How to Keep Hawks Away?

[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.

 

[centrarchid]

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!

I have a combination of lots of roosters (almost all penned singly), several cover patches, some perimeter fencing. I do have Coopers Hawks and even falcons come in for song birds and small rodents as well as Red-shouldered Hawks that will soon be dust bathing close to chickens without issue. Red-tailed Hawks and Coopers Hawks going after chickens have a difficult time because of all the perceived threats and chickens ability to get into cover. I do see Red-tailed Hawks and rarely even a Bald Eagle perch where they can see my birds so they are present.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I don't think the umbrellas are necessary. Why not bird netting strung across the posts, like a roof? The umbrellas seem like an invitation to difficulty.

 

[centrarchid]

I don't think the umbrellas are necessary. Why not bird netting strung across the posts, like a roof? The umbrellas seem like an invitation to difficulty.

I use deer netting. It has span issues that require support which would not work well trying to cover a larger run.

 

[upinrunnin]

We've had chickens for 4 years and this is the first year I haven't been able to let them free range because we've had a hawk hanging around for a couple weeks. It sits in the trees where it can see the run.. It's covered and they are safe and wondering why it is hanging around when it doesn't have access to the chickens.

 

[ZeeAviatrix]

Hawks are especially bad in the Spring and are master hunters. I have lost 3 chickens to hawks. My avatar is of my beloved Roxanne I had for 7 years when a hawk killed and ate her within just a few moments, inside a chain-linked 8' X 8' fenced-in area, which she had roamed into through my barn. I couldn't believe it. That darn hawk left a huge pile of feathers and one small piece of bone. They drop down out of no where and are super quiet, too, taking a hen or rooster by complete surprise. I live on 30 acres and I'm afraid there is nothing that can be done about it unless you never want to let them out of their coop. And that's just too darn cruel.

 

[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.

 

[mjrags]

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!

 

[mjrags]

Hanging cds from your trees in the area where your chickens roam will stop the hawks dead in their tracks! They don’t like shiny reflective things. We had several hawk attacks on our chickens in their fenced area 1 acre paddock. In Texas it is unlawful to kill them, so my husband read about the birds not liking shiny reflective objects. It has now worked for 3 1/2 yrs. No hawk attacks. We see them flying around but when they get close they zoom off in another direction to avoid the shiny objects...

 

[Sandy W.]

I use a combination of thing to keep hawks away from my free ranging flocks. I have a rooster who does a really good job guarding and fortunately a few favorite hiding spots the birds stay close to. I also have solar lights globes hanging along the back of my house where the flock spends most of their time. They are made of white mosaic glass that reflect the sun with flashes of light -- just like hanging CDs or more decorative -- and give a soft blue/white glow at night. I've been to the back of my property, which is an 1.5 acres away from the globes and can see the flashes of light from that far away. This has been very helpful.

In addition, I keep crows around by feeding them food scraps every morning. They don't like hawks so they'll chase them away or make a huge rukus that alerts the flock and sends them scurrying. So far (knock on wood), I've not lost a bird to a hawk.