Hawk proof?

[april01]

About two weeks ago, I went outside to check on the chickens when I noticed one of the two 9 week old pullets was missing. There was only a few feathers on the ground from my Rhode Island Red ( It wasn't a huge amount so I don't know if it was related to her disappearence or not). No other signs of her. Her little buddy was walking by itself which was very unusual as she always followed around the RIR. Our yard is fenced in so there was no way she could have gotten out. A couple of days later, we started seeing a hawk flying over. (We had never seen hawks by our house before this).


After this, we fenced in the coops for our girls and rooster. The only problem is that in the center of the coop is a 20 ft willow tree. We have overhead netting topping their area around the tree and fencing around it. So far the chickens haven't been able to get out. However, the only open spot is the tree (its branches hide the opening on the top). I'm seeing hawks (maybe the same one) fly over every day now and I'm wondering if hawks would even risk getting caught in the tree to get my chickens if they can even see the chickens under the tree. It would be next to impossible to relocate the chicken area but I'm willing if it would prevent losing another chicken.

 

[outbackbill]

Hawks are becoming a problem for chickens and wildlife. To many of them.

*It is the responsibility of the person with the predator to determine the legalities of what they do and that person will take ultimate responsibility. BYC does not condone illegal acts.

 

[Violet22]

I have a big birch tree in the middle of my run, and I have the netting so it encircles the trunk. Mine has a bunch of branches sprouting off, so to close those gaps, I used some plastic poultry netting. I have it snug enough, and enough overlap to keep out hawks or anything that might want to climb down the tree into the run.
My tree keeps growing, so I have to watch and adjust everything now and then to prevent gaps or to prevent the netting from growing into the tree.

 

[DragonFeathers]

*It is the responsibility of the person with the predator to determine the legalities of what they do and that person will take ultimate responsibility. BYC does not condone illegal acts.

 

[fadetopurple]

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[DragonFeathers]

The hawks now no where an easy lunch/dinner is!

 

[Redwood Forest Bantams]

True hawk and falcon numbers are on the rise, false no where is it legal to shoot any raptor.. Not to mention that the hawk you seeing flying over everyday is most likely not your culprit. 95% of the time it is a Cooper's Hawk that is guilty of taking poulty/pigeons, and they are very secretive. You are likely seeing a redtailed hawk soaring over head, yes they will take birds but not as likely as the coopers.

If your going to buck the law, then at least make sure you are taking out the guilty party.. killing every hawk doest make sense...

 

[geosheets]

Dangling CD's are proving to be an excellent hawk deterrent for me... I had 8-10 coopers hawks at a time scoping out wildlife in my yard before hanging up the CD's. I don't see them in my yard at all now but I do hear them elsewhere in the neighborhood. Additionally, I don't think that I have ever seen a hawk land in my willow tree... they may not want to mess with the long dangling branches. I have seen them in every other tree and on top of the barn and garage but never the willow.

 

[GAChknGirl]

Quote:
I was just about to put hang up CD we have lost over 10 chickens to hawks we hung up CDs and we havent had one go missing since we put them up!!!

 

[CallyB57]

Concerning hawks, something happened to me this weekend that absolutely traumatized me (and possibly, my cheekens). I was outside in the 'run' which is oddly shaped, but approximately 40'x60'. I was raking some poo out of a tub of sand I keep for my birds when I saw a large shadow on the ground, then in quick succession, another. I looked up and nearly fainted, as there were 6 or 8 huge hawks

(wing span had to be between 3-4') and they were circling, swooping down below the treetops - I could hear swish of their wings as they dipped down. My 6 Silkies were frozen over beside a 6' board fence and the small Brahmas (12 of them) had run for cover beneath the henhouse. My older Brahmas and the EE's just disappeared into the two caged pens, but the doors were wide open. I was batting at the air with my rake and screaming for my X to help me. This action did not in any way phase the hawks..they were relentless but I felt they would not be able to pick off most of the cheekens - by the time they were swooping low, only the Silkies were exposed and were huddled against the fence

. I just kept screaming and then heard a shot gun shell load. At that point I started crying

and my X hollered at me wanting to know if I wanted him to shoot the hawks. I told him no, it was illegal and by that time, the hawks were just disappearing into thin air. I don't know if they were lit in the trees - I live in a thickly treed area and the run for my birds is probably the only decently open and sunny spot on 3 acres. It is absolutely the most terrifying 'animal' incident that has ever happened to me - even scarier than a growling dog, but I think because I have never seen a hawk that size or that bold. After talking to my neighbor about the incident, I found out that her daughter had only been standing about 100' away when large hawks swooped down right in front of her and flew off with her fat hens. Please beware - if you are not standing right there at the time, you would never believe the size and aggression of these hawks!!! And most the time, people are not there watching, as it takes only seconds and your babies are gone!! Mine are not ever going to be loose in the 'run' again without me - will start this weekend to cover the entire 40x60 pen on top. After about 5:00 p.m., I don't see hawks circling in the air, so I let them out and stay in the pen with them for about an hour and a half so they can eat their grass clippings and worms and crickets and peck around. I have a lot of work to do this weekend!