Hawk hanging over my run! ALL DAY!!!

[henney]

I've heard hawks are scared of RAVEN's. You could buy a raven decoy and perch it on your run or hen house.

 

[star2525]

I have Guardian Livestock Dogs 2 of them that take care of the Predators including the Hawks, I have several pens and several that don't have tops on them, the dogs always bark to the sky when they see hawks and will get into where the birds are if they're not free ranging to be with the birds, I have a Premier Fence that is portable and the female knows how to unlock the chain link doors, so in she goes, they also work as a team, one stays with the Flock and the other goes after the Predator. I've saw them stop a Hawk in flight before, when my husband thinks the Hawk isn't going to go away, he opens up the Door and calls like a Crow, the Hawks hit the Road Quick. Never had to use a Gun yet.

And Love my Dogs, they sleep with my Birds. My Sebastopol Geese tend to push them around some but not much.

Victoria

 

[Minniechickmama]

Quote:
Which breed of dogs do you have? I have thought about Maremmas for guardians.

 

[HorizonSon]

We have annoying hawks, too. Our rooster jumps up and spurs the hawks when ever they swoop down. I don't know if he has ever actually stuck one. But; its a typical routine: month+ goes by, hawk swoop down, rooster protects hen, another month+ goes by without incident.

 

[star2525]

I have a Great Pyreneese Male and a 1/2 Pyreneese 1/2 Anatolian Shepherd Female, some Pyreneese have Large territories so you want to ask about the dogs area of coverage, they are both about 4 years old and came from different breeders this summer, I don't even have my Premier Fence electrified, I had 23 Broiler chicks that I put out at 3 weeks of age to free range, they slept with the female dog, one day I went outside and she had one of them pinned to the ground and was licking its back, at first I thought Oh No, I decided to watch her, she licked the birds back and then let it up unharmed, I guess she felt there was a need for her licking its back, I practically had to pry her away from them when I put them in totes and drove them to be processed about 2 months later, she went into my Araucana Coop after that and slept with the birds, I actually have pictures of birds on her back, I call those "Livestock Guard on Duty" The Lady I got her from said they would often if a Lamb or Goat was being born and in trouble bring her the young and drop them in her lap. Not cheap though, I gave 850 total for the female, and she's worth it, the male I picked up from a Breeders placement that said the dog wasn't working out for them, he would not stay in a fence, that was fine with me I didn't want a dog to stay in a fence, I wanted him to patrol my perimeter for Predators. I paid 300 for him and he's registered. Deer Gun Season starts here Monday in Ohio, I am going to tie the Male up for the week during the daylight hours, he will stay tied, he just doesn't like it, the female will stay right here, he's the one that goes in after stuff and sometimes Hunters can be very cruel, so I'm planning to avoid all of that and just tie him up for the week. I absolutely love them and wouldn't be without one or two now. Both dogs in a Months time eat 2 Bags 40# of Dog Food in a Month, I do tend to spoil them with a few treats, I don't think they've ever been spoiled before. I bring them in twice a day and give them breakfast, they each get a pie plate each of dog food, and I mix Bil Jac frozen dog food also into their dry kibble, so 6 bucks for that, they love those cheap dog bone biscuits from Aldi's 99 cents for a Box of those, and an occasional Pigs Ear, I only feed them Beef products and no chicken or fowl, I don't want them to acquire a taste for birds, so they get pork flavors and beef flavors, and no having them chase a ball or a stick, that can increase Prey Drive so none of that. I make sure they are well fed and happy, and Love my Dogs. They do bark at night, and I don't find that unbearable and understand that they are doing their Jobs for keeping Predators away, I have been told that if they come to you barking there is an issue that you need to go and check out, for instance if they would come to my bedroom window and bark I know somethings up that needs my immediate attention. So they're in Charge!

Victoria

 

[JCoogle]

I didn't read all the replies so sorry if this is a repeat. If you live in a rural area then noise helped me get rid of my hawk. By federal law it is illegal to kill one but they never said anything about a shotgun blast or two to the tree next to them. I did this a few times with the one that liked to perch next to my girls and he quit hanging around.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Quote:
Sounds like you have a great pair. Let's hope they are with you a long time. I have Standard Poodles - huge prey drive with the birds. I need to put a second fence around the chickens now because the dogs can jump the one we have up for them. I think they might be part deer.
Thanks for sharing about your guardians.
Minnie