How long will a hawk stick around??

[LaFleche]

But don't beat yourself up. This is part of nature's ongoing learning process and freeranging always comes at a price.

If I were keeping Silkies or Polish I would not have them free ranging but in a well covered enclosure as they will be easy prey due to their breeds innate characteristics.

 

[elisabeth_]

If I were keeping Silkies or Polish I would not have them free ranging but in a well covered enclosure as they will be easy prey due to their breeds innate characteristics.

I’m pretty sure my family and I will be moving soon, and I know my silkies will definitely not be free ranging there. I do want to build them a more spacious coop and run though, since they are so used to foraging. Thank you and everyone else for the advice, I really appreciate it

 

[Shoshone]

not really in the middle of a city, but we are straight across from a car wash that is usually pretty busy. I always figured hawks were extra careful and only like to work where there were sure not to be caught.

I remember there was absolutely no one at the car wash on Monday when the attack happened. I guess I will always have to be worrying about hawks if I want to keep letting them free range

Interesting. I’m sorry you had that happen. Maybe it will be a rare situation. Hard to say. Only way to be safe is to put them in a covered run. However, I am new to chickens. I wonder how interested in a large adult hen a smallish hawk would be?

 

[elisabeth_]

Interesting. I’m sorry you had that happen. Maybe it will be a rare situation. Hard to say. Only way to be safe is to put them in a covered run. However, I am new to chickens. I wonder how interested in a large adult hen a smallish hawk would be?

Exactly what I am wondering. I have only had my silkies for about a year and a half and never had problems, but from what I could see, the hawk that took my cochin chick could not have been much bigger than Elliot, my silkie rooster. And it wasn’t flying very high with just the little chick.
That’s why I don’t know if I should worry about it coming back for one of my larger chickens

 

[LaFleche]

Oh, with regards to the goshawks I catch in my chicken enclosure:

They are wonderful creatures which I admire very much and do make sure not to hurt them in any way.

After some time carrying them around the chicken enclosure shoving them to the wiled up roosters, having them meet the dogs (barking) and endure some loud noises (me banging a shovel against the Hanomag or else), I release them all.

This 20 minutes lesson teaches them to stay away from our property/chicken enclosures and they look for prey elsewhere while staying in their district and thus preventing other "uneducated" hawks to take over.

Works for about 3 month until they forget and it all starts again.

 

[cmom]

Thank you! I was debating on whether or not I should get a fake owl but now I think I will definitely try it

So sorry for your loss. I have had a couple of birds killed by hawks in the past right next to me and it does happen very fast. Don't waste your money. Fake owls don't work. When you free range you are going to loose birds periodically. It happens. I don't free range anymore because of losses in the past but my birds have nice large pens. My land is mostly open pasture so there is no place for the birds to hide. When I have let them out they may come out for a bit but don't wonder far from their coops and pens and before long they are all back in their pens because they have more shade in them. Several years ago I planted trees in the pens. All of my pens are covered with heavy duty netting, concrete under the gates and electric wires around my coops and pens, all because of predators in the past. If you are looking to keep them occupied, try a flock block. My birds love them. Good luck...

 

[bag12day]

Oh, with regards to the goshawks I catch in my chicken enclosure:

They are wonderful creatures which I admire very much and do make sure not to hurt them in any way.

After some time carrying them around the chicken enclosure shoving them to the wiled up roosters, having them meet the dogs (barking) and endure some loud noises (me banging a shovel against the Hanomag or else), I release them all.

This 20 minutes lesson teaches them to stay away from our property/chicken enclosures and they look for prey elsewhere while staying in their district and thus preventing other "uneducated" hawks to take over.

Works for about 3 month until they forget and it all starts again.

View attachment 2223353

I understand @LaFleche is located in GERMANY and I am not familiar with EU or German law; however, I am putting this here as a cautionary tale for a US or Canadian resident who sees this and wants to take matters into your own hands including @elisabeth_ .
This picture (and the previous) without a Raptor possession license from USFWS would at best result in a visit from US Fish and Wildlife officers and a stern warning/ hefty fines and at worst Prison time. (The bold emphasis in the quote below is mine). Yes once they have gotten a free meal they will return to there as yours in not a migratory bird but rather most likely a resident given the time of year.
You may contact Georgia DNR and see about getting an officer out to take a look at our situation and give you some pointers to reduce/ mitigate opportunity for Birds of prey to take your silkies AND IF you employ those means AND IF those means are unsuccessful AND IF they determine this is a nuisance Hawk or hawks that are continually causing damage and loss AND IF they get concurrence from USFWS agents THEY MAY issue a depredation permit to capture, kill and/or destroy the bird or birds causing the issues.
"The Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes it illegal for anyone to take, possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such a bird except under the terms of a valid permit issued pursuant to Federal regulations."
I live on a rather large piece of property and I will protect my livestock (including Poultry) from depredation from Coyotes, foxes, coons, Bobcats, Feral or domestic dogs and cats by any means necessary live traps, shooting, or sic'ing my dog on them but you do not want to mess with the Federally protected stuff. Call the Georgia Div of Nat Resources on their website. I called a friend down there who works for them and he pointed me to this also: If your question involves a specific resource issue, such as a pond stocking, fish kill, nuisance wildlife, pollutants, etc., be sure to provide your county location. This can greatly expedite a response from the appropriate DNR office.

EDIT TO ADD THE GUY I CALLED IS IN FISH/WATER MANAGEMENT SO RELATIVELY OBLIVIOUS TO YOUR SITUATION.

 

[Folly's place]

All raptors are federally protected in the USA, which is why flocks must be protected from visiting hawks.
Free ranging chickens are targets for every predator that lives in your state! It's a risk, city or country, that you have to deal with if free ranging your birds.
Hawks only take one at a time, while dogs, foxes, raccoons, and weasels, for example, will wipe everyone out at once!
Mary

 

[LaFleche]

In Germany goshawks and other birds of prey are protected species. They are sedentary birds where I live and will attack all kinds of poultry year round.

Sadly, there are a lot of poultry people that kill them whenever they have the opportunity, leave them entangled when caught in the netting and even set traps, never minding the laws of nature and environmental protection.

We like our goshawks and the pair of red kites too that nest in an old oak tree only about 35 meters from our house.

 

[LaFleche]

This picture (and the previous) without a Raptor possession license from USFWS would at best result in a visit from US Fish and Wildlife officers and a stern warning/ hefty fines and at worst Prison time.

Stern warnings/hefty fines or prison time for rescuing otherwise doomed young adult hawks or owls that get entangled in or caught under the chicken netting seems quite preposterous to me.

If I were to call the so called responsible authorities to rescue the birds they would not come and the birds would die a slow and terrible death by strangulation, shock, starvation or else. A few hours drive is not considered reasonable effort.

We sometimes find injured birds of prey underneath windmill-powered plants where they can be seen hobbleing about with broken wings or otherwise injured. No responsible authority is interested, so we nurse them back to health - sometimes with the help of our vet - and set them free.

There is no way to turn a blind eye when encountering an animal in distress.