How to Keep Hawks Away?

[Kris5902]

The fishing line and shiny things does work, and it does run the risk of entangling the predator. A neighbor uses it quite successfully, and once the bird has a bad experience and knows it’s there they generally move on. If you use this though, you need to be prepared to deal with releasing a very pissed off, possibly fairly large bird with nasty talons and a hooked beak. Chances are they will not know you’re “helping” them and they will be fighting (you) for their life.

Husband was over at said neighbors on other business, and they had the pleasure of experiencing this firsthand. Hawk was released unharmed and has not returned. Welding gloves and a towel were employed in the release. We don’t really have a hawk problem here though... eagles and ravens for the most part, and I will not mention how we (legally on this registered farm in Canada) deal with them here as it gets everyone too riled up I’ve found. I prefer the Golden Eagles personally, they are larger, but not as likely to maim and kill the lambs (70 as of today and counting!)

 

[duluthralphie]

Realize this everyone. These raptors CAN NOT SEE your wire roof. They look right through it. They have amazing eyesight, but it's like looking at a fence from 30 feet away with binoculars. It becomes invisible. Place something more substantial on the roof to make it more visible. This keeps the raptors from even trying to hit the roof. And in all morality, we are NOT in the business of hurting raptors. That said, free range birds are food for raptors.

Hmmmm but if they do something dumb like dive into our netting and die....some of us would not lose a lot of sleep over it.... personally, I might have a beer to celebrate one less predator in an area that is predator heavy in relationship to the prey available, because of excess meddling by do gooders.

 

[duluthralphie]

The fishing line and shiny things does work, and it does run the risk of entangling the predator. A neighbor uses it quite successfully, and once the bird has a bad experience and knows it’s there they generally move on. If you use this though, you need to be prepared to deal with releasing a very pissed off, possibly fairly large bird with nasty talons and a hooked beak. Chances are they will not know you’re “helping” them and they will be fighting (you) for their life.

Husband was over at said neighbors on other business, and they had the pleasure of experiencing this firsthand. Hawk was released unharmed and has not returned. Welding gloves and a towel were employed in the release. We don’t really have a hawk problem here though... eagles and ravens for the most part, and I will not mention how we (legally on this registered farm in Canada) deal with them here as it gets everyone too riled up I’ve found. I prefer the Golden Eagles personally, they are larger, but not as likely to maim and kill the lambs (70 as of today and counting!)

It does not take all that many fishing lines to hang the cds from...

I have 3 lines from 50 to 200 ft long about 20 ft in the air so they do not get in my way... with 5 ft lines hanging off the main lines with cds on them..all total I have 25-30 cds covering 5 acres

 

[GRB73]

A chicken tractor works well. They'll stay under cover but you can move them to different parts of the yard every few weeks.

 

[duluthralphie]

A chicken tractor works well. They'll stay under cover but you can move them to different parts of the yard every few weeks.

They work great for a few chickens or until a weasel tunnels in..

I run a 100-200 birds in my yard. So the tractor would be a tad large.

 

[charliewhiskey]

The original quote also mentioned birds of prey but with little regard to not actually violating federal law and harming them either. Be the human.

 

[Kris5902]

This human just lost over $3000, triplets and twins, in livestock to eagles in less than 2 hrs. We will be exercising our rights as farmers the next time they are in the vicinity (we are legally allowed to shoot to defend our livestock here-before anyone gets their knickers in a knot).

Please, @charliewhiskey , You’re telling me that if you saw four eagles ripping the intestines of your animals out their anus and pecking out their eyes, while they are still alive, that you wouldn’t respond? And if they get a breeding ewe that’s a lot more of a financial loss. First bird-caused loss this year. It will hopefully also be the last. Setting the dogs in them doesn’t work, and you can’t always be there or predict every birth.

 

[horsekeeper]

This human just lost over $3000, triplets and twins, in livestock to eagles in less than 2 hrs. We will be exercising our rights as farmers the next time they are in the vicinity (we are legally allowed to shoot to defend our livestock here-before anyone gets their knickers in a knot).

Please, @charliewhiskey , You’re telling me that if you saw four eagles ripping the intestines of your animals out their anus and pecking out their eyes, while they are still alive, that you wouldn’t respond? And if they get a breeding ewe that’s a lot more of a financial loss. First bird-caused loss this year. It will hopefully also be the last. Setting the dogs in them doesn’t work, and you can’t always be there or predict every birth.

Sorry to hear of your losses. It must be heartbreaking.

 

[aart]

This human just lost over $3000, triplets and twins, in livestock to eagles in less than 2 hrs.

5 newborn cattle/sheep(?) in 2 hours?
Yikes!!

 

[centrarchid]

This human just lost over $3000, triplets and twins, in livestock to eagles in less than 2 hrs. We will be exercising our rights as farmers the next time they are in the vicinity (we are legally allowed to shoot to defend our livestock here-before anyone gets their knickers in a knot).

Please, @charliewhiskey , You’re telling me that if you saw four eagles ripping the intestines of your animals out their anus and pecking out their eyes, while they are still alive, that you wouldn’t respond? And if they get a breeding ewe that’s a lot more of a financial loss. First bird-caused loss this year. It will hopefully also be the last. Setting the dogs in them doesn’t work, and you can’t always be there or predict every birth.

I thought you were in Canada where laws regarding raptors same as in States?