Hawks! How can I keep the hawks away from my chickens?

[Leslieb118]

I have a 10x30 chain link run. 10x10 is covered with a kennel shade cloth and the rest with a double layer of bird netting. I haven't had problems while they're in the run. I do make sure to lock them in their coops at night though so the night critters can't get them.

 

[ldutch123]

I have lost 8 chickens to hawks in my rural area in less then 6 months, with 3 of them only in the last couple weeks. I can't let my bantams out anymore, unfortunately. Some neighbors said they just let the chickens out only in the last afternoon, since hawks like to eat early in the day, so they would go somewhere else. I lost one yesterday at about 7PM   I'll have to keep them cooped up 24/7 now, unfortunately.

Getting a dog and training it to stay with the chickens is a lot of work, but I would consider it. Problem is, my chickens are not next to my house where I can see them; they're hidden away on a hill, so they're just open bait. I'd need the dog to stay there rather than at my front door =) A german shepherd maybe.

The only other option, as of now, is to get some full sized chickens. From what I understand, and correct me if I'm wrong, full size chickens are far too big for hawks. Is that correct? Does anyone know of any regular sized chickens getting picked up by hawks? It'd be good to know before I get some.

Well I spoke too soon. Tonight I was outside about 7 p.m. And I heard a ruckus and there he was swooping around and landed on the 8 foot kennel fence! He didn't even care about me being there. I finally shooed him off and none of my birds have disappeared but he just decided to go to the as that doesn't have the CDs and scarecrows! He was right by the coops which I just found a little brave. Like I said they range 2 fenced acres. It would be impossible to cover all that and I won't confine them but I'm thinkin of covering the run that attaches to the coops. But that is also a very huge area. What do you use to cover such a large run? Not including the big yard just the run. Mine are mostly full size bids. Some bantams

 

[Chicken Tamer]

GEESE THEY WORK THE BEST!!! Ever sence I got geese I have never had a problem with hawks!!!

 

[fisher39]

Full sized chickens can be taken by hawks. Hens much more vulnerable when rooster not present. Some roosters will attack hawk on ground. I loose adult chickens to red-tailed and similar hawks only during winter and losses minimal.

Chances are much lower than with banties, I hope. I'm currently building a secondary coop to give it a test run. I've read from others that having one or two huge roosters around deters the hawks, too, since they attack them. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[ldutch123]

Well it's been all this time and that hawk never got one of my chickens until today. I have been letting the tiny bantams run the yard with everyone for a while and the hawk must have been just hanging out waiting. I come home from work and find the hawk is stuck under the coop (where he flew under to kill my chicken that was hiding there) he was trying to get out but couldn't. I was so mad. After about an hour the hawk let go of the dead chicken and crawled out of the area and flew up into the nearest tree to stalk them again and he wanted his uneaten dinner. You know it really bothers me that they are protected! They multiply like crazy and the are tons of them. M poor bantam didn't have a chance! Oh and we have scarecrows out and CDs spinning and he doesn't care he went into another area instead and apparently he is chasing the chickens into their "safe areas"

 

[kaeKY]

That is why I have decided to limit freeranging to a small area that I can cover with netting. I too thought that lots bushes and hiding places would do the trick, but have learned here that the smaller hawks will just march right into the bushes after them. I can't believe that it actually went under the coop and got itself stuck. I really miss letting them play in the garden, but was a nervous wreck thinking that something may be lurking in the trees.

 

[ldutch123]

I'm going to attempt to cover part of their area. The kennels that are attached to the 2 coops are 30 feet by 100 feet. These all have doors that I leave open to a fenced 2 acres. I'm going to attempt to cover the 30x100 area with cheap netting. He is only a problem in these smaller areas it seems. He doesn't ever hang out in the open which I find weird. I have about 82 chickens and I like them to be free lol. The hawk is way smaller than my big chickens. There is only a few bantams that really need to worry. And yes he was under my coop. It's a raised coop and I couldn't believe it when I saw it and it really pisses me off that you can't kill something that is killing off your animals

 

[centrarchid]

That is why I have decided to limit freeranging to a small area that I can cover with netting. I too thought that lots bushes and hiding places would do the trick, but have learned here that the smaller hawks will just march right into the bushes after them. I can't believe that it actually went under the coop and got itself stuck. I really miss letting them play in the garden, but was a nervous wreck thinking that something may be lurking in the trees.

Get one game rooster. He will put stop to little Cooper hawk going after hens in bush.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Oh, I'm so sorry. I have a Spicy too. I always feel an extra connection when I have a hen who has the same name as someone else's.

That's awful about the hawk. I had a close hawk encounter last night. I stepped into the garage just to wash my hands and heard my Jersey Giant start to make this gutteral bawgawk. Different from the I just laid and egg, song. I went back out to find a Coopers Hawk up on the telephone wire above her looking down at her. My other 6 hens had all hidden but the JG was standing her ground, standing tall and making direct eye contact w/ the bird.

I stood and watched and the hawk flew off about two minutes later. I'm wondering if it thought my HUGE hen was really a rooster. Either way, too close of a call for my comfort.

Dogs can also be great protectors.

 

[ldutch123]

I just thought between 6 roosters there may be some protection. The only rooster who didn't seem afraid was the clubbed foot silkie rooster named peaches. My huge EE could've easily taken him but he is young. You guys and gals think my boys will get better at this when they are older?