Hawk stole a young chicken! How to deter them?

[Hep44]

We used some fishing line to string across the yard above the coop and feeding area

 

[dennisma1]

Do you know what kind of hawks? I would pen them for a while if girls are small. I assume you have bird netting over run. I had a bald Eagle doing fly bys in the spring. For a while after that I would Shepard them around the yard. I noticed the bald eagle did a 180 if he saw me or dog. He eventually moved on.. I've only lost one full grown chicken to a red tail, and she was very old. I have tons of red shouldered hawks, and they ignore my full grown chickens. I also freeze range on a large property with a lot of pasture, but for sure my two dogs are excellent protectors.

 

[Anime2lover]

I hate to tell you but my very large RIR have been attacked by 3 red tails and a cooper's hawk they are 2 year old! Hawks will attack large hens and they will continue to seek easy prey. There's tons of oaks around me with pecan trees and squirrels they choose easy prey of large slower unsuspecting hens even small dogs! Please beware!! My RIR are not social they have ganged up and beat my miniature pincer dog fighting over fresh fruit! Do not think hawks will pass on them! Twice while I was standing in yard. Also twice this year two attempts to dive on my 7 pound miniature pincer dog!

We usually have plently of other prey around for the hawks. There's even a rabbit family that lives right under our shed.

 

[Anime2lover]

Do you know what kind of hawks? I would pen them for a while if girls are small. I assume you have bird netting over run. I had a bald Eagle doing fly bys in the spring. For a while after that I would Shepard them around the yard. I noticed the bald eagle did a 180 if he saw me or dog. He eventually moved on.. I've only lost one full grown chicken to a red tail, and she was very old. I have tons of red shouldered hawks, and they ignore my full grown chickens. I also freeze range on a large property with a lot of pasture, but for sure my two dogs are excellent protectors.

We live where there are plenty of red tailed hawks and even the larger hawk species. There's even bald eagle nest across the lake near our house. As well as the occasional gaws hawk. Never seen the eagles come down close to our yard, but the hawks have been coming only a few feet from the ground while we're out there quite often this year.

 

[Anime2lover]

Do you know what kind of hawks? I would pen them for a while if girls are small. I assume you have bird netting over run. I had a bald Eagle doing fly bys in the spring. For a while after that I would Shepard them around the yard. I noticed the bald eagle did a 180 if he saw me or dog. He eventually moved on.. I've only lost one full grown chicken to a red tail, and she was very old. I have tons of red shouldered hawks, and they ignore my full grown chickens. I also freeze range on a large property with a lot of pasture, but for sure my two dogs are excellent protectors.

We have bantams and regular size. Most of our bantams don't free range though.

 

[cmom]

I stopped free ranging due to losses from predators. When you free range it's the risk you take sad to say. I had a hawk kill a Rhode Island White right in front of me. It didn't take her but did kill her. It happened so fast I didn't have time to react. Now my birds have nice large covered pens.

 

[Anime2lover]

I stopped free ranging due to losses from predators. When you free range it's the risk you take sad to say. I had a hawk kill a Rhode Island White right in front of me. It didn't take her but did kill her. It happened so fast I didn't have time to react. Now my birds have nice large covered pens.

If we did that then most our back yard would do that. We intend to wait the hawk out for the moment.

 

[cmom]

It may take awhile for it to move off.

 

[Anime2lover]

It may take awhile for it to move off.

Maybe longer because there's more then one.

 

[cmom]

@Folly's place has a lot of experience with this as she has both bantams and large fowl and free ranges. I think she keeps hers shut up in their pen for sometimes a few weeks until the hawks have moved off. Good luck...