Hawks and CD's

[Babsadon]

Yesterday morning my 6 chickens were happily free-ranging in the backyard when a large hawk swooped down on them. They all escaped into the bushes. I hustled them quickly into their pen and haven't let them out since. I read on previous posts that stringing shiny CD's overhead can confuse a hawk. I have also seen tinsel used in grape arbors to discouraged birds. Has anyone tried this and found that it did NOT work?

I love my chickens and don't want risk their lives on an experiment.

Thanks,

Barbara

 

[tazcat70]

I haven't tried it. I know that Speckledhen has them in her run. You could PM her and ask her if she has had any problems.

 

[speckledhen]

I have hawks all over. Several times while freeranging, the girls have had a hawk fly-by and the roosters warned them and got them all to safety. Inside the pens, I've never once seen a hawk try to fly in there. They bounce and throw reflections all over the coops and grounds. So far, after three years, no predator losses. Some of that is just luck (had a fox den on my property last year), but I think the CD's do pretty well to deter hawks. The crisscrossed mason's line that the CD's hang from makes it harder for a good dive, too.

 

[Jessika]

I may try that too. I have a pair of Red tailed hawks that use the same nest every year right above my barn. Also have bald eagles near by at the creek less than 1/2 a mile.

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Oh you hang CD's? I was chucking them like ninja stars at the birds.

 

[crtrlovr]

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Stupid CD's kept curving when I was aiming. I think hanging would be more efficient and less energy being used huh?

Seriously though. The CD thing does work very well. Would raccoons be attracted to the shiny CD's though?

 

[ozark hen]

We have hawks here and so far

none have tried to fly in the long run (about fifty feet) with the cd's hanging in there. The first time I used cd's I must have put fifty of them in there but now only about 10 or so...works for me!! Thanks to Speckledhen's advice!!

 

[Heidina]

Yikes, I was just out cleaning my little coop, so there were hens around my feet, and suddenly this fairly good-sized hawk (not Mr. Big who got a red a few weeks ago) swooped down right next to me to grab a hen. He was brazen. He must have been sitting up on a tree when I got there. It all happened so fast, it's almost as though he was unaware of me and just fixed on the hen as he came down less than a foot away from me!

Fortunately he didn't get one. But it made me wonder if the CDs would do any good. Though I will hang a few and get some pinwheels to stick around.