Hawks and how to stop them!

[Jason Heidlauf]

How big a bird will a hawk take on in relation to its own size? Most of our hawks are pretty small. Will a 3 lb hawk go after a 5 lb. hen? Or do I just need to worry about the bigger ones?

a 3 # cooper hawk can and will kill and eat a large chicken . they will just eat it where they kill it

 

[chickortreat]

Also has anyone ever free ranged and never lost a bird to a hawk?

I have never lost a bird to a hawk. Any time I see a hawk, either circling or perched, within a couple hundred yards of my chickens, I use telepathy to urge it to move along. I would say it's hawk whispering, but it's a bit too loud to call whispering.

 

[David p]

get big dog, to gaurd chickens. need a big dog and a small door for chickens, or dog will get into eggs.

 

[whitt910]

I had this issues as well so what we had to do is build off of their current covered run and make a way larger area and cover it. We purchased deer block netting 7'x100' and it was like $20 a rolls. we covered the entire are where they are now "free range". You can also buy fowl netting from amazon which is basically the same thing.

 

[katmoog]

This sounds crazy but I turn the radio on "talk radio" when I leave the house and I have not had any hawk attacks. One day I forgot to turn the radio on and lost a chicken to a hawk. I think the talking keeps them away.

 

[David p]

SMART IDEA

 

[takethelead]

I have two fake plastic owls set up on my coop they do excellent. Hawks always get to my neighbors chickens and after i suggested my method they havent bothered them since. I picked them up at tractor supply for 15 dollars.

 

[Triple Willow]

I have two fake plastic owls set up on my coop they do excellent. Hawks always get to my neighbors chickens and after i suggested my method they havent bothered them since. I picked them up at tractor supply for 15 dollars.

I wonder if those will keep other owls away? I hear one around here and hope it doesn't find my chickens! I had a hawk that lived nearby but it got hit by a car a month or so ago. I think the crows shoved it out in front of a car. lol Hawks sure are pretty!

 

[takethelead]

It might, I know it scares off the squirrels, raccoons and stray cats and other predators but im not sure if it would work on other owls. the owl might leave if it thinks it has some competition.

 

[Triple Willow]

It might, I know it scares off the squirrels, raccoons and stray cats and other predators but im not sure if it would work on other owls. the owl might leave if it thinks it has some competition. 

That's what I'm thinking.