Hawks? So What Do you Do?

[Ted n Ms]

I am always puzzled when this topic comes up. If something is killing your chickens - you need to eliminate it. Dont talk about it - just take care of it.

That's what i do!!!!

 

[Nicole01]

I am always puzzled when this topic comes up. If something is killing your chickens - you need to eliminate it. Dont talk about it - just take care of it.

Hawks are illegal to kill. I'd be worried a neighbor turning you in. I'd rather buy another chicken then pay a big fine. Trust me, I want to shoot the hawks, but I can't.

I just lost a hen to a fox or hawk. Luckily I can kill a fox and have been fox hunting for two days. With highs in the 100's it's too hot to keep them penned up all day, so I supervise all their free time.

My hens have plenty protection if they watch the sky.

 

[wvtim]

My neighbor is a farmer that free ranges turkeys - I dont think he has the USFWS or the DNR on speed dial.

 

[Nicole01]

My neighbor is a farmer that free ranges turkeys - I dont think he has the USFWS or the DNR on speed dial.

Will they help with the hawk population??? I have 3-4 pairs of hawks reproducing in my backyard. I can not kill them since the rodent population is so high. What a silly thing to keep a dangerous bird to my flock around.

I'd call them if they can help me!

 

[wvtim]

If you have hawks that are attacking your chickens, and you dont want to take care of it, you may call the DNR and see what they suggest. Not all hawks kill chickens, but once a hawk starts killing your chickens he wont stop.

 

[zazouse]

As bad as hawks are for some folks i certainly don't want them shooting them, i mean what happens to the bullet when they miss their target? what goes up must come down and i for one don't want to be in the way of a stray bullet because someone does not take the time to know the area they can not see , it
s risky business IMO
I free range all my birds, don't have pens for them at night just roosting areas and it would be a lucky predator that gets a bird around here, between the dogs and all watching roosters, peafowl and guineas nothing gets within the safe zone without being detected not even hawks.

 

[Nicole01]

If you have hawks that are attacking your chickens, and you dont want to take care of it, you may call the DNR and see what they suggest. Not all hawks kill chickens, but once a hawk starts killing your chickens he wont stop.

I just lost a hen. I don't know if it was a hawk or fox. I was cleaning my house carpets when it happened. All I saw was 3 piles of feathers in different locations, my hen put up a big fight.

Here's the main pile where it started.

I know whatever got her will be back. I'm supervising all of their free ranging since the attack. It's illegal for me to take care of a hawk.. I won't commit a crime, I follow the law.

When I had them in their coop and run, I lost one to the heat. I have fans, running water, ice jugs, ect... I lose both ways.

 

[BusyBlonde]

I live in the country. My chickens (except for my young chicks) are in open top pens. We have a LOT of hawks in the area, but have never lost a chicken to a hawk. The only time I ever saw a hawk in one of our chicken pens, it was getting the tar beat out of it by our 5-month old chickens - it barely escaped with its life. I had 14 cockerels in that pen, all full of testosterone, LOL. I also have two large BR roos with the full-grown hens, they are very protective of their girls, and places for the chickens to get under cover. If I lose chickens to a hawk, it is up to ME to decide to keep them safer, as I brought the chickens into their territory. I won't kill a hawk for my decision to not cover my pens.

 

[Larry82052]

I love that thinking!! I just love that to pieces!! Larry
You can bet if one of the US Officials had chickens they would do the same,but they are always breaking laws and laws a LOT more serious than an old hawk to,,like writing hot checks,taking money under the table,,oh my that's just a very few! They go to the trouble and time voting on laws but don't follow them.Larry
The truth is hard to take sometimes!!

 

[Oregon Blues]

X2 S S S

It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to kill a $10,000 bird to protect a $2 bird.

Fines can be tens of thousands of dollars and jail time is a possibility. A $50 roll of poultry net is a lot cheaper and it works all the time and not just for the few hours a day that you are standing out in your yard holding a rifle. Even considering that you apparently consider your time to be worth absolutely zip.