Hawk problem.....anyone know how long they will hang around?

[Buck Creek Chickens]

try turkeys and a long narrow run, I've got a nesting pair of red tails in my back field. my duck yard has 3 geese in it plus the ducks have learned to go under the trees when the hawks fly. Most of my birds have learned to go close to the fence when they see hawks. The best way to keep the hawks out is to stop them for being able to swoop

 

[asolano76]

We will not kill it! My DH strung up a bunch of red/white string in x formations last night so hopefully there is not any room to do a swoop in. The run is 20x40 so netting was a hard option. He also strung some CD's every couple of x's. Yesterday I only saw the Hawk sitting in the tree for about 30 mintues and no sign of it today, so I am keeping my fingers crossed!!

 

[Mattemma]

I have one hawk that stays all winter. I think you need to be careful at all times,but in the winter animals will get more deperate for a meal even with you standing over the chickens.

I have cd's and a fake owl up.Plus some bird netting to slow it down.

 

[tadkerson]

Has any body tried a large bird aggressive game rooster? I would think if the rooster saw the coopers hawk on a bird he would attack and drive off the much smaller hawk.

I range my birds so over head netting is out of the question. I have large trees that prevent the Buteos from swooping in and getting my birds. I saw a red-tailed hawk chasing my chickens on the ground. He gave up and flew off. The red shouldered hawks do not bother my birds.

I may be able to place netting up high on poles- that way the bird would knock itself silly when it flies into the netting. I had a coopers hawk slam into a fence one time.

I still like the aggressive rooster idea.

Tim

 

[SportTees]

Hawks never go away- they just bring renforcements

 

[Hens4Fun]

I had 3 hawks start hanging around my free ranging hens (middle of the city!) ... and soon one hen was dead. I started keeping my girls in a run (and they are most unhappy!) because the hawks would nose dive even when I or my 6'2" husband were out there!!

It's been 2 years of having them in a run and STILL the hawks come regularly to sit in the trees and wait.

I'm convinced once the hawks saw the chickens here they have basically locked it into their memory banks forever. I really miss my hens roaming around too, but it was awful to have one lost to the hawks.

 

[flyingdragon]

I have heard that the use of a flock guard dogs is helpful. I lost one of my barred rocks chicks to a red tail early in the fall before I got my netting up over my run. I let them out only when I am outside working now. An aggressive rooster does sound good.

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

Quote:
More like a year... I had a hawk that killed 6 this spring, so after i installed a HUGE chicken wire top over my coop and run, He still sits in the cottonwoods and waits....

 

[Miltonchix]

You need CROWS! yup, Crows.
A crow will not tolerate a hawk being around and will mob it til it leaves.
I realize most people consider crows a nuisance, and I did too, until I watched them chasing a hawk that had been hanging around eyeing my hens.
Crows are now more than welcome around my place.
When there are no crows around I just have to be extra vigilant. Had a close call last week though. Looked outside just in time to see a hawk setting up to make its dive on one of the hens. As soon as it saw me it flew off.

 

[asolano76]

He came back today and got another one of my girls......we tried something new so my fingers are crossed again. So sad