Hawk Question

[jennyf]

We have lots of Mississippi kites around--anyone have issues with them or are they too small to try for a chicken? I know we also have owls at night, and likely red tailed hawks. If I'm outside in the yard within, say, twenty feet of my eight week old pullets, will any of those raptors come that close to me to snatch one? Would like to give them some safe free time in the back yard but only if my presence would deter a raptor. Thanks!

 

[BruceAZ]

some people use those bird netting ? or statuse of other predators as a deterrent

for here i have to deal with pigeons and crows.. so i use the scare method

i set scarecrow and statues of owl or falcon to keep them off my veggies. it worked.. but you have to move it around once in a while

 

[bobbi-j]

I have seen a redtail swoop down right over someone's head while we were pheasant hunting and grab a hen pheasant right in front of them. It only happened once, but it happened. My chickens free range all the time, and I can't say that I've ever had one taken by a bird of prey, and we have Redtails, Owls, and a nesting pair of Bald Eagles less than a mile from here. I'm not familiar with Mississippi Kites, so I can't answer about them. My chickens have plenty of cover and will vanish if something big flies over. What would your chickens' ranging area look like? Do they have shrubs or plants that they can hide under?

 

[Weehopper]

Lol, I thought I heard my crows laughing at my owl statue! They don't bother anything anyway. I suppose they might go after a chick if possible.

 

[Kyanite]

I don't have any experience with kites, but we do have pygmy owls and I've seen them take down birds their own size. Thankfully they are much smaller than a chicken. Our red tails are circling often. My cats are indoors only after having a red tailed swoop in on our cat years ago. Kitty was saved by us running frantically for him. So I guess yes... kinda. It depends on the bird, how bold it is, and how hungry it is. Probably also if it has young in a nest somewhere. We knew the Hawks had a nest very close by when we nearly lost the cat. We'd seen them feeding their young. They were visible from our driveway at the time.

 

[centrarchid]

We have lots of Mississippi kites around--anyone have issues with them or are they too small to try for a chicken? I know we also have owls at night, and likely red tailed hawks. If I'm outside in the yard within, say, twenty feet of my eight week old pullets, will any of those raptors come that close to me to snatch one? Would like to give them some safe free time in the back yard but only if my presence would deter a raptor. Thanks!

Mississippi Kites will not be a threat to anything they can not promptly fly up with. They might be a able to tackle a newly hatched chick but those should not be out alone anyway.

The Red-tailed Hawks seldom come in if they see you. Making eye contact will deter them further. Great-horned owls can get arrogant at dusk so work to get you birds in before that time. I am all about getting birds, especially young ones to get to roost in a orderly and quite fashion as otherwise the ruckus attracts all sorts willing to eat chickens.