Hawks vs. goats?

[chickenlovernoteater]

I have read on many threads that goats are good for keeping hawks away. My question is, do they need to be in the same pen area as the chickens? Or just having them on the property enough? I have 3/12 acres, and the chickens will be in a penned in area. I wanted the goats to be in a larger part of the pasture so the grass doesn't become extinct in the chicken area. Thanks!

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

well first of all no hawks would be around if there was a goat! try a fenced (not chicken wire, that's paper to goats)run and a lean-to shelter with a closed compartment so they can get out of the rain

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

Well, we have goats...and hawks!

We have had hawks come down and try to take chickens with us and the goats in the same yard.
I'd like to know where I can get hawk scaring goats!!

Jean

 

[FarmGirl01]

I have my goats in with the chickens and turkeys. I have not lost a bird yet to a hawk. We have them flying around, but no dive bommers. I can't say that the goat thing works. I have been lucky so far. It has been three years since I put them together. They all run in the same acre pen.

 

[1acrefarm]

I am not going to say goats are good chicken guardians but I will not say they are not either. I have many predators around and have been lucky so far. I keep my goats in with chickens and ducks. I do know my billy is very territorial against any strange animal so maybe the goats help.

 

[jjthink]

I know a place nearby with goats and chickens in very close proximity and the hawks come and take the chickens

Sadly, they haven't provided outdoor cover for the chickens so they have someplace to run other than the barn.
JJ

 

[Princessferf]

Hmm... what about goats vs. rats?

 

[chicken_boy_Kurt]

I'm going to say no. My horses can't keep hawks away.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I think it is a minor deterent. I was out in the yard watching my friends free-range and the biggest hawk I've ever seen did a couple of flybys. I was waiting for it to go after my "oblivious" chickens in the middle of the yard before I sprang out and set the dogs after it. (No harmful intention toward the hawk, just hoped to scare it's tailfeathers off and make it fearful of the "predators" waiting for it in the shadows of my yard. LOL)

He came for a third flyby and seemed like he was locking on to a target(chickens were dissapointing me because they STILL hadn't taken cover) but then the horse who was in the backyard with the chickens walked over to where the chickens were and the hawk immediately changed course and dissapeared over the trees. (Horse was not "protecting" the chickens.. LOL.. they were standing in the tallest green patch of grass in the yard..)

I'm not saying that if he had been starving he would not have taken the chance, but it did seem like a "minor" deterent. I'm sure that hawks don't care for other animals(especially larger) moving around when they're hunting for lunch.

I don't believe it is specifically goats, I think any other larger animal moving in the same pen as a chicken will make a hawk think twice about coming in for a kill. You have to rememer, a hawk is most vulnerable on the ground, they want to make sure they don't become lunch when they come down.

I would not get goats just to keep the hawks away but if I had goats, I would let the chickens roam in the goats pen.

-Kim

 

[gritsar]

The way we have it designed, Billy's yard will encircle the chicken coop and run. I have no clue as to whether goats deter hawks or not, but I know Billy's so dang nosey he'll worry to death any other type of critter that tries busting into the coop.