Hawks :(

[mikewags]

I lost two chickens in the past 3 weeks to Red Tailed Hawks. I know it was a Red Tails because I've seen them afterwards each time.

The first, a Rhode Island Red, had its neck eaten out. I walked outside and saw the chicken & feathers strewn about - not long after I saw the Red Tail fly off. It has like a 4 foot wing span. This was on Thanksgiving Morning.

Lost my other Light Brahma 2 days ago. We had a snow storm over a week ago, and yesterday the snow had all melted off - I decided to let the chickens free range since they had been penned up for 5 or 6 days due to snow. I also hadn't seen the hawks since the first attack, so let my guard down. That night I noticed that I was missing a chicken on my chicken coop camera. Went out looking, and found her at the far back of the yard, feathers plucked - but she wasn't eaten on. Perhaps the hawk was startled after the kill... surprised this hen was targeted as this was our biggest hen. Just another wasted bird.

I've put some thin bird netting up over their run (just to be safe) though each time we had a hawk kill it's been while they were out free ranging. We have a lot of tall trees around our property, and I believe once the birds get out in the open - hawks can pinpoint and attack them easily. I am concerned that they might become unsafe even in their run so I have some 25 x 50 foot aviary netting that is coming that I will string up between some 8 foot galvanized posts. My plan is to put this up and limit their free ranging time unless I am out in the yard with them. I had them free ranging that past 3 or 4 months without issues - but i assume this hawk activity is due to winter/less leaves on trees/bushes giving the hawks more visibility from afar.

Very frustrating.

 

[blythspirit]

I am sorry for your loss...There is nothing else I can say except I am sorry.

 

[mgray]

Yesterday a large hawk missed one of my barred rocks. It landed inches from her, she took off, hollering, holding her wings out, running for her life toward me. The rest of the flock ran toward the shrubs around the house. The hawk took off in the other direction, but I noticed it was circling around the area where the flock had been. We put the hens in their pen. Today, there were two hawks circling the property. The hens were hiding under a holly tree, so we put the hens back in the pen. How long will the hawks stay? Are they migrating or do we now have permanent unwelcome neighbors?

 

[CharlieD]

Over the years I have lost hundreds of pigeons to cooper hawks and I have found that 80% of the time the months of Dec - April are the worst. I would not let my chickens or any other bird free range during these months. Over the years I have learned to limit my pigeon flying during these months and have reduced the hawk attacks tremendously. There is however, no way to completely eliminate the threat. They are very persistent and very smart. They have learned to watch my yard during the evening times when I would fly my pigeons, essentially they pattern my behavior.

Hawks do not see humans as a threat at all. I have had hawks fly in right over my head and take a pigeons 2 feet from me sitting on the loft, leaving only a puff of feathers and two people looking at each other wondering what just happened. I have seen them circle above my house a 1/4 mile high and dive in to take a pigeon right off the root. I have seen them time their attacks as the pigeons would be circling around a pine tree only to intercept them as the made the turn around the tree. I have seen hawks kill a pigeon, move to another pigeon, kill it and then go to a third and kill it like it was game.

The only way to combat them is to utilize the other birds in your yard. Coopers mainly target birds and the blue jays and crows have became my best friend. They are not afraid of a hawk and I have seen them harass them till they leave. The hawks will sit in the tree and wait for me to open the loft but I have learned to use the birds in the yard because they can sense the hawks. If you notice the birds disappearing all at once or quickly quiet down, there is a reason. If you see your caged birds looking up and get panicked, take a look to see what they see, you may be surprised. On the opposite of the spectrum, if you hear a big ruckus of blue jays or crows off in the trees, more than likely there is a hawk in your area. Teach your birds a come home call or a feed call to help gather them back into to their safe zone.

Good Luck!

 

[collaire]

Put up a few wind generators and free range your birds beneath them.

 

[mikewags]

During the summer we had a crow or two hanging around the neighbors property, along with a group of 4 or 5 California Jays that were nesting in a cedar next door (which has since been cut down) i believe they moved on to make a new home elsewhere.

Perhaps these birds were helping to keep hawks away, although I think with winter here, there is definitely a spike in hawk activity as they are travelling south.

I haven't been free ranging my birds as of late since the last attack, and in general they seem to want to spend more time in their coop than in the run. Not sure if they are scared of a potential hawk attack, or they just prefer the warmer coop since it's usually about 40 degrees out.

I believe keeping them in the enclosed run until next spring will be the best option.

