Hawk just doesn't...learn.

[cw]

Quote:
Would that be Shoot, Shovel, and Shut up? Yes!!

Yep thats it, but shut up is so harsh try shoot, shovel, and shush

 

[Mattemma]

Lots of cover. I used to get in my daily walking herding the chickens around and carrying a big stick to wave at the hawk.

Last week a 15 yo ohio amish girl got a bullet in the head on her way home in her buggy. Supposidly traced it back to a guy 1.5 miles away that shot his gun in the air before cleaning it. You never know. Makes me reconsider getting a gun since I am surrounded by houses.

 

[cw]

Quote:
I read that story, and its sad the girl died, but stupid for the guy to shot in the air, he was cleaning a muzzle loader, he had to get the bullit out so he fires it to the air, instead of the ground instead of pulling the bullitt. (for those of you who dont know what a muzzleloader is, there is no cased round, the barrel is sealed, you put in the powder and bullitt (aka the charge)tamp it, and its loaded)
Please dont let that story detour you from becoming a responsible gun owner, take a safty class and always treat it as it were loaded and be smart and your fine

 

[galanie]

Yeah, it amazes me how many people think firing into the air is safe. They must either not know anything about gravity or they imagine all these bullets are still whizzing through space somewhere.

I have people around me that fire guns in the air on New Years. I make darn sure I'm inside and still pray that one doesn't fall here. Yes, it's illegal and yes they could get arrested but they do it anyway, even if just a shot here and there. Just want to say that I've handled guns for years and am not in any way against having or using them properly. It's the improper and unsafe use that drives me nuts.

OH, and back on topic, the hawks around here tried for a while quite a lot to get my Orps but they are just too large for them to handle really. After the faceoff in the coop one day, none have given them a second glance. My girls are still on the lookout though. And for the younger ones when I have them, I have things around, even just pallets on bricks on the ground that they can run under. I don't think there's any location out there where there isn't shelter for the smaller ones more than 10 feet away. So far I've yet to lose one.

 

[VelvettFog]

Quote:
Would that be Shoot, Shovel, and Shut up? Yes!!

Yep thats it, but shut up is so harsh try shoot, shovel, and shush

You find 'shut up' to be harsh, but not the shooting part? You know the part where the hawk (a protected bird no less) is killed -- that's not harsh?


Interesting how folks have different perspectives on things.


Peace,

Fog

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Knowledge of you resources greatly influences options. Hens only setting suggest urban / suburban setting where are dogs not an option. Dogs are my big gun against predators of chickens. I suggest with hens only flock to restrict yourself to larger breeds, and confine birds to a covered run or coop. If flock to be free ranged, then do so only under supervision. Catching hawk in act of going after chickens is relatively infrequent but if hawk does go after hens, then walk right up on bugger and drive it off. No need for firearms or weapons of any sort. Hawk will quit going after chickens if it can not eat its prize. If you do nothing but watch or otherwise interfere with it, then it will return, otherwise not.

 

[scooter147]

Quote:
Knowledge of you resources greatly influences options. Hens only setting suggest urban / suburban setting where are dogs not an option. Dogs are my big gun against predators of chickens. I suggest with hens only flock to restrict yourself to larger breeds, and confine birds to a covered run or coop. If flock to be free ranged, then do so only under supervision. Catching hawk in act of going after chickens is relatively infrequent but if hawk does go after hens, then walk right up on bugger and drive it off. No need for firearms or weapons of any sort. Hawk will quit going after chickens if it can not eat its prize. If you do nothing but watch or otherwise interfere with it, then it will return, otherwise not.

I had one last year that got three of my chickens. Saw him nail the one hen and kill her with the head strike, the other two I ran him off before he got one bit. He was a brave devil, no anymore though.

 

[chickened]

In Oregon raptors are protected but you are allowed to shoot them when defending your livestock, there are a few exceptions and redtails are not one of them.. Penning my birds 365 days a year is not an option.

 

[scooter147]

Quote:
I checked with my animal control officer and I also have the right to protect my chickens. I can't just shoot a hawk sitting in a tree near the coop but if caught on the prey or in the coop I'm free to do what I need to do. She did tell me that bald eagles where the only exception to that rule.