how to get rid of a hawk killing my chickens

[Offshoreorca]

We live in rural Canada with all the hawks, and weasels, and bobcats, and coyotes, and foxes, and owls, and black bears, etc. Had one pullet taken by a red-tailed hawk our first fall and then we put a cover on the run. We only free range while working in the garden (which is fairly often during the spring, summer and fall). Haven’t lost a bird since in several years and I enjoy seeing all the wildlife coming through my yard. Moral of the story is that chickens are tasty to everything and if you aren’t willing to put some extra protection in for your flock, it will always be an uphill battle fighting predators as more will always move in. Much easier to find a way to live with them then to always risk loosing your flock.

People up here have r ally good things to say about free-ranging with livestock guardian dogs - seems to work like a charm. Also, encouraging a few resident crows or ravens can help a lot too. Our Corvids have free reign of the compost.

 

[Copasetic]

I saw 2 videos on youtube I think that said that once they introduced all black chickens to there flock they haven't seen or encountered any hawks. Just wondering if that is true or not. and yes that is why I joined BYC because I have questions and here I can always get answers or atleast advice on what I should do.

I had a flock of 12 hens, of which 2 were black australorps. Did not stop a hawk from coming to prey on one of our Partridge Rocks. The hawk was not deterred at all by the black aussies, and sat there enjoying it's meal while I tried at it until I was less than 3 feet away. Then it retreated only as far as the nearby tree. Maybe this was just a very desperate, hungry hawk though.

I kept the rest of the girls cooped up for 3 days while we outfitted their yard with fishing line attached to about 50 old CDs. We also put a fake owl in the yard, quick we move to a different spot every couple of days. I saw the hawk for a couple of days while we were retrofitting the yard, but haven't seen it or had an attack since. I think the CDs, while not the most attractive, are what did the trick.

 

[Thomas70]

hello I have lost 5 guinea hens and 1 chicken hen to a hawk which I caught on camera and saw it the other day and scared it off. I cooped my other 2 chicken hens which free range all day and built a scarecrow and put some reflective tape on it to try to deter the hawk away. Was wondering if there were any other tricks or advice to keep them away.

Tie a bunch of DVDs to strong string such as bailing twine about 4 feet apart. Tie each one on with a short piece of string so they will spin. Hang them up beside and across from your chicken pen. The array of colors emitted in the sun light makes the hawks stay away. My thinking is it bothers their eyes because their acute sight picks up on everything. I have have 6 free range chickens that hang around the pen and the hawks have not gotten them. I have seen as many as 4 soaring over my house checking out the chickens but it appears they are afraid of the DVDs and do not swoop down.

 

[microchick]

Had one, just the other day. Swoop down under 10 foot from me, got a morning dove and about flew into me to get back out of the pine with it. If I had a tennis ratchet, I'd prob smacked him.... he took my porcelain d'uccle hen the very next day, straight from the run. I am pretty bummed, I've had my d'uccle over 3 yrs now. But I can't do anything about his pesky butt.... I have found that moving, my fake owls and creepy tree gnome around, has sorta deterred it. But not entirely....

I'm so sorry. We have had a bald eagle along with what looks like an adolescent eagle circling our pasture and coop for the past two days. I have my run covered with 'deer netting' which is heavy grade material but it still makes me nervous.

Luckily our weather has been a bit on shall we say, the miserable side of winter so one of the days I left the birds shut up in the coop and yesterday, which was nicer, only about 10 were out scratching about and taking dust baths.

I don't blame you for being frustrated with them. They almost seem to know that they have the law on their side.

Look for Deer X deer netting on the internet. I bought a huge roll of the stuff and my current netting is about 2 years old and just starting to get a few tears in it. I have plenty to replace it next spring but I have to be very diligent with our winter weather here which is usually a lot of ice mixed with snow.

My netting takes a punishment.

 

[microchick]

I'd let the rooster kill it then call the conservation department. It's not against the law for the rooster to kill the hawk after all. What are they going to do, put him in jail.

Maybe a stock pot. They are tough little guys.

 

[microchick]

there is no "season" when it comes to protecting your flock.