 

[Sazbaby]

We have had chickens for almost 14 years, and have always had losses due to ground predators- mostly raccoons. We've got open pasture, essentially no trees, and we free-range our chickens. We've considered ourselves very lucky, as our nearby neighbor has had her flock decimated by a hawk a year or two ago, and we're sitting here with no losses for years. I think our last predator loss was over 3 years ago when we nearly got cleaned out by a raccoon since we weren't electrifying our poultry netting. Now we have 3 "pens" for our flocks, we use *electrified* poultry netting around each one, and each one has at least 2 or 3 different places we make up for shelter. We have now lost 3 Delaware cockerels 12-14 weeks old, in the last 10 days or so. We came home last night to see the Cooper's Hawk eating one. They have all been found freshly dead, and the meal apparently interrupted. What a waste. I know he will be back. I feel so helpless. Seems there is nothing universally successful for deterring hawks from free-ranging chickens, and I can't lock them all up, not enough space. Anyone have suggestions on hawk deterrants? I'm even thinking of making hen-saddles with the target-looking eyes on them for every single one of my hens... Thoughts??

 

[BlackGiantMerlin]

So sorry for your loss -- we have also learned the hard way with having free range chickens - life was calm and peaceful for the first two years. Then a bobcat took our roo and half our hens. We have tons of hawks, owls, and coyotes but they were never a problem - in fact we actually had the owls use the same wading pool we created for our chickens. Our neighbors hadn't seen a bobcat in over two decades but having chickens will draw them in eventually - and because they do the same circuit every night once they find a food source-- they will return time and again. We quickly modified a large dog kennel - covering with smaller mesh so the ones we had left could be safe. We subsequently lost two more hens through the fencing -- apparently bobcats will put their paws thru any opening it can fit into - to get prey - the only saving grace is cats kill by breaking the neck of their prey first so it is quick - and probably a noble way to go for a chicken. Unlike raccoons who skin them alive! Still, finding the headless body of your beloved hens is not a pleasant experience. We were devastated -- we love having the eggs but most of all we enjoy having chickens and hanging out with them - to us it's as therapeutic as watching fish.

No matter where you live -- if you have free range chickens -- predators will be an issue - eventually. One suggestion I have is contacting Jewett Cameron in Oregon - they manufacture kennels and predator proof fencing and can help you build a large aviary. I don't think they sell direct -- but Lowe's has their products. We only recently learned of them researching a way to have a safe indoor accessible predator proof outdoor enclosure for our dogs and cats at night. If you make it big and natural enough your chickens will still be very happy -- if they have branches to perch on - trees to get shade from, and ground to dig in - they will be happy. We live in the desert so heat is more of an issue than cold but for when it is cold -- we did modify a dog house and load it with shavings that they like to nest in and hunker down to stay warm on those cold nights. We also use a warming light when it gets into the 40's and below. Our roo Merlin will sit at the front to protect the one girl we have left. We plan to add more to our flock soon.

Speaking from experience, I would spend the money to purchase predator proof panels (with small mesh) vs. modifying a big dog kennel that will come with chain link but you have to keep adding layers of smaller wire fencing -- it's very laborious.

Don't give up on raising chickens, just do what you need to do to keep them safe.

 

[Sazbaby]

Thanks for the reply... part of the issue we have is that we are Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) certified for our layers and meat flocks. They have certain standards we must follow to continue being compliant (being compliant comes with many benefits, and we don't want to lose compliance if we can avoid it). We have to have so much space per bird, restrictions on living conditions and outdoor access. We can't just make a predator proof pen and put them in it... I currently have an inquiry in to them for advice on how to deal with the situation, since they require some free-ranging for all birds most of the time (times of extreme weather or inherent danger make cooping them up permissible for a short time), I assume they have participants with issues like this. I'm hoping they will have a good response and good advice on measures to take. For now I'm going to move them closer to the house and I'm ordering some of the flash tape to hang around the field... fingers crossed. Hard to let them out when I *know* the little hawk will be back for another meal before too long...

 

[BlackGiantMerlin]

You can build an aviary/enclosure as big as you want --- I'd much rather have my chickens free ranging on a couple thousand square feet section of our property like they used to vs. a 7' x 12' x 6' high dog pen but at least they are alive. Eventually we will build something much bigger.

Think of the giant sanctuaries at zoos or preserves that are predator proof -- there's got to be a way to make things more predator proof and maintain your compliance.

Find a good contractor and customize.