Hawk detergent

[ashleeey1515]

We have a large black hawk that encircles our yard and it makes me super nervous for my girls. Anything other suggestions out there in addition to hanging CD's?

 

[Jenbirdee]

small trees, big bushes, picnic tables, adirondac chairs, kids playhouses, slides, jungle gyms, tables, stools, patio umbrellas,
you can also make bamboo teepees ️
a rooster
geese
livestock guardian dog
donkey

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC. We have frequent hawks but haven’t had an attack in years. I think its because my standard (brahma mix) rooster is so tall, but who knows.
The best deterrent is a covered run. I've had my flocks locked up for several weeks now due to raccoons. I really appreciate all the labor & money that we put into very large, very secure runs and coops.

 

[McChooky]

We're under the cover of trees and not on a migratory route but we still have hawks . The crows were here when I lost 2 pullets a few months ago but because its hard to tell the diff between ravens and crows I'm not sure what happened .My hens were barely a year old when they disappeared on the same day

 

[Wonderwomansc]

We have a large black hawk that encircles our yard and it makes me super nervous for my girls. Anything other suggestions out there in addition to hanging CD's?

I have a radio playing country music, I put netting under tree area with reflection streamers that move in the wind.
Both are helping

 

[Bodhisan]

I second (or third) the bird netting - depending on your setup. It's rather inexpensive on Amazon.

 

[Chick-in]

At first I was wondering if you were going to be washing some hawks

My best deterrent is chicken wire over any runs and LGDs when they are out. Most of mine go nuts when they see birds of prey, vultures, sometimes the occasional wild turkey up on the trees or sky. As well as low flying planes (that was a hoot). Trees help, but I've had them miss and then chase after chickens along the ground. Had to run it off ourselves as the dogs weren't in that area.

 

[TexasLisa]

I have been using 40-50 lb clear fishing line over the top of their run. Most of it has been up for 10 years. It looks like a cobweb out there when the sun shines. Chickens have not been bothered when in their pen.

 

[QODTMWTD]

We use deer netting that's made to protect bushes and run it overhead in the chicken yard. It comes in 7' wide rolls, it's light, and it's black, so it looks less awful than the hawk netting you can buy on line. Deer netting is also far easier to work with than hawk netting, which is a nightmare to string up. The deer netting covers only about a third of the yard, but in the uncovered section we have two pallets set on concrete blocks so the birds can take shelter if necessary. The blocks are laid on their sides and stacked two high, so there's enough headroom for the birds to stand up under the pallets. There's a third pallet under the deer netting, and that's the one the birds congregate on top of in the mornings. I've never seen them on top of the uncovered pallets, so it seems as though they can distinguish between the part of the yard that's sheltered by the netting and the part that's open.

 

[McChooky]

Most dogs can be trained to give pursuit and/or sound alerts so get one and train it if you plan on raising chickens. I always keep one dog outside if my chickens are free ranging and sometimes both. Never had birds of prey bother my chickens when my dogs are out.They'll leap in the air and try to attack birds of prey.