Hawks....

[cowman1970]

What's the big deal talking about killing hawks anyway? Like anyone cares if it is against the law. You have the right to protect your flock. I was told that old timers used to set claw traps on top of fence posts with a dead chick on the trigger since they weren't allowed to shoot them. The hawks would get their legs cut off and die elsewhere. I have had others tell me about others who've killed hundreds of them. Hawks are way too numerous in my area. You can see them everywhere. People really complain about the lack of small game. I haven't seen a wild quail or grouse in years and I'm surrounded by acres and acres of farm land.

 

[cowman1970]

......not to mention there are increasing accounts of them attacking small cats and dogs. There have even been cases where they stalk small children. Tell the average pet owner or parent that it is against they law......give me a break.....please.

 

[roosterpaul]

Yes, I've lost 1 full grown chicken this year to a hawk. I have even had a smaller hawk, like a cooper's or sharp-shinned swoop down at my full grown hens twice - once even in front of me. Last year I lost two full grown hens to a hawk, so yes. Definitely, yes!

 

[cowman1970]

I had a Sparrow Hawk kill a Pheonix hen in the brush pile last week. They both were all tangled up.

 

[bethdos]

Ive been reading through this thread as we too have hawks as our #1 preditor problem. We live along the woods...we have fox and raccoon sightings regularly...but have not had any trouble with them. I believe its because we lock the chickens up tight at sundown and they arent allowed out til after 8am each morning. we are generally home during the day. (I home school and work at home).
Our girls are allowed to free range when we are outside with them. We taught them to come when called when we are ready to go back in the house. we lock them back up in the outdoor coop when we are not outside. We have been at this property for two years....we see Redtails and have coopers hawk as well(I think. havent seen them personally). We also have a large population of crows in our area. I used to dislike crows when we lived in the city...but they are our watchdogs here. We can now tell when a hawk is in the area. The crows call to each other, meet up as a group and then go off to bully the hawk.
Last year we had a redtail taking up residence on our property....eyeing our chickens daily. We would go outside and scare it away when we would spot it....One day, the day after we bought some new bantams, I was outside talking on the phone while the girls were free ranging nearby. The girls happened to be right up around the backside of the house while I was standing on the deck. Suddenly the chickens all froze....pressing as close to each other as they could. At that moment, a huge female redtail came gliding by at my eye level....only an arms length away from me, between the deck and an above ground pool a few feet away....It was quite an amazing, yet intimidating experience. She was gliding by, taking a head count of the chickens! I could see her scoping them out. She was focused only on the bantams it seemed. Her wing span was about my own! I couldnt beleive how close she was. And how confidently she glided by.
This was the day the fishing line went up over the outdoor coop. Our coop is now covered with thick fishing line, that is zig zagged irregularly across the top of the whole outdoor coop. Its just high enough to walk under. Since that day, we rarely see the redtail come over onto our property. We do see the redtails gliding over our neighbor's or over the woods behind us though....and that is when we hear the crows start their bullying tactics.
We have since then lost two chickens. One vanished out of a small outdoor pen during the day (a bantam). the pen was directly under low hanging branches...so I thought they would be safe. I made the mistake of not running fishing line over it. We lost another light weight chicken while they were free ranging inside the woods in the middle of the day.....while we were outside in the yard. We believe this would be from a coopers hawk. Ive been told they are good at hunting in the woods.
Since putting up the fishing line over ALL outdoor coops, we have had no more losses. So far so good. I understand that some people havent had luck with this fishing line defense, but it does work for us. Thank God.

 

[hondo58]

The hawks are very active right now here in MA due to the unusually warm May like weather. This one killed our nice EE hen on Sunday afternoon. She was in the dense underbrush when attacked from above and only about 50' from the coop and run. It was hard for me to even get in there to bury her so I'm not sure how the hawk got her but they are amazing hunters/killers. There wasn't enough room for the hawk to fly out with the hen so she was feasting on her on the ground. The hawks must be very hungry if they are resorting to killing large hens in the underbrush where they can't get out in a hurry. I'm not sure if there are any hatch-lings in the nest yet but that may account for the added aggression. The rooster and the others were scattered and hiding until dusk when they all scrambled back into the coop. I just spotted the new nest about 60' up a tall pine only 50' from the coop and run.....great. They will definitely have to stay in the run except for supervised visits until after the foliage comes in and the babies have flown the nest.

​

 

[Aschenfire]

To the person who asked what the big deal is about killing a hawk, talk to us if you can. once you are arrested on a FEDERAL offfense. They are not going to listen to you talking about protecting your flock. Raptors (owls, eagles, hawks, falcons) are ALL protected federally. That is the big deal. Besides, it's fairly easy to protect your flock from hawks. Keep them under cover of some sort, watch them when they are free ranging if you only let them out once in a while. OR accept that you will lose one on occasion to a hawk.

Edited because I HIGHLY DOUBT a hawk is going to eat a child. Get a grip. Hawks are nesting this time of year, and if they are "stalking children" it is more likely that they are keeping an eye on a kid that is wandering near their nesting area. They are protecting THEIR family. That is how nature intended.

 

[harveyhorses]

Had a funny standing in line at the Quikie Mart, man in front of me getting some gator aid and munchies, we were just having 'line talk'
weather etc. when two guys get in line behind us and one of them starts talking about how he has figured out how to kill all the bleeping
hawks that are bothering his flock. Guy in front gets a really pained look on his face, pays for his stuff, walks up to the loud mouth
and asks him to step out side for a minute, he is a game warden. I don't know if he actually did anything except 'explain the law'. but
once again, if you are going to break the law shut up about it.

 

[hondo58]

Here's one of the two hawks I have seen since yesterday. Looks like the nest building is coming along nicely. There also has been an increase in crow activity as well as robins. I've seen the robins chasing the hawk in a large group. They make a lot of noise trying to scare away the hawk. If any of our chickens get attacked it will be our fault for letting them out unsupervised. They will need to adjust...it's better than the alternative. Got to admit it though, the hawks are beautiful birds.

​

 

[hondo58]

One more. I know how much you all like to see hawks.

​