how worried about hawks should i be?

[sydney13]

im getting a few jersey giants and other heavy chicken breeds and a small 10 lb goose. i have 1 silkie but that is the only small bird i have. i know that if i let them all free range their will always be a risk, but do you think a hawks would be likely to take away a 10 lb. birds? Also do you think my silkie is more safe surrounded by large chickens that the hawk might ignore, or is she in more danger because they would all bring more attention to the hawk?

 

[LarryPQ]

I don't think it will make a difference. A hungry hawk may take out a large bird just to eat its fill. Keeping them in a covered run is your only real safegaurd.

 

[tigerrrrrrrlilly]

Not sure where you are or what type of Hawks you have there but I have tons of red-tail hawks here. They don't mess with my chickens. It may be my chihuahua that keeps them away though, she goes after and bites anything that comes in the yard big or small and will not shut up until it leaves. I have never seen them come down, but have seen them watching my bantams. They seem to have no interest in my ducks (I think they are just too big), and when I have ducklings I keep them close by to the big ducks and they do fine. I believe they hunt early in the morning too, and I don't usually let anyone out until 9am unless I am out there with them.

 

[Scubadeaux]

I constantly worry about hawks here in Louisiana. Yesterday I chased one through the woods across from our house.
It made such a loud noise trying to flee, sounded like I scared up Bigfoot

Then I looked up, it was perched above me, the biggest I have ever seen.

We have lost 3 to hawks, and next to coyotes they are a considered a big threat here.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Large hawks can kill and eat heavy breed adult chickens on the ground. They don't need to be able to fly off with them. We've had red-tailed hawk attacks here, as have other people.

With predators, it's always about risk management, on their part. What looks easier, what looks riskier, what their other choices are, how desperate they are. How large will your goose eventually get? If it gets a lot larger, that may help deter hawks some. I know they aren't that keen on going after large turkeys. Geese have a pretty good reputation for being able to put up a fight, in general, so that may make a goose a more formidable target. They certainly scare a lot of people! Hawks are more vulnerable on the ground, so I do think they size the situation up a bit, before coming in for a kill. Things like large livestock or dogs running around are a concern for them.

Anyone with geese have any input on geese and hawks, when you have chickens with them?

 

[JestersEye]

Hawks are the only type of predators that we've lost birds to so far. We lost two when we used to let them free range alone, and one when the snow caused a cave-in on the roof of the run. A hawk came right in the hole and ate a pullet before we realized what had happened.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

A lone well fed hawk probably wouldn't bother taking down a full grown chicken. A hungry hawk or one feeding young in the spring and early summer certainly wouldn't hesitate killing a 5+ pound bird. One feeding young will rip up the carcass and take the remainder back to the nest. Red tailed hawks, cooper's hawks, and a few others are the ones you should really worry about.

 

[Jody]

Some things I read about and learned here on BYC about deterring hawks.

Little red eyes looking up, as well as looking from trees, coops, etc.. place little red eyes in various places.. like little reflective jewel buttons.
DVDs or CDs hanging in trees, etc. In pairs like big shiny eyes
Fishing line going across runs, trees, etc
Scarecrow with a bright yellow raincoat and red eyes on hood looking up
Fake owl sculptures
Lots of bird feeders to attract blue jay, swallows, other little birds that would fight a hawk
fake crows

 

[Stonerowfarm]

We have red tail hawks here that two years tried to take my pomeranian dog (full size, not a little pocket pom). Fortunately he was on top of the couch in the house and the bird just hit the window. So, they will go after larger animals. This summer I have been encouraging the crows by leaving banty eggs around the yard for them to eat. A week ago I had the girls out free-ranging and sure enough a hawk came flying over. Within a minute or so two crows came out of nowhere, called to their friends and sure enough birds started flying in from every direction. By the time they congregated to harass the crow there must have been 16 or more crows flying around it, driving it down into the valley. Even after they had driven it away, the set up sentries in various trees from the valley up to the farm keeping watch.

What we do is only free-range while we are here to keep an eye out. The rest of the time the girls are in their run with deer netting over the top as a deterent. It has worked well for us for two years and we haven't lost a bird to a hawk yet.

 

[kayri]

I definitely worry about hawks. They have killed and half- eaten on the spot 4 of my large breed hens- barred rock, Wyandotte and two large easter eggers. I am hoping in the summer, they have easier prey and I can let my girls out from under the netting, although my neighbor told me he saw one circling my house the other day.