Hawks :(

[imq707s]

It sounds like I'm not the only one who has had some chickens killed by hawks. I had my favorite rooster killed by a hawk yesterday. It was a huge rooster, he must have put up one heck of a fight. In the end, the hawk won. He did a great job of protecting the hens, they must have ran and hid while he stayed and fought.

We are free ranging inside a 1/2 acre pen surrounded with 8-foot high fence. It keeps all of the 4-legged predators out...but this will be the 2nd chicken that we've lost to hawks.

Is there anyway to repel the hawks? I don't want to keep the chickens locked up in the coop all day, but I don't want to let them keep getting picked off by hawks either. Any ideas?

 

[sandovaljose214]

get more guineas

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Spend a fortune to hire lawyers and wine and dine the right politicians. Eventually you will be able to get rid of the hawk law and can shoot them all until they are a reasonable population size.

 

[LilRedRoo]

****! I need to start keeping those on the back porch along with our useless rubber chicken boots!! In all seriousness- I need some help. If there is a way to message me for more detailed advice, please do. I understand that certain methods need not be publicly promoted...

12 ga. #5 shot, extended range loads...it scares them off really well...if the birds succombs to heart failure it should be given a quick and proper burial, out of respect of course...

I've got two plastic owls staked out right now, as we lost our first to a hawk yesterday. So far it is scaring the chickens; they haven't moved 5' from the coop. The plan is to move the owls every evening so they are never in the same spot more than a day, and hopefully the hawks will not not return. Not sure how this will work long term though since we free range, and there's only so many places the plactic owls can observe. For the long-haul we are considering a pup to raise as a guard animal. We had a dog the was GREAT at chasing away EVERYTHING...he passed away two months ago though (vehicle incident).

 

[Fentress]

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??

Chicks are more vulnerable, not just becuse they are smaller, but more importantly, because they don't know any better. If you free range it helps to keep a "flock" of chickens with the appropriate number of cocks that keep watch. Hatch with broodies and let the brood be part of the flock from the beginning. They grow up enjoying the protection of the flock and learn about free range as well. Make sure they have plenty of room to manuever away from descending hawks combined with various forms of cover. I am planning on some natural thicket areas on my range.

 

[BarneyChick97]

If you are losing birds to hawks, make sure you change your routine with your loved birds! They will keep coming back for more if you don't! Chances are, you can always go out the next day after the incident, and see "something" flying or watching close by!! I do not let my birds free range anymore unless I am out with them, and I always have a cup of scratch to call them all back with if I see something in the air. They all come running, I have them trained.

 

[foamyownsyou]

Unfortunatly you are going to loose birds, if not from predators then from illness.  And it always seems like it is your favorite hen that is taken.
I don't know how big of an area you have to protect, but you might try a scarecrow with something bright that can swing in the breeze and reflect the sunlight to scare the hawk away.

That is true you Are going to lose birds accept it I being a licensed falconer in the state of California own a red tail any raptor if given the opportunity will go after a chicken or other bird you are keeping but the best way to solve that is not to take matters into your own hands and shoot the bird because you can be fined up to $25000 and spend 5 years in jail and its just plain messed up so the best way to deter raptors it's to put a cover over your chicken pens or if your free range just accept it and move on

 

[foamyownsyou]

12 ga. #5 shot, extended range loads...it scares them off really well...if the birds succombs to heart failure it should be given a quick and proper burial, out of respect of course...

I've got two plastic owls staked out right now, as we lost our first to a hawk yesterday.  So far it is scaring the chickens; they haven't moved 5' from the coop.  The plan is to move the owls every evening so they are never in the same spot more than a day, and hopefully the hawks will not not return.  Not sure how this will work long term though since we free range, and there's only so many places the plactic owls can observe.  For the long-haul we are considering a pup to raise as a guard animal.  We had a dog the was GREAT at chasing away EVERYTHING...he passed away two months ago though (vehicle incident).

We'll the shot gun part is just messed up not the solution put the owls are the thing that best deters raptor is other raptors and good keep moving them around but in the end you have to accept you are going to losse chickens if you like it or not

 

[foamyownsyou]

Spend a fortune to hire lawyers and wine and dine the right politicians.  Eventually you will be able to get rid of the hawk law and can shoot them all until they are a reasonable population size.

That's messed up they are a resonable population size just accept that you are going to lose chickens whether you like it or not

 

[SallyinIndiana]

We each can have our opinions. But using your theory if the hawks are of a reasonable population size opinion, I don't see their continued need for protection.
And it can be hard to help a child accept that the hawk ate their pet.