Hawk in less than an hour

[Sequin]

I am Constantly watching the skies for large flying birds. You never know when a hawk will soar over the pasture. My dogs don't pay much attention to hawks, so they are of no help. They would probably assist the hawk if it meant they got part of the chicken dinner. Once a hawk landed on top of my chicken tractor; but we have a shade cloth over the top and it couldn't find its way inside; so it gave up and we never saw it again. In the evening I take my glass of wine out to the pasture when I can and sit with the chicks while they free range within sight. When I get up and walk away for a refill all the chicks hide in the tall grass until I come back out. But yeah, I don't trust to be gone for more than a minute. It takes less time than that for something tragic to happen. That way, everyone gets to enjoy a little fresh free ranging, it is a nice way to relax after work, and gives the chicks good exercise before bedding down for the night.

 

[lisahaschickens]

yes, I do have 1/2 inch hardware cloth (welded wire mesh) over the top, and sides, and sunken into the concrete. It is totally sealed. I don't think a hawk would ever dare mess with plastic mesh/netting, but I do know that climbing predators like raccoons, possums, etc, will go up the walls and in through that netting like it's nothing. They also happily reach their hands in through 1 inch chicken wire, which is why we use the smaller mesh. I have read way too many tragic stories about chickens' getting eaten THROUGH chicken wire, one bite at a time.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

It's funny you should bring this up... I was just outside putting my layers up for the night and saw 7, SEVEN hawks circling way up in the sky less than 1/2 mile away.
They weren't circling my flock but I have never seen that many together before. It was kinda freaky.

 

[Sequin]

Forgot to mention - I agree that it seems this year there are more hawks, owls, racoons, possums, etc. out and about. I don't know if it was the severe winter and they are all starving or what. But there are def. more predators afoot this spring than last.

 

[hippie]

Quote:
i have had lots of problems with cooper's hawks too. they are extremely deadly on the little ones and the most fearless of the hawks. i lose chix to hawks occasionally but it's worth it to me to have them free ranging and eating the bugs around my house. my guineas are really good at letting the chickens know that a hawk is near. nothing gets by a guinea.

 

[xadika]

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[Stonerowfarm]

Well, the hawks are still floating around but the girls seem to be getting smarter and more used to their surroundings. We had them out for a good long while on Sat. and Sun. and they seem to gravitate towards the bushes bordering and cutting through the yard. They have been very good about staying fairly close and are happy to be out.

So, as long as I keep an eye on them (and one out for the hawks), I'll keeping letting them out. They seem to enjoy it so much.

It does seem that there are a lot more predators out this spring. Last night a fox woke me up at 3:00 hollering his way across the pasture, an animal got inside the barn and took the lid off a locked tote for the black oil seed and the other day something tore up an unlocked bag of feed. The goats and chickens are all very secure in their pens/coops but the animals are definitely having fun in the barn at night.

 

[melissastraka]

Quote:
I dont use plastic but i found that my local high school was re-doing their baseball backstops and got all they Nylon netting for free. We live in a place where hawks, crows, coons, deer, opossums, raccons and now, cougars roam right next to our coop. So far i havent lost one of them!

 

[shawnm2639]

I lost 3 birds over the weekend. I let them out like I do every night when I get home and thought "boy this weekend should be good for them" Went next door ( across the pasture ) and did a dryer full of laundry. when I got back only half the flock was hiding in coop. As I moved around the yard the others came from under the house. I had 19 but now I only have 16 BR's I found one little body but the other two Roo's are gone. Could it have been a hawk? do they take more than one in a given period? Or dog? I really thought they would be ok. I haven't heard the hawks and I got rid of the dog I knew would hurt them. The ONLY thing remotely positive is that it didn't get any of my girls...only roos ( I had 11) Chicken dumplins, Chicken and rice, Chicken Soup. My kids won't be getting out unless I am in the yard!

 

[chicks4kids]

My daughters bus driver has had to completely net her chickens because of a red tail hawk that will literally perch on a tree just near their pen, waiting....we have a red tail hawk as well that has let me know that she knows we have chickens. So we've netted as well. Haven't had any problems with other hawks or falcons though.