Hawks :(

[DragonSadhana]

Okay, so geese maybe aren't the answer. We'll just use the netting over the run, and let them free range when we think it's safe.

As for shooting raptors, I personally wouldn't, whether or not it is legal. Raptors are a necessary predator for the wild. When you start removing top predators, it can throw off the balance in a given ecosystem, and have long-lasting effects that may not be felt immediately. More and more studies within conservation biology and wildlife ecology are proving this, and are discovering that humans are not so insulated from these effects.

My personal viewpoint is to understand that raptors do what they evolved to do, and I as someone with a vested interest in my chickens can protect them without interfering with trophic systems of the wild.

Again, my personal opinion based on science, and not a judgment on anyone here.

Also, I am sorry to hear of these other losses. Good luck with your flocks, everyone!

 

[JadedPhoenix]

Has anyone ever heard of a hawk attacking a jack russell? Hasn't happened but was wondering if they go after something 20 lbs?

Around here I have seen small dogs and cats even carried off. I tried to warn a neighbor about that a few years back when they were keeping their toy poodle outside and then they wondered why it disappeared on them. 20 pounds though just might be safe from hawks, but be mindful of other predators around. I've seen coyotes carry off beagles that big.

 

[chickortreat]

I've never seen hawks attacking anything that big, bu when our dairy goats kidded two years ago, I saw a hawk eyeing the kids, circling and even lighting in a nearby tree. I kept my eye on the hawk and my hand on my shotgun, but it flew away with no problems.

 

[chickortreat]

I've never seen hawks attacking anything that big, but when our dairy goats kidded two years ago, I saw a hawk eyeing the kids, circling and even lighting in a nearby tree. I kept my eye on the hawk and my hand on my shotgun, but it flew away with no problems.

 

[MLWoods]

I was standing inside our net covered run talking with my son when suddenly the flock scattered.  A huge hawk had swooped down to grab himself a chicken dinner not more than 10 feet from where I stood in his full view.  But thankfully the aviary net held and no one was captured!  YEA - in your FACE hawk! 

I agree that free ranging them later in the morning and well before sundown at this time of year is the best choice to reduce losses if you don't have a good dog or rooster.  I have a silkie roo, but that hawk swooped so fast he didn't even have time to yelp.

We just finished covering the entire area that we fenced off for our chickens with netting yesterday. I am so happy to hear that it worked for you! Did the hawk bounce off or get caught in the netting? Did you need to make repairs? I have posted pictures earlier in the thread of the area we covered. It was a big job, but sounds like it was worth the work! Of course it is pouring rain her this morning, and the chickens won't come out of the coop!!

 

[CelesteB]

I lost Annabelle to a hawk last week. It couldn't get her out of the yard but we lost her none the less. Really sad. Felt like a bad Mom . We have an Australian shepard. I has been working with him over the summer to be outside when the Chicks were but hadn't trusted him unsupervised. Over the weekend the weather was good so we left the door open and he came and went as he wanted. He did great! Being in the city I had pretty much forgotten that he's a farming dog at heart. I'm going to look into more protection in my yard though. I thought about setting 4 or 5 small shelters around the yard that the chicks can get to quickly. Has anyone tried something like that? I'm with everyone else - I hate see them shut up all day.

 

[heybarb]

I lost Annabelle to a hawk last week. It couldn't get her out of the yard but we lost her none the less. Really sad. Felt like a bad Mom . We have an Australian shepard. I has been working with him over the summer to be outside when the Chicks were but hadn't trusted him unsupervised. Over the weekend the weather was good so we left the door open and he came and went as he wanted. He did great! Being in the city I had pretty much forgotten that he's a farming dog at heart. I'm going to look into more protection in my yard though. I thought about setting 4 or 5 small shelters around the yard that the chicks can get to quickly. Has anyone tried something like that? I'm with everyone else - I hate see them shut up all day.

I am so sorry about your Annabelle!! I spent my weekend building a pen to keep our free-range chickens in since we've lost 3 in the past 2 weeks. I went to check on them this morning and they are all pacing back and forth along the fence and 100% totally miserable. I am sad to lose chickens to hawks and other predators, but looking at them this morning made me even sadder! I really don't know what's worse!!

I like your idea of building little shelters scattered around the yard to help with natural protection. I hope someone will post a picture of something they already have so we don't have to re-invent the wheel!

 

[Masonicflock]

I understand the complexity of the outdoor food chain and all of the conservation and wildlife efforts put forth to correct human mistakes (alot!!!). I have a degree in Wildlife Biology so that part is not lost on me. One could debate using models predicting natural losses due to a range of factors and say that a hawk reprimanded might have died anyway that year. Personally they (hawks and vultures) have been trying lately to get mine so its a chess game now.

 

[jdywntr]

I have a number of bushes in my run and also 2 shelters that are 8'x8' and about 4' tall (I have geese too). I also have 2- 10' tall pvc pipes that are standing upright in the ground. I attached fishing line to the top and ran it in different directions to the outer fencing. I put colored nylon rope that I frayed in a few places along each piece of fishing line to make it more visible and appear that there is alot of stuff there. I wasn't sure if it would help but it only cost a few dollars to make and less than an hour to set up myself. One of my shelters is in the middle of the 2 pipes. I have not seen any of our hawks even circle above this area.

 

[LvMyPeeps]

Hawk scare two days ago.....I was in my yard cleaning my horse stalls, my girls were on the hill scratching and enjoying life. Hubby and friends were in the yard, neighbors out, lots of action going on. I was looking at the girls on the hill when all of a sudden the hawk swooped down like a rocket and grabbed my Minnie ( Brahama ). The hawk was twice as big as her and my first thought was to take my manure rake with me and poke the hawk that was killing my Minnie. Minnie fought like the dickens, feathers flying everywhere...when all of a sudden she broke free! She ran to the bushes and behind the hay shed, the hawk took off. I ran and got Minnie and she seemed ok at first glance...then I gave her a better check up and the hawk had grabbed her from the hind end, so she only had 3 tails feathers left and a gash from the claw on her back end. I put some horse med on the cut and have everyday since this happened. Minnie seems fine, cut is healing and she layed her egg yesterday and is happy scratching with the rest of her 5 sisters.
So yesterday I added more reflective dangling ribbons and refective CD's hanging from my trees. I had read about the refective twirling objects that scare the hawks away from this site before and it has worked wonderfully. But, I only had it by their coup. ( I had a hawk that was hanging by the coup when I put the girls in when they were small ). So, now I have the reflective items all over my yard and I hope it deters those darn hawks. I don't want to keep my girls locked up either, they are so happy roaming the yard. I am keeping my fingers crossed the added measures help