I almost cried... Hawk attack

[guineahen14]

I have seen hawks around here land on the ground and chase chickens, I have seen them go into the bushes after the hiding chickens, if I weren't home at these times I am sure the horrible hawks would have made a meal out of some of my flock. This all occured in a large yard which was criscrossed with fishing line.

 

[coonhoundmama87]

I know how you feel! There is no shame in crying about it, I have! Hawks are terrible and will keep coming back no matter what it seems. I'm lucky enough to be home all day so I can prevent a lot of our problems but we litterally have hawks 24/7/365. We lost a lot of young chickens this year and muscovies too. We free range majority of our birds so it's just something I have to live with. There is only one solution to fix a hawk problem in my eyes and it's something not a lot of people agree with.

 

[M.sue]

Quote:


I totally agree with you and if your solution is like mine.....it's not legal!! Predators are something we always have to be aware of whether they fly through the air or run on land!

 

[porkchop48]

I let every one out when I got home yesterday afternoon. It was like a stampede trying to get out the run door.

Looks like this weekend I will be making some enrichments to their run since they won't be getting as much free range time.


Other than a dog. I have one but he can not be left out all day ( the front part of the yard is not secure) is there any ways to really discourage them?

 

[seminolewind]

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Don't keep yourself from crying, I cried for hours the other night because a hawk got an 11 week old chick that I had. I've never had a hawk problem in the 4 years that I've owned chickens. I think what attracts them is the peeping. A few of my hens were upset about it, they have been staying in the bushes and not coming for a treat.

I will be putting up deer netting over my runs. Mine free range in the yard but I think there's enough brush and tree cover, and my hens are mostly big birds. The one that got killed was a juvenile Polish chick.

Sorry about your chicks too. You still have time to get a nice flock going.

 

[jbourget]

Hawks are bad were i am at you cant let any chicks out or even bantams they will take them right off, even one of my big roosters got pinned to the ground and they started easting him alive untill we ran up there