Yes, but still it's better to have the conservation department on your side when something like that happens so you don't get reported for 'poaching'. It's a big problem around where we live. A conservation officer told us once that they tracked down somebody in our area who had been shooting turkeys out of their roosts at night with a .22 rifle and putting them in the freezer. They found a freezer stuffed with dead turkeys. The perp was Amish.

There is also a big problem with deer poaching so I'd much rather have it on record that I had contacted them about wildlife gone bad.....just in case.

No matter what, people have to remember that they cannot break the law when it comes to dealing with birds of prey. Occasionally we have read in the local news about somebody getting caught with dead hawks or eagles on their property that they have shot out of the air. Probably due to the bird preying on their livestock.

SSS is a common response to such occurrences and I do sympathize but SSS IS breaking the law and you can never be 100% sure that you are not going to get caught by somebody who is calling the authorities about somebody hunting birds of prey.

It's up to us as bird owners to keep our flocks safe. We are not going to stop hawks, eagles or owls from being what they are. Birds Of Prey. They are going to kill and eat chickens or other back yard fowl to feed themselves or feed their babies. It's what they do and yes, they do it quite well.

So my best advice is if you have a problem with hawks, keep your birds confined in a netted run or you will lose birds. It's a trade off with free ranging. Freedom=happier birds but potential for dead birds vs confined birds under a netted run, safer but not as happy. I've chosen the latter for my flock and keep them supplied with fresh greens/grass/ plants to eat during the summer months.

My birds are pets as well as egg producers and emergency meat source. I'm not raising them to feed predators.

 

[Mmanist]

I'm so sorry. We have had a bald eagle along with what looks like an adolescent eagle circling our pasture and coop for the past two days. I have my run covered with 'deer netting' which is heavy grade material but it still makes me nervous.

Luckily our weather has been a bit on shall we say, the miserable side of winter so one of the days I left the birds shut up in the coop and yesterday, which was nicer, only about 10 were out scratching about and taking dust baths.

I don't blame you for being frustrated with them. They almost seem to know that they have the law on their side.

Look for Deer X deer netting on the internet. I bought a huge roll of the stuff and my current netting is about 2 years old and just starting to get a few tears in it. I have plenty to replace it next spring but I have to be very diligent with our winter weather here which is usually a lot of ice mixed with snow.

My netting takes a punishment.

Oh weather been rough here too. But I am probably going to order the netting. But I free range when we dont have a foot of snow and 16 degree weather lol

 

[cmom]

The only way to save your birds is for them to have a secure space. I'm rural and have a lot of space. I made large covered pens for my birds as I posted previously. Many years ago as my flocks grew I extended the pens out to 60 feet, prior they were 50 feet. Most of the pens are around 20 +/- feet wide. All total 60 x 200 feet The birds have a lot of room. When I have let my birds out, before long they all go back into their pens. I think they feel safer, but my land is mostly open pasture. Again, good luck...

 

[roosterhavoc]

Locking birds up is “not the only way”. It’s a matter of opinion. Animals can be trapped legally to prevent issues. For some people having a lot of birds loose actually helps with hawks because there’s that many more eyes out there looking around.
I don’t have too many layers but I have a few 6 yr olds and a 10 yr old dark Brahma hen that’s been free ranging every day of her life.
Locking them up isn’t the only way it’s just a lot more work to keep them safe so what should be said is most would rather not put in the effort so they’d rather just lock them up.

 

[lovescochins]

hello I have lost 5 guinea hens and 1 chicken hen to a hawk which I caught on camera and saw it the other day and scared it off. I cooped my other 2 chicken hens which free range all day and built a scarecrow and put some reflective tape on it to try to deter the hawk away. Was wondering if there were any other tricks or advice to keep them away.

Hi I live in Florida and have the same problem . I personally chased a hawk away from my hen . Researched remedies and found out that some large free range poultry farms use cds tied to poles with string or rope . I use fish line . My yard has several hung from various locations. They need to be free moving so they flash. Hawks don’t like the flash and movement. The hawk is still here but hasn’t attempted a kill. Usually picks the doves off my neighbors feeder now. Try this and good luck.