Hawk Help Needed

[Ladies-Eight]

We also had a problem with hawks. I bought a couple fake large owls (the heads move too), and placed them around our yard. It worked and the hawks went a way.

I have a hawk that likes to sit on the top rail of my run. I have ordered a couple of Owls that hoot and head turns. I'm going to place them on the rail at the top of the run at strategic points.

 

[Okiedori]

We have a large yard in a suburban neighborhood. We’ve had chickens (5yrs) and never predator problems during the day. We have two dogs and they free range with the dogs during the day. 2 weeks ago I let them out at 6am like I always do and one was taken by a hawk. We’ve had 2 weeks to investigate and we are pretty sure. We now let them out later in the day and spend more time out back. Tonight we were out back and saw 6 hawks peering into our yard. We put our girls to bed but we also have smaller chickens that we let roam when we are out. We have 3 scare crows, 1 owl and a ton of shiny objects. Any advice? We want to go to back to normal and we are being very cautious yet the hawks seem to know about us. I’d love to get back to having my birds in the yard. The hawks perch on an electrical tower behind our property so we can’t do much about that.

We have problems with hawks in the Winter when they are hungry. I noticed that crows do not like hawks in their territory and will run them off. It has taken a while, but we encourage the crows by leaving out peanuts. They now nest near us and they help deter the hawks. Not 100%, but it helps. The chickens now respond when they hear a crow warning and run for the coop. Our area is too large to cover with a net, but I hear that works. We have a rooster too and that noisy fella may be a deterant as well. Try putting up shiny wind vane that is supposed to deter them. I don't think anything is 100% but try several options. Good Luck!

 

[Kluk-Kluk]

I therefore strung fishing line over this large area. I put it high enough to not be in the way of our heads or the truck w hay, but criss crossed randomly from barn to trees to shed

We had a problem with hawks killing our chickens (though not picking them up and taking them away, but eating on the spot). We initially used the fishing line to deter them, and ended up catching a hawk on a line because its wing became so tangled in the fishing line that we had to cut the line to release him. Prior to release, though, the hawk, whom we handled with leather gloves, sat in a cage all day so my husband could see it prior to release. It never came back, but we eventually went to sturdy bird netting, and more recently, fencing above and below (for the digging foxes) the vertical fence. Predators from sky and nearby woods is a big issue here.

The behavior you describe (several birds perched on the tower) sounds much more like buzzards than hawks. I, too, seriously doubt your bird was killed/eaten by a hawk (or a buzzard).

A hawk had a nest in this neighborhood and I would see the whole family surveying my backyard once the young hawks learned to fly. Hawks and buzzards look different. I'm a biologist; I know I saw hawks, in my case. (And another time a whole family of owls in the tree above our coop - four youngsters, plus mom and dad. Cute. At the time, we had our bunker of a coop and run, so I was not concerned.)

 

[imnukensc]

I have a hawk nest in my front yard---Cooper's Hawks. I, too, am familiar with the difference between hawks and buzzards both in appearance and behavior. That's why I questioned the statement that it was hawks perched on the electrical tower. Hawks don't typically gather in large groups unless they're migrating.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Try chicken saddles with "eyes" on the saddle.

 

[Stayster]

We have a large yard in a suburban neighborhood. We’ve had chickens (5yrs) and never predator problems during the day. We have two dogs and they free range with the dogs during the day. 2 weeks ago I let them out at 6am like I always do and one was taken by a hawk. We’ve had 2 weeks to investigate and we are pretty sure. We now let them out later in the day and spend more time out back. Tonight we were out back and saw 6 hawks peering into our yard. We put our girls to bed but we also have smaller chickens that we let roam when we are out. We have 3 scare crows, 1 owl and a ton of shiny objects. Any advice? We want to go to back to normal and we are being very cautious yet the hawks seem to know about us. I’d love to get back to having my birds in the yard. The hawks perch on an electrical tower behind our property so we can’t do much about that.
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We have a three guineas mixed in with our flock. Tha guineas watch the sky and let the chickens know when to take cover. I don't know if we got lucky or if this could happen for anyone. Our guineas our so attached to the chickens the never leave the flock.

 

[Dr Dangerous]

We have a large yard in a suburban neighborhood. We’ve had chickens (5yrs) and never predator problems during the day. We have two dogs and they free range with the dogs during the day. 2 weeks ago I let them out at 6am like I always do and one was taken by a hawk. We’ve had 2 weeks to investigate and we are pretty sure. We now let them out later in the day and spend more time out back. Tonight we were out back and saw 6 hawks peering into our yard. We put our girls to bed but we also have smaller chickens that we let roam when we are out. We have 3 scare crows, 1 owl and a ton of shiny objects. Any advice? We want to go to back to normal and we are being very cautious yet the hawks seem to know about us. I’d love to get back to having my birds in the yard. The hawks perch on an electrical tower behind our property so we can’t do much about that.

Firecrackers may help.If the neighbors dont complain

 

[New Prepper]

I was told you can run fishing line up between the trees, The birds can see it and veer off. True or was someone pulling my leg?

 

[WGHowell]

You said that hawks were the culprit. I've never seen hawks use cell towers for perches , but I have definately seen buzzards use them . Hawks prefer power lines to perch on. You may want to check a little closer to see if it is buzzards rather than hawks. I live out in the country and I don't have that much trouble out of hawks. I may have lost 2 or 3 chickens over the past 5 years. It could easily be a fox or something else getting your birds. When a hawk kills a chicken there will be feathers left behind from where the hawk grabbed the chicken. With other predators they can grab them up and leave nothing behind.

 

[Ginger78]

Did you find the chicken killed by hawk? If not, then almost certainly kill not by a hawk.

No we actually found our culprit, a bobcat. It has been jumping the fence and hanging around the coop in the morning.