How to Keep Hawks Away?

[Biggy]

I have had four adorable and amazing chickens for almost 3 years now. I have never had any predator problems because we are in city limits so the amount of predators are minimal. My girls have always free-ranged in our backyard with no problems. The last few days for the first time, we are having a hawk (I think a red-tailed) visit and try to snatch one of them away. I was able to scare him off the first time, but the second time he was able to do some damage to Rhoda my RIR. Her injuries weren't too serious several feathers were pulled out and she had a few scrapes. I was able to wash out the cuts and am helping them heal. I was wondering how you guys keep your girls safe from hawks. Right now, they are cooped up in a shed that we turned into a chicken coop. It is small and doesn't get much light so it isn't ideal. I don't want to let them out in fear of the hawk coming again. Any tips are greatly appreciated!

 

[DobieLover]

A fake owl will sometimes work. They are both predators and territorial so that works sometimes on some hawks.

 

[aart]

 

[RPClark]

We have had 50+ hens over the past three years; we currently free range 28 hens of various varieties. The birds are really my wife's project/hobby but I enjoy them, too.

We have an enclosed run off of the coop, but it's not big. My wife has decided that she's happier when the birds are happier as they free range, and that means she's tolerant of the risk they run. We've only lost two birds to environmental factors (a heat wave the first full summer), but we've lost about 15 to predators. Coyotes took some over the course of time, but the bigger risk is from hawks.

Our three acres are effectively wide open; very few trees, though there are a few hiding places. Still, we lose hens to hawks from time to time. We have two hawk-attack survivors in the current flock. Both have returned to laying. One of them is a polish who lost the skin off the back of her head to the attack. My wife nursed her back to health over the course of three weeks, and the bird has returned to her normal self. If that particular bird hadn't been my wife's favorite, we might have culled her. But all has worked well to this point.

I've been out there working in the garden when a hawk has attacked three birds just about 25 feet from where I was standing. I went over to the bird and scared it off. I'm convinced there's not much that will really discourage them beyond physical barriers like overhead netting.

Killing or harassing raptors is a federal beef. I'm not interested in testing the limits on that. Other predators are met with force when needed and possible. Just shot a possum a few hours ago after my wife chased it out of the coop. We still don't know how it got inside. We've also had to chase out a skunk on a cold windy night in a snowstorm.

All that said, if you're gonna free-range hens, then you need to be prepared to lose some. Being in the 'burbs won't change that. Wish it was different.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I have not lost birds to Hawks but have several shrubs and a huge apple tree in there yard key is give them places to hide

 

[Kullas]

I too would like to knowWe have had on chicken killed by a hawk and a second attack that wasn't too bad. I have been told that there is no way to stop this sort of attack but sitting on the back porch with a gun (you have to be a good shot) . SoI really would like to know TOO ?

Shooting a bird of pray is a good way to end up in jail with a hefty fine. Not to mention it is punishable by the feds not just the state.

 

[DobieLover]

I have had four adorable and amazing chickens for almost 3 years now. I have never had any predator problems because we are in city limits so the amount of predators are minimal. My girls have always free-ranged in our backyard with no problems. The last few days for the first time, we are having a hawk (I think a red-tailed) visit and try to snatch one of them away. I was able to scare him off the first time, but the second time he was able to do some damage to Rhoda my RIR. Her injuries weren't too serious several feathers were pulled out and she had a few scrapes. I was able to wash out the cuts and am helping them heal. I was wondering how you guys keep your girls safe from hawks. Right now, they are cooped up in a shed that we turned into a chicken coop. It is small and doesn't get much light so it isn't ideal. I don't want to let them out in fear of the hawk coming again. Any tips are greatly appreciated!

The only way to truly keep chickens safe from aerial attack is to keep them in a large covered run.
You can provide plantings and cover for them to run under but hawks are amazingly agile and maneuverable. I've read of hawks attacking chickens right under the nose of people out "keeping an eye" on their ranging chickens. Cover will certainly help but it will not prevent all hawk attacks.

 

[eleanorham]

A fake owl will sometimes work. They are both predators and territorial so that works sometimes on some hawks.

Kind of off the subject but we had a barred owl snag a weasel that I’m pretty sure had intentions of getting to our hens. It perched in a tree just beyond the coop and looked right at me with the weasel in its beak. I was so grateful! At first I thought the owl was after a hen but it must have been taking advantage of the weasel going after the hens. A weasel attack can be downright horrifying!

 

[Anndie]

We free range our flock of 60 hens during the day. We do lock them up during the night, but during the day it is the job of our 6 Roos to protect their ladies. Our Boys have a definite pecking order, but when a hawk flies over , they all call the alarm, the hens take cover and they stand out in the open crowing and flapping. Twice I have seen a hawk land on a hen in the open and then get attacked by my boys. It is a all out war on the hawk. Roosters are a very important part of a free range flock. I am not sure what I would do without them.

 

[Lanceaalot]

A fake owl will sometimes work. They are both predators and territorial so that works sometimes on some hawks.