Hawk Problem

[AubriD]

I was sitting inside today and I heard a crash by my coop and then I heard all my chickens going nuts. I looked out of my window in time to see a hawk and all of the chickens running into the coop. I ran out yelling at the hawk and as he flew away he released one of my chickens. All of the chickens are hiding in the coop terrified. What can I do for the chick that got caught? She had some bleeding but now she's really scared and I don't want to scare her more. How can I keep this hawk from coming back? He was very aggressive, he was on the ground trying to get them. My chickens' coop and run is covered with a net material to keep these predators away.

 

[azygous]

The chickens are traumatized for now, but will recover in a few hours, behaving as if nothing had happened.

I had a ten-month old chick get nabbed by a hawk, but she escaped, losing all her back feathers to the talons. She recovered so quickly that I didn't even know at first she had been the victim of the attack I had heard outside my bedroom.

As for keeping hawks away, they're one predator that is nearly impossible to discourage. Provide as much cover and overhead protection as possible and hope the law of averages is on the side of your chickens surviving.

 

[lilmillefleur]

sometimes roosters and/or livestock guardian dogs can help protect the flock. However if you don't want either of these, just be sure that there is enough bushes or shelter to hide in should a hawk attack.
We always supervise our free ranging flock to help keep them safe.