Hawk stalking chickens! Help!

[The Duck Ladie]

Maybe if you somehow where able to keep your dogs around the chicken house for awhile, it would deter the hawk.

 

[Hens rule]

okay, thank you.

 

[Hens rule]

The hawk came back today. Is was even closer stalking my chickens even with holographic bird scare tape up in some areas. It flew away when it saw me and my chickens run area is way to big to put netting above it. It's 1/3 of a acre.

 

[Hens rule]

I hung up more. It kinda looks like a Christmassy coop. The peaces of the tape are all over now.

 

[centrarchid]

What kind of hawk is involved?

 

[Hens rule]

I don't know. It's pretty big. It has a wing span of maybe 3 feet and it's brown. It's body didn't look too big when I was looking at it... Only when it's flying.

 

[centrarchid]

Can you get a picture of it? What else might it be after in addition to chickens?

 

[Hens rule]

Ill try to get a picture.
I saw it go after a squirrel once, so I guess it goes after rabbits as well, and maybe some rodents.

 

[Hens rule]

I saw the hawk again, this time on a different tree. It was watching them and a few minutes after it saw me it flew into a near by tree.
It seems really persistent at getting my chickens and I want it to just give up and go after field mice or something. Will it keep doing this for as long as I have my chickens or will it give up?

I did put up the holographic tape stuff but not as much in the area where the hawk is and its not windy so the tape isn't flying around much. Sound I get that netting above of all of my chickens area? I locked my chickens up in there small run, will they have to be locked up forever?

 

[The Duck Ladie]

I would get the netting. I wouldn't be very comfortable letting them out. Maybe you could do what I do. I keep my ducks in a pen all day, but In the morning I let them out to forage and roam around while I watch them closely. If you did that, your chickens would get some exercise and "forage food", and having you there would keep the hawk away. But if you do that you'd have to stay WITH THE CHICKENS, or the hawk might go after them. Are you worried about your chickens getting bored, and depressed and not laying as well?