Ideas for protecting against hawks WITHOUT covering your run

[cmom]

All the chickens I lost to hawks were brown. A hawk did try to take one of my Black Star hens, but didn't succeed. I'd like to think the black ones are safer, but I don't trust hawks. (Also, these attacks all happened in the winter.)

I don't think it matters on the color. One day I had let my birds out and one followed me into our blueberry patch. It took me by surprise. A hawk appeared like out of nowhere and killed my Rhode Island White right in front of me. It happened so fast I didn't have time to react. It didn't take her but did kill her.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

I don't think it matters on the color. One day I had let my birds out and one followed me into our blueberry patch. It took me by surprise. A hawk appeared like out of nowhere and killed my Rhode Island White right in front of me. It happened so fast I didn't have time to react. It didn't take her but did kill her.

They are so so fast. I had a hawk try to take one of my hens right in front of me and my daughter. I went after it with a rake and it finally flew away. My hen was hurt and shaken up, but survived. Hawks are very brazen, especially certain times of the year.

 

[mnkymcbean]

Twice in the past 2 months, I've walked outside to find a hawk scoping out my flock. The first time, the hawk was sitting on a low hanging branch between my duck and chicken pens. It did not attack, but was just sitting there watching. As soon as I came outside, it flew away. The 2nd incident was a little over a month later. In the 2nd incident, a hawk was sitting high up in a very large oak tree between my barn & coop. On that day, I had actually let the flock out to free range so I had chickens scattered around the acre in front of the barn. When I came out, the hawk started screeching. Several of my girls (not all) began running to the coop for cover. I swear it sounded like a 2nd hawk "responded" to the screeches, but I could not find where it was coming from. After a few seconds, the hawk left and did not return.

I've been nervous as I know it is only a matter of time before a hawk attempts to attack my girls. I live on the edges of a very small town. So kind of a mix of "town" and "country." I think my location has played a role in lowering the number of potential hawks who stick to more rural areas. However, clearly it is not foolproof. My chicken run is rather large....maybe 35' x 150'? I have two goats who have their own shed but share the same chicken yard. My backyard also aligns to one side of the chicken yard and my duck pen. I have a large Husky/Great Pyrenees who acts as a deterrent for hawks (and other critters) when she is outside, but that isn't all the time.

Given the size of my chicken yard, along with the fact that I have some giant oak trees that provide necessary shade to a good portion of the yard, I cannot/will not cover it from above. So I am looking for other ideas/options that can help persuade any potential hawks that my girls are not worth the effort. While it would be GREAT to hear options that will work around the entire pasture in front of my barn (approx 1 acre) where the girls free range the most, I'm mostly focused on the chicken yard itself. If I let the girls out to free range, I'm USUALLY outside with them although not always.

I've seen some people use old CDs. Does that really work? What else do you use? What have you tried that DOESN'T work?

We out an owl out on top of the fence. I got one that's head bobbles. I do not let my chickens free range, but they have an open run. We lost two ducks in a week, but the hawk has not been back since we put the owl up. The chickens don't seem to notice it.

 

[cmom]

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't keep white chickens any more. Every bird I have lost to coyotes was white.

 

[cmom]

Not a good color for camouflage.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Not a good color for camouflage.

True that! Not many, though, only three, I think. One reason I like my EEs. Very camo, lol!

 

[cmom]

I have Rhode Island Whites and White Leghorns among others that are in my signature.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

View attachment 2681276

This pic cracks me up. When I lived in Sun City, a neighbor had one of these owls on top of his house to keep pigeons away. His was the ONLY house covered in pigeons and yes, even the owl had pigeons all over it. Wish I'd taken a pic!

 

[Kaddi143]

Twice in the past 2 months, I've walked outside to find a hawk scoping out my flock. The first time, the hawk was sitting on a low hanging branch between my duck and chicken pens. It did not attack, but was just sitting there watching. As soon as I came outside, it flew away. The 2nd incident was a little over a month later. In the 2nd incident, a hawk was sitting high up in a very large oak tree between my barn & coop. On that day, I had actually let the flock out to free range so I had chickens scattered around the acre in front of the barn. When I came out, the hawk started screeching. Several of my girls (not all) began running to the coop for cover. I swear it sounded like a 2nd hawk "responded" to the screeches, but I could not find where it was coming from. After a few seconds, the hawk left and did not return.

I've been nervous as I know it is only a matter of time before a hawk attempts to attack my girls. I live on the edges of a very small town. So kind of a mix of "town" and "country." I think my location has played a role in lowering the number of potential hawks who stick to more rural areas. However, clearly it is not foolproof. My chicken run is rather large....maybe 35' x 150'? I have two goats who have their own shed but share the same chicken yard. My backyard also aligns to one side of the chicken yard and my duck pen. I have a large Husky/Great Pyrenees who acts as a deterrent for hawks (and other critters) when she is outside, but that isn't all the time.

Given the size of my chicken yard, along with the fact that I have some giant oak trees that provide necessary shade to a good portion of the yard, I cannot/will not cover it from above. So I am looking for other ideas/options that can help persuade any potential hawks that my girls are not worth the effort. While it would be GREAT to hear options that will work around the entire pasture in front of my barn (approx 1 acre) where the girls free range the most, I'm mostly focused on the chicken yard itself. If I let the girls out to free range, I'm USUALLY outside with them although not always.

I've seen some people use old CDs. Does that really work? What else do you use? What have you tried that DOESN'T work?

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