Hawks stink!

[SandyK]

I've only had my 7 girls for a couple weeks now. The first week I lost one of my Barred Rocks to a Hawk I believe. So we quickly decided to cover the 25 ft x 50 ft run with netting. We finished up a couple days ago and now I can rest when the girls are out playing.

We used a 2" netting and found a good source and price I think. In case anyone needs a source, here's a link below. The 25x50 piece was around $48 plus $19 for shipping.

http://www.3tproducts.com/shop/pc/home.asp

This was a great company to work with, they even called before shipping to make sure we knew what we needed. They have an outdoor aviary of 70 acres for pheasants using the 1" netting. Can't even imagine that.

I hope it's ok to give out a link. Just hate for anyone else to lose their feathered friends like I did.

Sandy

 

[Lady Henevere]

Sandy,

Sorry to hear about your loss.

geosheets, I never thought about an owl decoy. That's a good idea.

I'm think I'm going to feed the wild birds more. I stopped feeding them with the idea that it would be better for the chickens to not be near other birds that might carry disease, but I'm second-guessing that approach now. Maybe I can feed them on the front or side of the house, while the chickens get the run of the back.

 

[Saladman]

This is actually how I lucked onto this great BYC Forum in the first place.
My free range flock of thirty -odd gals is being picked off one by one by a New Zealand (Fully protected) Harrier Hawk. I sought advice from fellow chicken addicts on our own NZ. forum www.chickenrescue.nz and several suggested I check you folk out. I was soon hooked! As I am unable to just shoot the darned murdering hawk, I have decided to put a few Guinea Fowl eggs under a clucky chook and raise a couple of chicken-friendly Guineas to act as surrogate roosters. (we dont run any roosters with our gals as they just LOVE making lots of chickens ) We are fortunate in a little corner of the world in that we dont have any snakes or raccoons to make life interesting.
Love the forum and you will hear more from me on the success (or otherwise) of my battle with the raptors!

 

[juliect]

Quote:
Very interesting idea. Keep us updated on the chicken-raised-guinea fowl. I didn't realize hens would raise keets. I want some guineas, but considering my 3 acres are inside the city limits I am pushing the limits with just chickens

 

[wundernurse]

Quote:
Hey Quillgirl,
I'm in Atlanta also. Hawks are a major problem for me as well. I have lost 2 to hawks this past year (February and March). I have my girls in a covered run and only let them out supervised, but I don't even like doing that. So far, no other predators just these hawks.

 

[juliect]

Quote:
Sorry for your loss

I am not certain what the BYC policy is for posting links....but I appreciate any helpful information. I went to the link, and they have some really cool things!!

 

[Buster52]

I'm wondering about my luck with hawks. My layer birds are out all the time in a large, open, grassy chicken yard. I haven't lost a single one to a hawk, or even a threat from one, even though we have a lot of large ones in the area. I see one or two on my way to work almost every day.

I have a few other birds that are entirely free range. The only thing I lost to a hawk was a duck over a year ago. But among my free range birds I have 5 gigantic BBW turkeys, and with my layers a very large rooster who constantly watches out for threats, including hawks. The hens hug the perimeters of the fence and spend time under the trees during certain parts of the day, which makes me think that roo has figured out when the hawks are at the peak of their activity and keeps his flock out of the open areas. I have heard there is a big difference in flock behavior depending on whether or not there is a rooster.

I don't know the answer. Just thinking out loud. I feel for those of you who have lost birds to hawks, especially if your birds are pets (mine aren't so much).

But I do love hawks. I think they are beautiful, majestic creatures.

 

[Quillgirl]

They are lovely and awe inspiring, but scary around chickens.

The one that took my Austra several days ago buzzed the coop again yesterday evening with me sitting right there next to it. Swooped in about 3 feet from the ground and flew the length of the run (enclosed) before alighting in a tree over my head. It's a female, though I've seen the male and heard them calling to each other. The big bird watched me and the run for about 5 minutes before leaving. I yelled at it to hunt rabbits, but I'm sure it will return to check on the status of the chickens.

The girls took off running and dived into the pop hole at the sight of the shadow. If they'd been out, someone would have been snatched. The hawk was very quiet before it came down.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Get a big ol roo

I have a White Leghorn roo that will go after the coopers hawk if he is on the ground or fence. A few pigeons owe their life to my leggy roo.

Now I used to have 4 OEGB roos that would walk straight up to the coopers hawk. Either they were dumb or just stupid :|

 

[juliect]

Quote:
LOL. My mother has a fear of White Leghorn roosters stemming from bad childhood experiences. When mom was a child, my grandmother kept chickens and she had a big Leghorn rooster that attacked everyone & everything (especially my mom). Mom said she wouldn't go out of the house without a big stick in hand

But the rooster was tolerated for two years, until he attacked my grandfather one day....then he became soup

There are two roosters in my batch of Faverolles chicks...but I fear they may not have the meanstreak some of the other breeds have.