Hawks Circling

[Top Hen]

I was working on my chicken house today and had the 5-week old chicks out side in a 3x5 dog crate. I take them outside every day. I looked up and there was about 6 or 7 red tail hawks circling above. I took the chicks and put them back in the garage and the hawks left. Since I have been taking the chicks outside I've been seeing a hawk or two around. This is the first time that I've seen so many. My question is how much of a problem are these hawks going to be once I put my chicks out for good. I am building a run that is covered. As soon as I can figure out how to post pics I will show the house and run. I am covering the run with 1/2 inch hardware cloth. Will they just move on after they see that they can't fly in and take them? Or with they be a continuous problem? Is there something else that I could do? I have to put them out of the garage in the next week or so because they are getting too big for what I have them in now. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[nccountrygirl]

Ha, as long as they cannot get to your babies they will be fine and no they will not leave. I have had one sit on the top of my run looking at my chickens but it could not get to them so it soon flew off. They sit up in the trees around my property and just watch them and smack their lips but there will be no chicken dinner tonight.

 

[Top Hen]

So they (the hawks) wont try to break into my run? I khow that other predators will and I will do my best to secure it. I just don't like the idea of the hawks watching so closly.

 

[LynneP]

What were you planning for your run cover? Your chicks will learn about hawks and if part of their run, even a section of porch or an area under the coop provides cover, they will move back when hawks are present. As you've already heard, hawks hunt by sight and as long as they see prey they continue to investigate. There's a fear factor too, you don;t want your birds worrying, running too much and skipping food they need.

 

[Flycropper]

If you are covering your run with 1/2" hard wire cloth you should be good. I had a hawk take a chick last week. I put a net over my run and the hawks have stayed away.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Hawks will use any holes in the netting(or whatever you use to cover) as well as any open doors to get your chicks. They are usually smarter than what we take them for.

-Kim

 

[ozark hen]

sorry, I just saw this thread. I fixed up my run like recommended by Speckled Hen here is a pic of her runs on page one of the following link to the thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=64
I have not lost a single chicken with this method over my run. At first I used yarn...wrong!! Weather will destroy it quickly. Get the filament line at WalMart's for real cheap. It works as it has been tried and proven and very,very cheap. I had mistakenly bought the wrong cd's so I had a large batch of blanks. I think I spent under $5 for the cd's.
pic of my run this past winter:

I have since done away with about half of the cd's. You don't need this many but it made me feel better at first

 

[Top Hen]

I will cover with 1/2" hardware cloth. I was just worried that everyday the hawks would be there checking out the menu. Does the cd thing really work? Thanks.

 

[ozark hen]

yes, cd thing does work..even on cloudy days. I have a pair of hawks who live close and never have they gone inside the run. Nor do the owls. But of course, chickens are locked up at night.

 

[Top Hen]

thanks for the replys