I know now what killed my bird. What next?

[SarahLadd]

I read about this fencing method to deter hawks. Mind you I have not tried it because my yard is not big enough. It allows the chickens to still range in a larger area than a run and you don’t have to cover it. Basically the idea is to place fencing four feet apart in a maze type senario. The hawks won’t be able to spread their wings once they’re inside the fencing because of the close quarters. Will they land on the fencing? I’m sure they will. Will they dive bomb into the fencing? I can see that happening. This is just a different method of placing fencing, specifically to deter arial predators, I read about.

I babysit my flock while they free range. Keeping music playing and listening to my roosters has kept the juvenile, and adult, hawks away. One day I had 10 turkey vultures watching my flock. I scared them all off with a loud bang from a metal stick I carry just for those jerks. I do have fake owls but those work better to keep the foxes away. Fake crows will attract real crows to your yard. I have seen the crows around my yard scare off the hawks but they aren’t always reliable.

This redtail has landed on my fence 5 feet from me. The hawk I have is undeterred by my presence. I have no doubt this hawk would take a bird right from under my feet, and after reading about people losing birds to hawks right in front of them, I don't think babysitting the flock is gonna work unless I can see it in the sky before it's close enough to strike, like what I did today.

If crow decoys will attract crows, though, that's good information to have for someone looking to bring them into the area.

 

[SarahLadd]

Problem is hunting, trapping and shooting predators is about the only way you'll stop them

I wish trap and release was a valid choice for us. I honestly don't understand why it isn't. If the bird is unharmed in the process, just rattled a bit emotionally, I should be able to trap and release as a form of discouragement. Unfortunately, the law we all know and love (/s) considers this "harassment" and therefore just as illegal as sending it to god.

 

[Smileybans]

This redtail has landed on my fence 5 feet from me. The hawk I have is undeterred by my presence. I have no doubt this hawk would take a bird right from under my feet, and after reading about people losing birds to hawks right in front of them, I don't think babysitting the flock is gonna work unless I can see it in the sky before it's close enough to strike, like what I did today.

If crow decoys will attract crows, though, that's good information to have for someone looking to bring them into the area.

I had a juvenile hawk do that recently. He landed on an out building on my neighbors property tho. I had to wack him with a stick to get him to go away. If I hadn’t come after him with a big stick he would have gone for my birds. I found babysitting them works to deter the older birds. Not so much the juvenile ones.

 

[SarahLadd]

I had a juvenile hawk do that recently. He landed on an out building on my neighbors property tho. I had to wack him with a stick to get him to go away. If I hadn’t come after him with a big stick he would have gone for my birds. I found babysitting them works to deter the older birds. Not so much the juvenile ones.

Do you think this year has been particularly bad for predator activity? I don't think I've ever seen so many hawks/eagles//coyotes in this area before this summer. I had a coyote run across the street and cut me off 3 houses away from my own while jogging. I live in the burbs of a metro, granted it's Minnesota and our bird populations of all sorts are incredibly abundant. In 5 years of owning chickens I have not had a predator attack, this is my first. I knew it was a matter of time, I guess. I got comfortable and lowered my guard. I realize this is my fault. I would be more upset if it wasn't a cockerel I had no intention of keeping that was taken. At this point, it was a hard lesson that no chicken outside without hardware cloth around it is safe, and I failed them.

 

[McChooky]

I wish trap and release was a valid choice for us. I honestly don't understand why it isn't. If the bird is unharmed in the process, just rattled a bit emotionally, I should be able to trap and release as a form of discouragement. Unfortunately, the law we all know and love (/s) considers this "harassment" and therefore just as illegal as sending it to god.

We have a ton of predators but don't see them all the time. Everyone feels the same way (they don't want anymore) Less is best! That's why its illegal.

 

[Weeg]

Sadly, there isn't much you can do. Maybe try shiny/reflecive objects hung up, maybe something that made a lot of noise? I'm not really sure.

If it were me, I would just make sure they have lots of cover, and a really good rooster could help. Multiple shelters placed strategically around the area so they always have a place to hide. This can be anything from lawn chairs, trees and tables, to actually hut shelters.
My rooster, my favorite rooster in the entire world takes the whole flock into the bushes out of sight if he suspects a hawk attack. He's very sneaky about it as well. I've had a huge Eagle almost pick up one of my ducks twice, but luckily she was to heavy.
All of my birds were free ranging, but Sam immediately took them all into the bushes, and wouldn't let them out until he was certain the coast was clear. He likely saved there lives multiple times. He's been through a lot, and a lot of my own rookie mistakes as well. He's been the survivor multiple times, and has picked up on all the dangers.

I live the crow idea that was listed above. Feeding them and keeping them around isn't a bad idea. We have a murder that makes its way through the neighbor hood, and acts as a great alarm system. I hope this helps, sadly arial predators really are a pain.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

When I saw crows harass a hawk away from my chickens and run it completely off, a lightbulb went off in my head: what I needed was a flock of resident crows. Or barring that, a flock of black chickens that look like crows! So that spring I ordered Black Australorp chickens. It seems to have paid off: my 8 BA hens free-ranging with my EE and Brown Leghorn hens apparently look enough like a flock of big black crows on guard that I have not seen or heard a hawk in a year. I will always have BA hens in my flock now!

 

[McChooky]

The ONLY reason I'm not seeing More predators is they're passing up the chickens behind a fence for the chickens that are easier to catch across the street. I just had a conversation with my neighbor this week trying to convince him to put an electric fence around his run and coop .Owls and Coyotes have killed at least 20 out of his flock .

 

[SarahLadd]

When I saw crows harass a hawk away from my chickens and run it completely off, a lightbulb went off in my head: what I needed was a flock of resident crows. Or barring that, a flock of black chickens that look like crows! So that spring I ordered Black Australorp chickens. It seems to have paid off: my 8 BA hens free-ranging with my EE and Brown Leghorn hens apparently look enough like a flock of big black crows on guard that I have not seen or heard a hawk in a year. I will always have BA hens in my flock now!

I never thought of that. Huh. I wonder if black birds have a higher survival rate in free ranging flocks than others.

Unfortunately, I have not a single black bird in the bunch. I had intended to keep one cock from my bunch of d'anvers, but given that both have major faults that disqualify them in quality from showing I think it's irresponsible to let them have access to my hens, and on top of that they're like... 600gram birds as adults. Not exactly a rooster that can pull a punch. I think I'd need a brahma rooster, except I don't want brahmas, I want a glorious flock of barbu d'anvers. I hope they tolerate confinement well... I can tell that they enjoy foraging a great deal but they're just so small and vulnerable.

Honestly, the hubs is taking a new position at a different company that's going to push our income to the next level and I'm hoping to ditch this banana stand in a year or so. Somewhere bigger so I can get really serious about my goals and dreams of raising beautiful show belgians.

 

[SarahLadd]

The ONLY reason I'm not seeing More predators is they're passing up the chickens behind a fence for the chickens that are easier to catch across the street. I just had a conversation with my neighbor this week trying to convince him to put an electric fence around his run and coop .Owls and Coyotes have killed at least 20 out of his flock .

That's depressing. Reminds me also of "in case of bear attack, run faster than your friend".