Hawks - URGH!

[BeckyLa]

You can also buy a large roll of baling string, for baling hay, and criss-cross it back and forth over the run until the holes are way too small for the hawk to get through. Another BYC member did this and has had no more problems with hawks. You can also hang your shiney things from the string. I can't give you a price, but the baling string shouldn't cost much and you can get it at the feed store.

 

[seedcorn]

Has anyone tried fire crackers to scare them off?

 

[tiffanyh]

Id do the netting also....cheap and effective. But I like the "tie things across" the top idea also. You got to do something......might as well give it a try.

 

[peepsnbunnies]

In the Florida Keys, I noticed that the hotels and resorts criss cross fishing line at all angles over the swimming pools. I asked why and was told that it keeps seagulls from flying in. Has anyone ever tried that on an open run?

 

[FamilyOfChickens]

Quote:
I don't know if a goat would really help with a hawk, but coyotes do not like the smell of them and will generally keep away. (Unless they're REALLY hungry, I suppose.)
Female standard-sized donkeys are also supposed to be good flock-protectors.

Sorry about your roo and other chickens, and good luck with the rest!

 

[ratlummountain]

i just had to add to this thread ...

so we live on top of a mountain, we see hawks flying over all the time. they're quite beautiful to watch as they soar along. i'm a big fan of hawks, owls, crows, eagles, etc...
any big bird really, just so beautiful & free. (heck, who hasn't dreamed they could fly?)

so it's definitely a predatory concern for us and a major reason why i won't free range unless i'm hanging out with the girls.

today i was outside working on the run, and i was going to let the girls out to free range but had decided to leave them in because i didn't want them in my way while i am swinging a pick axe around (no be=headed chickens please)

i'm now very greatfull i left them inside!

the chicken coop is probably 100 feet from out house, and there's a gigantic oak tree between the coop and the house. i walked back to the house to take a break and there is a big hawk sitting in the oak tree, on one of the low branches too. of course i didn't see him until he flew off and i was practically underneath him when he did that. i pretty much hit the earth because it scared the crap outta me.

makes me think that even though i would have been standing right near the girls, he could have picked one off very easily.

 

[mommahento5]

Quote:
I was just getting ready to suggest this! This is what we did with our run after lossing 5 birds to a hawk in about 10 days: first we now keep them confined to the coop and run only. (they used to free range all day) About 8 pm each day we let them free range until they come into roost. To prevent the hawks from snatching them out of the run (which is probably 35'x70') we zig-zagged fishing line back and forth across the run. The hawks can see the fishing line (they have incredible eyesite) and think there is something there, but it is not nearly as expensive as regular bird netting. The only problem I have with the fishing line though is that ours is not at a good height for me to walk under...I have to keeping ducking as I walk in the run. Also makes mowing difficult. I would try to keep the lines up as high as you can. I do like the idea about hanging shiney things from the line like the CD's. I haven't done this, but if I need to re-do my lines, I plan to add some. Anyway, this has worked really well so far.....course it has only been a week...but I haven't lost a single hen since....and at the rate we were going I was getting desperate to find a solution.

It is a shame as I am a HUGE bird lover and would normally welcome the chance to observe red-tails close up, but not at the expense of my chickens!

 

[Patchofheaven]

After losing the last chicken, I kinda went a little crazy. I started researching like a mad woman trying to find a lost cost solution to our hawk/predator problems.
I had read somewhere that goats would protect the chickens - so I spent most of the weekend trying to find a goat. I'm told that you can't buy just one goat - they need a companion and goats aren't cheap.
I feel like we are adding more water to our already sinking ship. Raising chickens wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. Live and Learn.

We caught another coon in the live trap yesterday morning. My father-in-law took it to a friend's house, they plan to eat it. I'm just glad it's gone.

We didn't see the hawks flying around on Sunday so we decided to let the chickens out of the coop for awhile. I stayed in their pen with them for at least 2 hours - I've got the sun burn to prove it. I hung 4 CDs from the corners of their coop, I hope that works for now.

The hawks came back just before dusk, while we were putting the chickens up for the night. They did not come to pen, so maybe the CDs are helping already.

Thanks so much for all of the advice.

 

[Gracefulspice]

Quote:
My husband always has bottle rockets around. A few weeks ago there was 3 hawks flying low and over head. My girls were in the run and ran into the coop. I got one of those bottle rockets and set it off. They flew away along with all the other birds in my yard.

They didn't come back for a few days after that. But they are back again. If they get to low or hang out to long I will set one off again.

no question. I just feel bad for all the other birds.

It was pretty loud and I was expecting it. The hawks are not expecting it so it's probably louder for them.

 

[chickenwoods]

I hung 4 CDs from the corners of their coop, I hope that works for now.

Patchofheaven,Hawks are getting your chickens inside your Coop!????????? Can they attack if they cant swoop down on them??

I thought the coop was a safe place for the birds...

Thiers no hope for my chickens...lol​