Hawk is picking off my flock!! Help!!

[Stormyweather]

I have a free range flock of now only 7 adults and a new momma with 5 two week old chicks (hawk got one already). We are locking her in a chicken tractor today to keep her and babies safe but the hawk has already gotten two other adults in my flock in the last 24 hours!! And it didn’t eat either one, I just found them dead with no obvious trauma except broken necks. Is there anything I can do to deter or get rid of this hawk?? I’m worried I’ll lose my whole flock!!!! Thank you!

 

[centrarchid]

Any sign hawk actually did it?

 

[DobieLover]

Putting them in a secure covered run is the only sure protection from raptors.

 

[Stormyweather]

No but I can’t imagine what else it could be!! There’s no dogs around us.... and we saw a hawk about a week ago hanging around. It’s our best guess.

 

[centrarchid]

Can you show a picture of a carcass?

I would leave carcass out and pen birds up. See who comes in.

 

[MattyBowman]

Putting them in a secure covered run is the only sure protection from raptors.

Yep! Cover them up for a while and see what happens. Going to need a roof! I just caught a bird of prey ontop of my covered run yesterday.

 

[sarahconnor]

I have a free range flock of now only 7 adults and a new momma with 5 two week old chicks (hawk got one already). We are locking her in a chicken tractor today to keep her and babies safe but the hawk has already gotten two other adults in my flock in the last 24 hours!! And it didn’t eat either one, I just found them dead with no obvious trauma except broken necks. Is there anything I can do to deter or get rid of this hawk?? I’m worried I’ll lose my whole flock!!!! Thank you!

Someone suggested hanging discs up!! We have not had a SINGLE hawk attack since then. I hang them up anywhere I can. They sparkle and are actually really pretty on our grounds. It’s so heartbreaking to lose birds to hawks. I really hope this helps you. I lost my favorite buff to a hawk. But it’s been a year since a hawk got one now. Our problem is raccoons. But serious reinforcement to our hen house and side yard and hard core trapping seems to have solved that. Lost my gorgeous goose to a stinking raccoon. But I got him that night in a trap.
Good luck.

 

[sarahconnor]

Yep! Cover them up for a while and see what happens. Going to need a roof!

Yep, we covered our side yard so they are super safe in their side yard now. We hang CD’s up everywhere (about ten) and haven’t had a problem since when they free range.

 

[DobieLover]

Yep! Cover them up for a while and see what happens. Going to need a roof! I just caught a hawk ontop of my covered run yesterday.

That little darling is a falcon but it's still capable of injuring a LF chicken and could probably kill a bantam.

 

[MattyBowman]

That little darling is a falcon but it's still capable of injuring a LF chicken and could probably kill a bantam.

I wasn’t sure. Thought maybe a Cooper’s hawk, a Merlin, very common around here, or a Peri Falcon. Thank you!