Hawk took a bird now they won't

[lazyday]

Hawk took a hen 2 weeks ago, and now my hens are spending their life under my porch. They run out briefly to grab a few pecks of food but run back under the dark porch. They are free rangers and I really do not have the finances to build a pen for them at this time. Any suggestion how to get their courage back up to enjoy being out in the open? I have tried treats, but nothing doing ,they just look at me like I am crazy.

 

[nzpouter]

hens are smart... why would you want to coax them out?

 

[7L Farm]

Their scared I would be too if I saw my sister get killed. I had a big hawk scare my flock didn't get one but they didn't want to go out the next day. Their very cautious now. I hate winter there's no leaves on the trees & the hawks are bad this winter atleast here anyway.

 

[lazyday]

Quote:
Because, it has been 2 weeks and they are living under a dark porch. I do understand and I would be afraid as well but my concern is I am not sure this is a healthy life to stay in the dark all the time

I guess I am not wording my thoughts very well

 

[NYChicks345]

I had a bad hawk attack earlier in the fall... Lost 7 chickens.... Took a long time for my Girls and guys to be comfortable outside of the coop again...what I eventually did was build little shelters all around the yard for them... Very simple... Just enough for them to hide under. I used cement blocks stood up on end with 2x4's layed across them and then put plywood on top of that... I have them set up in various places around the yard. I had the supplies laying around so it didn't cost me anything but you could do this with anything u have laying around. My chickens r much wiser since the hawk attack and they have taught the young pullets to be weary of flying predators as well. It will take a while but your chickens will eventually range again but they will always be alert to anything that flys now that they have been attacked. Hope this helps.

 

[mothernaturesdaughter]

sounds to me hawk may still be around if they are still hiding. Maybe you can put a radio outside for a while to deter it. Maybe you could make an a frame and cover it with a tarp or a dog coop for now something where you can put food water so they can eat and sleep.

 

[rancher hicks]

I will post some pics of my hoop run made with cattle panels. You could do the same only smaller and lower with any stiff fencing you can find. You don't need lumber just cut the bottom of the panels to fit into some cement blocks.

You could also set up some posts and use some bird netting to protect them. My girls get scared but when I come out into the yard they relax and come out.

You could also make a few scarecrows on posts that you can move around the yard so no preds get used to their positions.

You could use some T- posts like clothes lines to string some lines and prevent hawks from landing.

You could run some "grapevine" lines also. Make sure there is not area wide enough for a hawk to spread it's wings to land.

You can also plant tall ornamental grasses around the yard.

You can also plant some low growing trees, like crab apples where chickens can congregate underneath. I scored some nice Gooseberry, red current and raspberry plants for $2 each at the Country max store. Plant these and let the chickens have the fruit.

Hope some of these ideas help,

Rancher

 

[lazyday]

M&JPloss :

I had a bad hawk attack earlier in the fall... Lost 7 chickens.... Took a long time for my Girls and guys to be comfortable outside of the coop again...what I eventually did was build little shelters all around the yard for them... Very simple... Just enough for them to hide under. I used cement blocks stood up on end with 2x4's layed across them and then put plywood on top of that... I have them set up in various places around the yard. I had the supplies laying around so it didn't cost me anything but you could do this with anything u have laying around. My chickens r much wiser since the hawk attack and they have taught the young pullets to be weary of flying predators as well. It will take a while but your chickens will eventually range again but they will always be alert to anything that flys now that they have been attacked. Hope this helps.

Good suggestion and thank you. I will do this.
rancher, I will plan on building or maybe use a dog kennel when I have x-tra money. Being this time of year budget very tight. Thank you for sharing your design with me.

Yes the hawk is still around I am sure

but there is nothing I can do about this unless some-one else knows of any answers or solutions.

Thank you every-one​

 

[Mattemma]

Call out your hens with treats and stay WITH them for a bit. I used to do that with my hens.Herd them around the yard with a stick.The stick was to guide them,and also to ward off the hawk.

I find it VERY hard to make out the hawk in the trees-with our without leaves. The roo can see ans hear him long before me. I listen to the big man even if I can't find the hawk.

 

[7L Farm]

I agree a good roo definately helps. My problem is I had to cull mine he was getting cocky & trying to attack me & others here at 7L. He now resides in my Kenmore. I tried to keep him but I can't afford to have someone or even me being attacked. The guy was big with two inch spurs.