Hawk!!

[chickpeasoup]

Look at this smug guy. This kid barely got his adult feathers and my chickens are twice his size. He's been coming around for months now, since he was a juvenile. He really wants to eat my girls. I cannot stress this enough, GET A COVERED RUN! If you don't have one, make one. This youngster would have killed my hens 10 times over if it weren't for their covered run. They free range occasionally and their covered run has saved them every time. Fake owls and shiny things don't deter a hungry hawk. Only cover and safety can. Small hawks can do damage as well, this hawk may be small, only slightly larger than a dove, but its talons are no joke. It's always hunting season for a hawk, keep your girls safe out there everyone!

My camera is garbage, but you can see the hawk sitting on the mini coop, gears are turning in its head trying to figure out how to get to my chickens.

 

[Skippersnh]

Wow

 

[Alexandra33]

Ah, yes, this looks very familiar. Thank goodness for a covered run, and safe girls.

I've been chasing off Red-tailed, Cooper's, and Northern Harriers left and right this year.

~Alex

 

[minaayindra]

This is timely for me- I live in an area with a large population of hawks, more than one type, and I provide covered runs, shiny objects, fake owls, all of the recommended things. While my hens don't go out often and never in a large group, I stay with them the entire time they are out. For one flock, they even have a rooster... so, I was confused yesterday when a Red-tail hawk flew over and wheeled around, continuously coming over and dropping lower. I was right there, waving frantically and yelling, trying to upset him and drive him off. The rooster didn't even seem to notice him so there was a huge risk. Is this normal for hawks to ignore people standing with the chickens and come in anyway? I have tons of brush to hide in but the chickens seemed to be as oblivious as the rooster. I'm not sure what else I can do except keep them inside all the time, which seems kind of cruel. It isn't even a winter situation where there is no food, there is still plenty around for a hawk to eat. Suggestions?

 

[americanchicks]

When I see them in my yard I shoot off a couple bottle rockets, they dont like that. It seems to keep them away at least for a while. I also have a family of crows in my area. Every now and again the eat a duck egg but chase off the hawks.

 

[minaayindra]

The bizarre thing is, I have a ton of crows that live right around us but the hawks don't seem to be bothered by them. I'll have to see what I could get that would make a loud noise- bottle rockets are liable to set the woods I live in on fire!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I had Red Shouldered hawks for a bit, but they seemed to have moved on. Now I've got a Coopers that WON'T GO AWAY!!!

I've thrown an egg at the damn thing, squirted it with the hose, and hurled insults at it. It flies away, but always comes around. My flock is in a covered run. However, I do let them out in the evenings after work. That hawk is scared of me, but it doesn't keep him from trying his luck.

 

[minaayindra]

Now you’re talking about MY hawk! lol He totally ignored me and my yelling/flailing as if I didn’t exist- I did not, however, make any loud sharp sounds to try to drive him away. Maybe I should haul one of those cheap Walmart scarecrows around with me every time they come out- that might do something (or, considering him, absolutely nothing).

 

[minaayindra]

Further note- the cheap Walmart scarecrow didn't work. If you wave them as a deterrent, they fall apart! My guineas seem to know when they are coming before I can even see them, so we have that warning mechanism but that only warns me. The hens seem oblivious to anything except eating grass.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The hose worked. I will

Further note- the cheap Walmart scarecrow didn't work. If you wave them as a deterrent, they fall apart! My guineas seem to know when they are coming before I can even see them, so we have that warning mechanism but that only warns me. The hens seem oblivious to anything except eating grass.

I supervise pretty vigilantly when my flock is foraging. I didn't think my teeny tiny bantam cockerel would make such a difference - esp as he's only 5 months old - when it came to looking out for predators, but they listen to him. If he sees anything in the sky, he sounds the alarm, and everyone runs for cover. He lets out a crazy velociraptor sound. He even alerts to airplanes.... Crazy little Picotee... Homey doesn't even weigh 2 lbs...