Hawks :(

[Joe Jordan]

If you can go to an animal swap and pick up a roo, they're cheap at about five dollars for a decent one, they will fight to the death to protect their flock. Some people have even posted pictures of dead hawks their roosters have defeated! I dunno, seems cheaper than the alternatives.

 

[MLWoods]

Hawk back this morning, and my god son's pellet gun isn't strong enough scare him off.

 

[JadedPhoenix]

The last time we kept chickens our family dog was the best hawk deterrent. I never had him pegged as a brave dog until we got the chickens. He was a dachshund/lab mix that we got from the pound. He looked like a lab that was shorter than average with a long back. The dog and cat worked together to watch over the chicks when we first started to let them out and the dog ran the hawk off six times before she got the message. Unfortunately he couldn't defend the chickens against a horned owl after the hawk stopped coming around.

Do you have a dog that would watch over the chickens? If not the best thing to do is make sure the chickens have lots of places to hide and duck for cover when they see a hawk. It's the rooster's job to sound the alarm for his girls.

 

[littleoak]

I've mentioned before my latest trick with hawks is cheap weather vanes on rods about 4 feet above the pen fence posts. Every time a little breeze blows they move. I think this scares hawks and owls away. I have seen hawks land in a nearby tree and when this weater vane moves they take off. This has worked well for over two years. I also have netting over all pens for extra safety.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I've mentioned before my latest trick with hawks is cheap weather vanes on rods about 4 feet above the pen fence posts. Every time a little breeze blows they move. I think this scares hawks and owls away. I have seen hawks land in a nearby tree and when this weater vane moves they take off. This has worked well for over two years. I also have netting over all pens for extra safety.

I love weather vanes. I will have to look into getting some.
As for hoping the hawk would take away your already dead bird, I'm not sure that is best. After all a nice fully fed hawk will bread more little hawks.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I'm so sorry to hear of everyone's losses - I know how hard it is to loose them especially after we hatched and raised them. It's not just about the eggs or letting them be chickens - it's about the pleasure we derive from them and the loss we feel when they are gone.

I think this time of year (fall-early winter) the hawks are migrating and young male hawks are trying to find a new home - so there are a bunch more chances for interactions with them. Came home from church on Sunday and found a hawk eating the head off my littlest freeranging pullet - she was 10 week old silky/lavender orpington mix, a beautiful soft bird who had the prettiest thrill. So sad to see her go. I chased the hawk off and then we had Sandy come through and winds for 2 days so everyone was penned up during the storm. That was my first and hopefully my last loss from a hawk.

I was about to go out this morning and let everyone out like I usually do - but for some reason I got distracted and didn't get back to it until my son was heading to school. As I walked by the sliding glass door I spotted the hawk sitting on the gate to the outer run - it has aviary netting over the top. I took the pic below and scared him off. Not more than 2 hours later he had returned and was sitting on the same spot again - probably looking to see if there was a way into the coop & run. A bit ago I heard a bunch of squawking and rushed outside - false alarm - it was just some of the layers yelling about wanting to lay their eggs.



My advice is - put netting over the entire run if you can - if you can't put up fishing line or string in the area where they freerange with CDs loosely hung. That way during migratory times you can help reduce your losses.

 

[Judy]

This thread has been edited. Please do not respond to inappropriate posts. Simply report them and move on. From the rules:


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[bumpercarr]

I filled up an old pair of overalls with straw, put a flat soccer ball on the top for the head and sat my "man" in a chair next to the coop. Haven't seen a hawk near the coop since, but I still find the piles of feathers that they leave from the dove that they catch so they are still around, just not going near the chickens.

 

[KnobbyOaks]

I filled up an old pair of overalls with straw, put a flat soccer ball on the top for the head and sat my "man" in a chair next to the coop. Haven't seen a hawk near the coop since,

Oh, I will soooooo do that! Thank you.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I've mentioned before my latest trick with hawks is cheap weather vanes on rods about 4 feet above the pen fence posts. Every time a little breeze blows they move. I think this scares hawks and owls away. I have seen hawks land in a nearby tree and when this weater vane moves they take off. This has worked well for over two years. I also have netting over all pens for extra safety.

I wonder if a whirlygig would do the same thing - one of those kite like things that spin with the wind. I think I have some of those in the shed. Maybe I'll try it.