How a black chicken can outsmart a hawk

[SpicyDisaster]

NO! They are too cute and now you know they serve a purpose! yeah!

They are cute, however, our two are kind of bullies and don't have the genetic we want. Sigh. The one has lovely dark speckled eggs though which really caught me off guard. So far they are staying as I can't bring myself to cull them. Lucky birds.

 

[Daughters chickens-my job]

I found this youtube link to be useful. Anyone having trouble with hawks, consider Australorps or some black chicken as the hawk hates crows!!!

You can also string twine in multiple directions over a chicken run to make it so that their wing spread is too big to fit between them.

They can judge their space and if they can't fly in, they know they can't fly out.

It's easier and cheaper than netting although netting isn't that expensive. I use netting and I have owls & hawks & no problems. Snow doesn't weigh the netting down. At last I noticed it and I live in Colorado. High winds don't bother the netting either. And God knows we have lots of wind out here in the open country of central Colorado.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Pretty sure a raptor can tell the difference between a crow/raven and a black chicken. Their appearance is very different and so is their behavior.

Not to mention raptors have very keen eyesight.

 

[cmom]

A hawk got into one of my grow-out pens. Even though they are covered there was a area where the netting came loose and I'm sure that is how the hawk got in. I have white and brown chickens. None of the white birds were killed but several of my Reds were. I was away on appointments and errands and when I returned home I heard an awful ruckus so I knew something was going on and went out to the coops and discovered the hawk. I did manage to get it out but not before loosing several birds. I fixed the netting so it will never come loose again.

 

[cmom]

I found this youtube link to be useful. Anyone having trouble with hawks, consider Australorps or some black chicken as the hawk hates crows!!!

I see you live near Crystal River. I live in Citrus County, Dunnellon. Have you ever been to any of our farm swaps? we have another BYC member who comes regularly. If you are ever in the area stop by and say hi. I'm the old lady in the TSC hat. Good luck...

 

[Lumley Farm]

They are cute, however, our two are kind of bullies and don't have the genetic we want. Sigh. The one has lovely dark speckled eggs though which really caught me off guard. So far they are staying as I can't bring myself to cull them. Lucky birds.

Oh, wish I was closer, Florida is toooo far!!!! Well, if they are bullies, which for an Australorpe is a little unusual, at least you won't feel too bad on the cull. If you plan on food for you, they are very good meat birds. Good luck!

 

[Geena]

Ravens and crows can be aggressive, so the hawk being wary of them may be true.

I imagine it depends on the kind of hawk, we have a lot of big red tails around here, but they don't seem to be at all concerned about the crows, just annoyed by their relentless harassment.