How to get rid of Andrey the goshawk?

[Shadrach]

There isn't anything you can do if you can't kill it, or provide your chickens with a large run.
I get goshawks here. I don't think people understand just how devastating a large goshawk is. They kill geese here. They intimidate dogs. They aren't scared of humans.
I very much doubt there is a rooster anywhere that can take on a goshawk and win.
The farm down the road here built a covered run with chicken wire over the top and a goshawk punched through it.

 

[happyfrenchman]

An enclosed run is totally realistic. I am not against free ranging but I am so tired of people that provide a chicken buffet for the wildlife and then want to kill everything that comes to dine. IF you free range accept that predation will happen. IF you don't want predation, don't free range.

Did you read what he wrote? Do you have chickens (or are they pets like many keep them). If you have real chickens, you do not let hawks treat them like a buffet. You protect your flock. If you have 200 free ranging birds, you are not going to build a run when one shotgun shell might alleviate a lot of the problem. How do you have chickens yourself if you are so squeamish? This is a predator forum.... I am sure you are happy to come on here and recommend CDs and nets and runs and all kinds of expensive solutions.... but other people might think it is both kind of arrogant, kind of naïve maybe and also kind of insensitive to the realities of the OP. You may not want to behave like you are at the top of the food chain, but others might.

 

[50-45-1]

Hi axle, i have read the entire thred and short of getting a gun and shooting him i have been trying to think of some other options for you. I am not against shooting him at all but understand your delima.
Can you hire someone who has a gun and is a good shot for a day and get it done?
I believe goshawks are migratory, so he may disapear on his own when it is time to move on.
Is it possible to put some high flying kites of some sort in the air. I observed large birds do not like something larger in the air with them.
here in michigan we have an annual model airplane show in a large hay field. The hawks stay out of that area when the show is going on and i even saw 2 of them hiding on a round hay bale on the edge of the field, unwilling to get in the air with those "bigger, noisier birds"
Also you might concider getting a flock of guineas to help your chickens.
Guineas are excelent alarms to forewarn of preditors of all kinds. I have chickens, guineas and 4 guardian dogs. Everybody listens to the guineas, the chickens takes cover, and the dogs tear off to investigate.
Chickens alone and free ranging are pretty helpless.
Here is a photo of 1 of my flock gardians and the guineas

 

[AxelCoon]

He's been around for at least 5 years.
I'm thinking of getting a drone and try fighting him in the air.

 

[Shadrach]

He's been around for at least 5 years.
I'm thinking of getting a drone and try fighting him in the air.

You'll lose

 

[Shadrach]

I'm afraid townchicks is right. If you free range, particularly where there are serious predators like goshawks then you have to accept that you'll lose chickens.
Your Andrey sounds like a particularly persistent bird and maybe you should try feeding him something better than chicken.
Sorry to be flippant but I've had goshawks here for years.

 

[Blue Tiger]

http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/hunting/HuntingRegulations_Romania.pdf

http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/PDF/pub05_birds of prey_chapter3.pdf

 

[AxelCoon]

Well this makes me even more confused.
I cannot legally assemble a team of hunters to shoot down the goshawk because i am not a registered poultry farmer and hawks are not regarded as pests for orchards....This legal loophole kinda sucks..

 

[Shadrach]

You write you have an orchard and that is where the chickens range (?)
Trees don't provide much cover for chickens. Here what gives the chickens the best cover are dense bushes, bamboo clumps, large thyme plants and rosemary bushes for examples. If you can't get rid of Andrey maybe you could provide more cover for the chickens.

 

[50-45-1]

I wonder what your rights and recourse would be if you could claim your poultry is part of your organic pest control methods for your crops.
Would that include them as covered organic farming method, and thus qualify for protection?