 

[maine chicks]

Get yourself an air horn and keep it handy. You might have to keep them covered and hope the hawk moves on. Don't let your guard down

 

[davidb]

Hope you can keep him scared away. But once they have spotted dinner it will be hard to do

 

[Knight Hawk Ranch]

I live next to a swamp/wooded area (sw fla) and have several pairs of Hawks. Hence my farm name.
I have RIR and the only time I have a problem is IF any of my girls have babies. So I raised them in the coop pen until they are big enough to not be chicken nuggets for the hawks.
I also have noticed that since we have a large barn area (hiding place) and several trailers/equiment, ect in the yard, the chickens have plenty of places to get out of view.
Most the time, I find them under my feed room that is up on cbs blocks.

 

[Mikeeeeeeeeee]

Quote:
I have 3 RIR that are big.
4 BR that are huge
2 BO's that are big also.

No little ones at the moment. I sold off all my banties.

 

[abluechipstock]

i'm having a hawk problem also the little devil! my friend used blow up easter bunnies to keep them away from her pond, i'm going to try that, i also need to pen everybody up so the hawk will get hungry and leave, knock on wood, it hasn't been a bad year

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

hey, Mikeeeeeee, what was your roo doing during all the excitement? He should have been pitching a fit, and often that is your best defense. A good roo will spot hawks and give the alarm, and even defend the ladies with his life if he needs to. Our Chester has an amazing and loud alarm call that can be heard anywhere on the property!

Good Luck!

 

[cthrash1]

We just lost a drake call duck yesterday to a hawk...It flew into their pen and started in on it. By the time we made it far enough to scare off the hawk I had to put the drake out of his misery. The guinea over in the next run was throwing a fit and the BR roo had all the birds run into the big house and they didn't come out til they heard me talking to my son. When we got back there Raoul(BR roo), Splat(Spitz roo) and the guinea were all 3 right outside the hatch guarding...They were awsome, too bad they couldn't protect the ducks though, but they did sound a warning.

 

[Preservation Acres]

Do you folks have many problems with hawks and standard size adult birds?