Hawk vs. Owl

[Daisy June]

It happened! But all is well for now. A very large hawk landed on a post that stands at one corner of our chicken run. He saw me looking out the window and took off. At the moment, we have netting over the top until we finish the roof. Not preferred! I plan to go out tomorrow and purchase a motion activated owl decoy. What a yucky feeling!

 

[StinkyAcres]

The netting should work fine to either deter the hawk or entangle it if it does go for your chickens. I'd worry more about mammalian predators.

 

[Daisy June]

The netting should work fine to either deter the hawk or entangle it if it does go for your chickens. I'd worry more about mammalian predators.

True, and completing the roof will take care of all of it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Plastic owl decoys don't do much, sorry to say. When I lived in Sun City, AZ, one house had an owl decoy on the roof. It was the ONLY house in the area that was populated with pigeons! And many pigeons sat ON the owl! Hawks will get used to it very quickly as well.

 

[Daisy June]

Plastic owl decoys don't do much, sorry to say. When I lived in Sun City, AZ, one house had an owl decoy on the roof. It was the ONLY house in the area that was populated with pigeons! And many pigeons sat ON the owl! Hawks will get used to it very quickly as well.

Oh, nooooo I thought I had the answer to give us some time until the roof got finished. Does it make a difference if it is motion activated? What about a nice big wavy flag?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Oh, nooooo I thought I had the answer to give us some time until the roof got finished. Does it make a difference if it is motion activated? What about a nice big wavy flag?

motion activated might work longer. Flag, idk.

 

[Daisy June]

I got out first thing this morning and sewed up any gaps in the netting, and it feels good and safe. For today, I kept the girls in their run. Tomorrow, I will gather the courage to allow them to forage tomorrow. It will be cool for Florida, but the sun will shine!

 

[SamLockwood]

Oh, nooooo I thought I had the answer to give us some time until the roof got finished. Does it make a difference if it is motion activated? What about a nice big wavy flag?

Anything that moves will work for a little while. How long depends on the bird of prey, how hungry it is and, and what alternative sources of food are available for it.

Sooner or later the hawks figure out it's just an inanimate object that can't hurt them and they'll ignore it.