Hawks hawks hawks....

[Walkbarefoot]

Over the past couple of months the hawks have found my girls. We have 13 chickens, a rock solid coop and fully covered 20x20 run. I did free range the girls for YEARS without problems. Recently we lost a couple of girls to hawks. I am wondering if anyone has used garden hoops and bird netting to protect girls while free ranging? I want to be able to let them out each day but know we are going to continue to have issues if I do. I want to keep the girls safe while giving them at least SOME freedom. Thanks for your advice, it is greatly appreciated!

 

[pyrofreek]

we have a couple crow decoys and one of those air dance things like you see in front of used car lots. we turn that on when they are out in the yard. one day 4 of us were sitting under the gazebo and a cooper hawk flew in and sat on the fence 5 feet from a crow decoy - with all of us yelling at it till it finally flew off. a couple weeks later i was out in the yard with them and a bald eagle swooped down, saw me and pulled up, but then perched in a tree watching. since then i added posts to the fence line with string about 3 feet above the fence and mylar streamers every 4 feet or so. i still see hawks in the trees from time to time. a never ending battle. it's worse in winter too when there's less other prey for them. i only let the girls out when i can be out with them and usually have my full auto bb gun close by in case i see anyone hanging around.

 

[McChooky]

Its not against the law to protect our chickens from predators but birds of prey are off limits (this includes disturbing their nests sites, chicks and eggs) Chickens are healthier when we free range them but Hawks have to eat so locking them up is necessary

 

[Evadig]

I am wondering if anyone has used garden hoops and bird netting to protect girls while free ranging?

I’m sorry this doesn’t really answer your question; they’re just a couple ideas that have worked for me - I have a nesting pair of Coopers Hawks nearby.

You could try making a chicken tractor or even just a moveable pen with this black netting, garden stakes, wire (for overhead support).

Letting them out in the afternoon sometimes helps (hawks seem to be around in the morning) or mixing the times/days.

Hope this helps .

 

[Bawkbok]

Once the hawks and Bald Eagles discover your chickens, they will return regularly to look for opportunities.

We live in a city and have raptor visitors fly over every day, RTHs and Bald Eagles. Yesterday we had a BE swoop down through trees when it saw one of the chickens. The fact we have an eagle here is cool to look at but sad in that they are in this densely populated area desperately seeking food.
Today seven vultures were circling about 20 feet over the yard. One of them swooned in to within about 8 feet of our chickens but diverted quickly when it saw us standing there.

Food is scarce and the raptors are hungry. For us, we've discovered just being in the yard is not good enough but being directly located with the chickens is the best deterrent. I'd rather invest the time to protect the birds by following them around as they forage than have to run 100 feet in hopes I get to the chicken before the predator does. It's a huge investment of time but I also see it as an opportunity to watch their behavior, observe them for heath checks and sometimes I might actually get a minor yard chore accomplished.

I can only imagine the aerial "traffic" you guys living in country have to contend with.

 

[Walkbarefoot]

I’m sorry this doesn’t really answer your question; they’re just a couple ideas that have worked for me - I have a nesting pair of Coopers Hawks nearby.

You could try making a chicken tractor or even just a moveable pen with this black netting, garden stakes, wire (for overhead support).

Letting them out in the afternoon sometimes helps (hawks seem to be around in the morning) or mixing the times/days.

Hope this helps .

thank you

 

[Al Gerhart]

In this day of cheap drones one would think that someone would market an inexpensive raptor defense system. Would need motion sensors or cameras with Ai to detect the incoming threat and a drone ready to fly out to block the threat.

Probably two things stopping it. One, laws on harassing protected species but legislators ought to re write laws if the system was non lethal. The second thing would the likelihood that the raptors would learn to just dodge the drone or their attack might be so fast and violent that the system couldn't respond quick enough.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

If your chooks are foraging on open terrain, the best I could recommend in terms of passive protection, would be a whole lot of shelters dispersed over the area. Done in a way that if they see a predator, they are never far from somewhere to duck under for cover.

If I were to do that, the likely method would be something like this. (You can of course vary the idea according to your circumstances).

Make box frames out of cheap pine, about 4 to 6 feet wide x eight feet long and two feet high, with sleds on one end, handles on the other end, so they are easy to move regularly. Put on a top cover made from light weight tarp or shade cloth. Moving them a bit once a week will keep the grass under from dying off. Your chooks, will likely forage under them too and use them for shade.

Other than that, all I can figure would work is a huge net over the area, which I doubt is practical for you.

On a side note:

If you like, you can fit a wide plank of untreated, unpainted pine across the width at the sled end (back). Use the watering can to keep that area moist. (bugs love a moist dark place). That way, your chooks will soon learn that every time you move one of their "air raid shelters", a smorgasbord of tasty bugs will appear.

I have four, foot thick logs about five feet long out in front of my patio. Every now and then, I will call out to get their attention and roll one over. Feast time!

A good rooster will also help with warning his hens. Something scary appears overhead, my Galoot yells his head off and everyone bolts into the foliage under the trees.

 

[Three Stents]

I attract crows with unsalted shelled peanuts, what kinda sux is the Blue Jays like the peanuts too.

 

[TexasBlues]

usually have my full auto bb gun close by in case i see anyone hanging around.

I highly recommend you don’t shoot a hawk or eagle.

“shooting a hawk is a federal offense in the United States. All hawks, along with owls, eagles, and falcons, are protected under the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).
Here are the key details regarding this federal law:

• The Law: The MBTA makes it illegal to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, or possess any migratory bird, including their feathers, nests, or eggs, without a federal permit.
• Strict Liability: The law is a "strict liability" act, meaning it does not matter if the shooter did not intend to break the law or did not know the bird was protected.
• Penalties: Violating the MBTA can result in significant penalties, including fines up to $15,000 per count and up to one year in federal prison.
• Exceptions: It is illegal to shoot a hawk even if it is attacking backyard chickens or other pets. The only exception is if a person has obtained a rare federal depredation permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

If a hawk is causing problems with livestock, the legal, non-lethal, and encouraged solution is to use protective enclosures (netting) for your animals. ”