Hawks

[Penelope59]

We had our first encounter with a hawk while our chickens were free ranging, today. Luckily, I stepped outside just in time or we would be missing one or more of our girls. I must say it was quite unnerving.
Has anyone tried using an owl decoy placed on top of the run? Or any other tips?
Until then, they will no longer free range unless I’m outside with them.

 

[Geena]

However, I recommend familiarizing yourself with which species of hawks might be endangered or protected in your state - and which ones aren't - so you know what you're aiming at.

All raptors are federally protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

 

[centrarchid]

I free-range and seldom loose chickens to hawks. I use a combination of cover patches, standard-sized chickens and adult roosters as well as free-range dogs.

The hawks here do not pop out of nowhere as the chickens typically see the hawk more often than not even before the attack run starts. More often than not the chickens stand their ground and begin giving warning vocalization for hawk that I think is also a form of communication directed at the hawk. Sometimes the chickens will tighten up the social grouping to form a more unified front. Sometimes they will drift to cover to stand ground there.

In the relatively infrequent events where the hawk does make an attack run, the chickens have two pathways to protect themselves. The first is to run or even fly to cover. To be clear, cover is something the hawk cannot fly through while flapping wings. When the hawk is targeting a smaller chicken, which is almost always the case, then a larger chicken (mother hen or harem master rooster) will become much braver once the hawk is on the ground or not flying. More often the not, if a chicken decides to go on the attack, odds are already heavily in the chicken's favor. On more than one occasion I have actually saved Coopers Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks from a broody hen that had hawk "against the ropes" and no longer able to fight back in the face of flogging. It is also easy to find videos of same on internet although most of those appear to be staged.

Where my chickens have gotten into trouble is where chicks are not protected by hen or juveniles / hens not protected by a rooster. The hawks appear hardwired for going after the smaller chickens when a size range is available. Red-tailed Hawks have been a problem when I free-range juveniles or hen only groups. Then the chickens will often try to burrow into cover and sit there for hours before coming out to roost.

Where the dogs come in is when the chickens, especially one being mantled by a hawk, is screaming and dogs hearing that rush over to see what is going on. Owing to my past encouragement my dogs go after hawks and even low flying vultures and bald eagles in a big way. So far, the dogs have yet to capture a hawk although I think a couple of my dogs would kill one if they got close enough to bite it. My dominant female dog would almost certainly do the deed.

When doing the chicks / juveniles bit I have been limiting free-range time while I was out doing yardwork. I will not just stand and watch when hawk comes in.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

All raptors are federally protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

I had no idea. Thank you for clearing this up. I looked into it, thinking surely you'd be allowed to dispatch a raptor that's actively killing your chickens, but NOPE. You are absolutely correct: It is illegal to kill any bird of prey under U.S. federal law. You can't even collect their nests, pick up a roadkill, attempt to hatch their eggs, or possess any part of the bird - including feathers. "It is a class A misdemeanor with a $15,000 fine and up to 1 year imprisonment for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act."
https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Wildlife/Nuisance-Wildlife/Birds-of-Prey-and-Livestock.

The U.S. entered into conservation treaties to the same effect with Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia as well.

I stand corrected and humbled appropriately.

 

[centrarchid]

I scare hawks off. I have a netted run and free range if i'm out in the yard with them. I catch them eyeballing form a tree every now and then. They don't come back most of the time. If i scare the off the third time thats SSS.

Jail bound with a fine

 

[CaliforniaMountainChicks]

Decoys like that only work for a short period of time before the hawk gets used to them. The only thing that could fully stop hawks are runs/yards that are covered. Some options are netting and wire. I’ve also seen people use fishing line strung across areas. I really wouldn’t try and kill the hawks and other birds of prey… they’re vital to our ecosystem and are great at keeping rodent populations at bay. Killing them only makes room for another to take its place. I coexist with year round nesting hawks and eagles by keeping my chickens in a large covered run, they don’t even come to check out my chickens anymore.

 

[David61]

I scare hawks off. I have a netted run and free range if i'm out in the yard with them. I catch them eyeballing form a tree every now and then. They don't come back most of the time. If i scare the off the third time thats SSS.

 

[centrarchid]

Silly goose, that is not defending anyones freedom

 

[BarnyardChaos]

FWIW, my run is not covered, and I have had a Goshawk(s) take out two chickens. Only. But the walls of the run are 8' high, and I think it deters birds of prey because they can't get a good flying start carrying dinner to get out of there. Or I've just been lucky.

 

[CaliforniaMountainChicks]

Our run is covered and predator proof. The hawk spotted them while they were free ranging in the yard. And no, we’d never shoot a hawk.

There’s really nothing that can completely stop a hawk from getting chickens while free ranging. That’s why I chose not to free range. At my old place a red tailed hawk swooped to try and get a chicken with me and my bigger dog right next to them. I decided to just build my chickens a large predator proof run to keep them in as they are pets to me and I don’t want to lose any. Free ranging comes with risk and it’s just a matter of when something will happen. Many people free range and accept the loss, others only free range supervised and even then things happen.