Hawk proof?

[CallyB57]

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!!!

What are dangling CD's? Tell me what to do to deter these hawks. Is that Certificates of Deposit, or compact disks? ha!

 

[Rocky Top Chick]

I'm going to hang a disco ball, bet that will freak them out. (I knew when I bought that ball years ago I would find a use for it)

 

[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!!!

What are dangling CD's? Tell me what to do to deter these hawks. Is that Certificates of Deposit, or compact disks? ha!

Compact CD hang them at diffrent legnths by fishing wire all around your coop

 

[CallyB57]

Quote:
What are dangling CD's? Tell me what to do to deter these hawks. Is that Certificates of Deposit, or compact disks? ha!

Compact CD hang them at diffrent legnths by fishing wire all around your coop

Where should I hang them - in trees, high up, or on the chicken wire or the henhouse? How high off the ground should I hang them? 5, 10, 20?

 

[GAChknGirl]

Quote:
Compact CD hang them at diffrent legnths by fishing wire all around your coop

Where should I hang them - in trees, high up, or on the chicken wire or the henhouse? How high off the ground should I hang them? 5, 10, 20?

we hang them off th Chicken Wire and the hen house we have them from 5 feet to 8 feet to 3 ft so it really doenst matter just hang them around where your chickens are!

 

[geosheets]

Quote:
Compact CD hang them at diffrent legnths by fishing wire all around your coop

Where should I hang them - in trees, high up, or on the chicken wire or the henhouse? How high off the ground should I hang them? 5, 10, 20?

Here's what I did... I tied a CD about every 8-10 ft to a longer piece of 30lb test fishing line. After I got the CD's tied to the longer line, I tied that longer line between 2 trees above their run. Then I ran a second line parallel to the first about 15-20 feet away. I have mine about 10 feet off the ground so that we don't run into them. I was able to get by with 2 longer lines to cover my run and coop area. I was going to hang some in trees but don't see the need for it since my hawks have apparently moved on. They do resemble a disco ball with spots of light dancing all around your yard but they are totally inconsistent and bounce everywhere... my wife says the yard looks like we have a DJ on drugs out there.

 

[GAChknGirl]

Quote:
Where should I hang them - in trees, high up, or on the chicken wire or the henhouse? How high off the ground should I hang them? 5, 10, 20?

Here's what I did... I tied a CD about every 8-10 ft to a longer piece of 30lb test fishing line. After I got the CD's tied to the longer line, I tied that longer line between 2 trees above their run. Then I ran a second line parallel to the first about 15-20 feet away. I have mine about 10 feet off the ground so that we don't run into them. I was able to get by with 2 longer lines to cover my run and coop area. I was going to hang some in trees but don't see the need for it since my hawks have apparently moved on. They do resemble a disco ball with spots of light dancing all around your yard but they are totally inconsistent and bounce everywhere... my wife says the yard looks like we have a DJ on drugs out there.

That sounds great im sure it will work!!

 

[CallyB57]

Quote:
Where should I hang them - in trees, high up, or on the chicken wire or the henhouse? How high off the ground should I hang them? 5, 10, 20?

Here's what I did... I tied a CD about every 8-10 ft to a longer piece of 30lb test fishing line. After I got the CD's tied to the longer line, I tied that longer line between 2 trees above their run. Then I ran a second line parallel to the first about 15-20 feet away. I have mine about 10 feet off the ground so that we don't run into them. I was able to get by with 2 longer lines to cover my run and coop area. I was going to hang some in trees but don't see the need for it since my hawks have apparently moved on. They do resemble a disco ball with spots of light dancing all around your yard but they are totally inconsistent and bounce everywhere... my wife says the yard looks like we have a DJ on drugs out there.

I can't believe it, but so far the dangling CD's have worked for me. I have around 18 hanging around the run/pen and I still see hawks, but they circle for a moment and then fly off. I don't know who thought of that idea, but I am eternally grateful for the tip...the reflection from the CD's dance wildly around on the ground and sides of the fence and I guess that is what scares them off!

 

[fledgling]

Does anyone have a picture of the CDs hanging around their chicken yard? Just want to see what works so I can estimate how many I need to hang around my yard.

Thanks!

 

[briesberrypatch]

Quote:
Interesting, I'd never heard of hawks hunting in groups before, but I found that Harris's Hawks do. Wikipedia says their habitat is mostly in the far southwest and Central and South America, but one species is said to live in Texas.

I'm glad we don't have those here. I did, however, JUST see a hawk attempt an attack on my flock - the first one in two years, since I got my guineas. This time the guineas were in the chicken house when the hawk attacked, so they didn't sound the alarm and warn the hens. Luckily the chickens were all near a couple of areas of high, dense brush and they successfully hid there until I got outside with my dog. The hawk didn't injure anyone, and it took off once my dog stepped foot outside.

As far as deterring hawks, I found that fishing line tied in parallel rows about 6 feet apart (similar to what you described with the CDs) prevents hawk attacks. I put the lines up in the winter, because that's usually the only time I have serious hawk trouble. Fishing line doesn't last long and needs to be taken down in the spring (it sags and stretches with the weight of rain and snow). I may try vinyl clothesline this winter. It will be more visible (for me) and should last longer.

Here is the 1980 Mother Earth News article that describes the fishing line technique.