Hawks!

[Clairemarie1982]

Hey we are in our second year of keeping chickens. Luckily we have never lost a chicken to a predator. Our biggest predator to watch for up here in CT are hawks. We have our chickens in a very secure run and let them free range when we are outside with them which is basically daily. However two weeks ago this hawk showed up that I swear it’s a super hawk- it’s massive, maybe a different kind than we usually have? Anyway it got a squirrel in our yard and it has been here daily. Stands on the coop and walks on the ground of the perimeter of the run, flapping its wings and screeching at my chickens terrifying them. It does this daily. We have tried a scarecrow, hanging CDs playing music etc and nothing deters it. We are afraid to leave the chickens out with the kids unless my husband or I are out to watch closely. (We have 12 chickens, one of them being a rooster).

Anyway my question is what other animals can keep the hawks away? Would getting a turkey or two help?

The girls (and boy) get such joy free ranging in the grass and I hate to have to limit it so much due to this hawk.

Thanks in advance!!
Claire

 

[Rldad1]

Can you provide a photo? Will help in identification. Sounds like a big Red Tail.

 

[Clairemarie1982]

I apologize for the poor quality, but this is a screen shot I took from a video when I happened to see it catch the squirrel. I believe this is the one that keeps coming back daily but I am not 100 percent sure.

 

[Clairemarie1982]

Here is the hawk carrying the squirrel off, you can see the wingspan.

 

[Rldad1]

That's a big Red Tail. He will continue to return. The only way to get rid of him is to make sure that he can't get to the chickens or you will have to dispatch him. I love to see the Hawks but they love chicken dinners. Unfortunately you can't trap him and relocate unless you can relocate over a hundred miles away or he will find his way back. Your yard is a smorgasbord.

 

[Clairemarie1982]

That's a big Red Tail. He will continue to return. The only way to get rid of him is to make sure that he can't get to the chickens or you will have to dispatch him. I love to see the Hawks but they love chicken dinners. Unfortunately you can't trap him and relocate unless you can relocate over a hundred miles away or he will find his way back. Your yard is a smorgasbord.

That's a big Red Tail. He will continue to return. The only way to get rid of him is to make sure that he can't get to the chickens or you will have to dispatch him. I love to see the Hawks but they love chicken dinners. Unfortunately you can't trap him and relocate unless you can relocate over a hundred miles away or he will find his way back. Your yard is a smorgasbord.

Oh wow. I googled it and it says a Red Tail weighs about 2-3.5lbs. Is that right? My silkies weigh that. Maybe it’s just the wing span that make this guy look so huge? Either way he is quite intimidating. I will keep a super close watch on my chickens and hopefully he leaves soon. Thank you!

 

[cmom]

It could be a Red Tail hawk. It looks like maybe an immature bald eagle. They don't get the white head and tail until they reach around 5 years old.

 

[DaisyG2317]

It could be a Red Tail hawk. It looks like maybe an immature bald eagle. They don't get the white head and tail until they reach around 5 years old.

X2 I agree with cmom, we see baldies of all ages where I live and that looks more like a young guy than a red tail

 

[Clairemarie1982]

Wow it came back and with me maybe 25 30 feet away came and attacked my cream legbar. Luckily I went running and screaming and it left only to a higher fence waiting to attack again. I have never seen anything like this. We have never had an attack in the year and a half we have had chickens. This bird whatever it is, is scary. I am going to keep the chickens in the run for a long time until it moves on. Luckily the chicken that got attacked, who happens to be the sweetest and our favorite is shooken up but ok.

 

[cmom]

You are going to have to shut them up for awhile until the eagle moves off for easier picken's. I had a Red Tail a few months ago find a gap in the netting that covers the pens where some zip ties deteriorated and fell off and hence the gap. First I saw the hawk at the far end of the pen with bodies scattered around. I did get the hawk out and retrieved the bodies. I was at a DR appt and errands at the time and heard the most unusual fussing and then saw the hawk. Since I have replaced all the zip ties with metal hog rings to hold the sections of netting together. They weren't far from starting to lay. A few of the bodies I first pulled out of the pen.