hawks

[centrarchid]

Do you have a dog that could be kept near chickens?

 

[Heirloom27]

I just had a family of red tails move in and nested to raising their young. Even worse...... Best advice I have is: use fishing line and a 2x4 with a screw or two in the top. Basically make a spider web in fenced coop area or make one. If they (hawks) don't feel they have ample space to land and get out they will not attempt. (Hopefully). They are federally protected. I have been on them....and luckily haven't lost one hen. I also used black deer netting. Scare crow that I move and change the hat on a day to day basis. The hawks watch me walk out to water, feed, and let the hens your every morning. I started to wear hunting caps with bright orange and sun hats. I was able to make a loud bang 6" under the birds sitting on a fence close by and scared them. We will see. Sorry to hear about your loss. If interested or you have additional advice glad to hear!

 

[sophies hens]

Sorry I didn't answer the other person but we have a dog but she is a German shorthaired pointer. She wants to hunt them not guard them.

We tried wire across their area but since we move them once a month to greener areas this is not practical. We are going to build chicken tractors. I hate that as we like them free. The other thing we have heard are goats. Has anyone heard of having them in tbe pen with them?

 

[sophies hens]

Our dog did a great thing though. Our 8 week old chicKS escaped their pen and she pointed them so we old catch them. They had hidden in the tall grass. Good dog Sophie

 

[centrarchid]

I use German Pointers as frontline defense against predators. Also in Missouri. Pointing habit has helped me at night when marking birds.

 

[sophies hens]

Sophie has kept 4 legged ones away but not hawks. What do you mean "marking" birds?

 

[centrarchid]

When it comes to chasing off hawks, you may have to promote it a little if chickens do not by making a ruckus when hawk visits. When hawk comes point it out to dog and act excited, she will get the point very quickly if line mine.


Marking as in placement of wing-bands on chicks before hen weans them. Some chicks always try to get away and hunker down in high weeds. Process is done at night when they are easy to catch but harder to track when they do bust for cover.

 

[rparrny]

I also have had losses due to hawks. I originally had them in a fenced off grass paddock area with some rhodies growing through the fence to give them shade and shelter. I have since moved them closer to the house where there are tons of rhodies and places to run and hide close to the coop. I found that the hawks did all hunting in the morning and noon hours so I started free ranging them in the afternoon only. I'm thinking that the afternoon shadows may be harder for the hawk to hunt in. So far no losses.