How to deter a hawk from my ducklings?

[auroaSfarm]

I know this isn't a hatching egg thread, but I hope its ok to rant to you guys, I'm about to order 6 silkie eggs for 23$ from a nice lady from Facebook, should I go through with it or travel 2 and 1/2 hours to collect 6 eggs for 32$?? I'm so unsure.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

3 of my chickens were killed, I couldn't find their bodies? Does anybody know what killed them? There was a ton of feathers everywhere in my yard?

I'm so sorry for your loss. I don't do chickens but I see that someone else is helping you.


As for an update:

I've decided to let the ducks into the smaller enclosed yard during most of the day, namely the afternoon, since that's when the other two attacks happened.

Don't know if it'll help keep them safe, but I'm hoping.

 

[Michael Propst]

I did something like this in my backyard.

 

[harmonymw]

Not all wild birds drive off hawks. Hawks kill wild birds all of the time. There are byc members that advocate not attracting wild birds for many reasons - one is to not attract hawks.

Interesting! I’ll have to do more reading about it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have fed wild birds for over 20 yrs here just can't bring myself to stop I love seeing them and it keeps them out of my flocks food, But anyway before I put up one of those big unbrellas over my wild bird feeders I saw a small hawk fly through and grab a small bird in mid air. Right in front of me just about.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Interesting! I’ll have to do more reading about it.

A friend of mine has seen hawks squeeze and kill birds in the yard and around the bird feeder.
Now, I do think crows keep hawks at bay if I am remembering correctly.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We have crows that will go after hawks too actually when my birds here the crows all upset they will run for cover.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I have fed wild birds for over 20 yrs here just can't bring myself to stop I love seeing them and it keeps them out of my flocks food, But anyway before I put up one of those big unbrellas over my wild bird feeders I saw a small hawk fly through and grab a small bird in mid air. Right in front of me just about.

I am not giving up feeding the wild birds either. But, I notice that if their feeder is low, they can get through the aviary netting to the chicken feed. So, I have to keep on top of it these days.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yep I know what you mean. lol

 

[Michael Propst]

I posted that video earlier that shows the web pattern with mason line except I attached eye-bolts to my house and trees that I tied the line onto.. I have probably went overboard in my hawk deterrents but I have strung CD's together and hung from trees also bought some of those 1" craft mirrors and glued them to boards and hung in trees also have created a web of paracord with scare tape tied on and mason line to create a intertwined web over my backyard along with some what I call scare-a-hawk ghosts. I have also looked at the Hawk Stopper - Visual Deflection Net from PredatorPee