Hawks.

[Xanatos]

Ok, I can't seem to find a ton of information on this. But how do I handle Hawk issues? I'd love to be able to free range my birds, and the coop i've built is here

as you can see it has no ceiling and though it does have some trees behind the building, there is still a sizable area where the hawks could swoop down on my birds, is there any way to get rid of this issue? I am receiving my first batch at the end of this month and want to make sure I've done all I can to protect em.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

You can cover the run or stretch string all over the place above the run to keep them from being able to get a good strategy to just dive on the birds. Give the birds some cover like a pallet on blocks or something they can get under that a hawk maybe couldn't. OR you could chaperone their outdoor activities. Mine free range and we have hawks, but so far they hide well in bushes and the coop and we have not lost any to hawks yet.

 

[chauqg]

When my birds were 3-5 months old they were living in my tractor until the coop was finished. They were out free ranging all day, every day sometimes chaperoned sometimes not. Hawks live here on our property and were often after the birds. Chicks became very wary (spotting the hawk a long way off) and were able to hide in a large rose Multiflora bush (8' high and 10' wide. That is one very thorny bush and not indigenous to Pa. None the less that bush saved their butts daily. Once the hawk was on the ground trying to get at the birds hiding in the bush. He just could not navigate as well as they could and finally flew away when I threw a stick at him. The hawks have been in trees just above the rose bush and could not attack as the birds stayed put until he left. Lost one bird to neighbors dog or cat, but I hope that will not happen again. No losses to hawks, even had hawk eating a chipmunk while sitting on top of the chicken tractor. The birds were frozen in the bush while looking at the sight.

Good Luck Hope this helps.....

Best I have heard is a balloon with just 2 big eyes flying near the coop.. Hawks don't like bigger birds looking at them.

 

[ChickensRCool]

I have read that hanging old CDs and other shiny things like balloons will help keep them away. What about deer netting or is it too big of an area to cover?

 

[GlitterBug]

I just had a hawk kill one of my birds this week & I have put old CD's around the coop area. Dangling CD's are best from what I understood, but I have some that are stationary, too. I tried to place them in pairs so they look like eyes. So far I have not had any attacks again, but it may be too soon to tell.

Edited to add: That is a super nice looking coop you have!!

 

[drumstick diva]

You can get windsocks that look like large birds, I would think this would give them a scare. If there is any breeze at all they move.

 

[BigSoftee]

I'm having a hawk problem as well. We've lost about a dozen chickens over the past few months, and have been trying to find the predator. Today while driving up the drive I saw the hawk snacking on one of our laying hens.

My roosters must be dumber than most - either that or I just have too many of them. I'm thinking about leaving the dog out to see if she can scare the hawk off - as our chickens are free roaming, but I know the chickens are afraid of the dog as well.

I know leaving the birds out is inviting trouble, but what can I do now that trouble has found me - other than get more birds?

 

[OkieDave]

I once had a pet crow who would chase the hawks away. one time a hawk had a little hen and was trying to fly off with her and Homer(the crow) flew at him and hit him so he lost the chicken.

 

[Xanatos]

how do I go about getting and training a pet crow like that=p

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I would use those trees you have in the enclosure to my advantage and string up some close line wire.....not rope......wire and I would extend it to the fence kinda high up in the middle. I would then find some treated 4X4s to correspond with the trees on the other side and do the same on that side as well and then I would canopy the whole thing with deer netting from lowes.
Thats pretty much what I did with my run.