Hawk times

[jrskol2000]

I have been seeing a hawk in my yard for months now. It always seems to be at morning time. Do coopers hawks like to hunt at certain times? Should I let my girls free range in the evening? Do you think the hawk will catch on to a scheduled free range time? I have checked the threads and haven't read anything about what time of the day hawk attacks were occurring. Any help appreciated.

 

[JFW]

Anytime you have daylight a hawk will hunt.

 

[Suzie]

Funnily enough I was talking to one of my neighbours here in France and he told me that they tend to be most active in the mornings, at noon (mid-day) and in the evenings just before dusk - they are usually most predatory at noon.... that is Hawks or Buzzards!

 

[Pinky]

I think hawks are active whenever chickens are active.

 

[dkosh]

I have had problems with both Cooper Hawks and Red Tailed Hawks. I noticed that they do hunt all day. My hens are also free range and I have unfortunately lost a few over the years. Make sure they have a place to run and hide if they see the hawk. I also have areas of my farm that have fishing line strung back and forth high over head. Nothing really seems to deter them but I don't want to make it easy for them either.

 

[desertdarlene]

They will start before dawn and continue until they've had enough to eat. I've found that if they get enough to eat in the morning, they may rest until just about dusk.

ETA: That doesn't mean that you can let your guard down in the middle of the day, though.

 

[Mark & Nique]

Our neighborhood hawk is active ALL day: morning, noon, afternoon, dusk. He gets an A for perserverance but an F for success! No free chicken dinners here.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Need a picture. If bird is predictable, then most likely a Buteo sp. like a red-tailed or red-shouldered. The Buteo spp. target prey like small rodents that are very predicable in terms of location and that are not generally able to see hawk until it is almost on top of them. Coopers and other bird targeting hawks make a point to be unpredictable since prey they target are evasive and see very well.

 

[jrskol2000]

Thanks for the replies. I will let my ladies free range for small amounts of time. I love my ladies but must admit that the hawk is a beautiful bird also. I have been trying to obtain as much info as possible to position my birds for success. I wish I could get the hawk to eat the cats in the neighborhood.

 

[mediazeal]

I have a red tail that circles my yard around noon everyday. I'm sure he saw the girls out one day and is looking for them. I've been keeping them in til later in the day.
I also have a sharpie that zips by between 11-1 and a marsh hawk early in the day.
I've not seen any hawks in my area later in the day.
My hens are hating having to wait to get out but they are still alive so far.