Just horrific!

[crj]

The other day I heard a rutcus going on. I poked my head out the door and saw nothing unusual. Sounded like a hen was proud of an egg that she laid. Went back to doing what ever it was I was doing and I could still hear the chickens. Something has to be up since the egg song is going on a bit too long.

I decided to go outside and take care of something and also see what's up with the chickens. All of a sudden a hawk swoops down and tries to get a baby chick. Now I no what all the fuss is about. Never had I ever had a problem with hawks. Until now. It got my English bantam "Sally" and a baby Ameracauna chick. I was very upset but nothing I could do. The turkey hens were protecting the babies.

The next day I get ready to feed my critters in the late afternoon. A little early for dinner but close enough since it's getting dark early. I noticed my ducks and geese staring. They did make some noise earlier but when don't they? I look around the corner and that hawk!! It's on top of my 4 month old Buff Orpington. It was so terrible, that hawk just looked at me and I ran to the chicken. Poor thing was still alive! Almost her entire back was gone. Nothing but bone and muscle showing from shoulder to the beginning of her tail. I called for my daughter to bring me a sharp knife. I couldn't let this beautiful bird suffer anymore. That hawk sat in the tree watching me clutch the hen in my arms trying to comfort her. No way I could save her. She was going into shock and the best thing I could do was put her down. It was the most horrific thing I have ever seen. I could have dealt with it better if the hawk killed the hen but it didn't. I don't know what kind it was other then light brown. The buff was bigger then the hawk but you could see the power compared to fluff.

We are now all on guard. I have to find an owl to set up and deter the predators including snakes. UGH!! Maybe I should get the owl that made it's sefl compy in someones coop..... hehe.

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

That's terrible... I am so sorry for your losses...

I have hawks here.. all spring, summer and fall I ran outside everytime I heard an unusual amount of squaking... it was the rooster sounding the alarm.. I think that the very large rooster, the small dogs and the bright hawaiian shirts I hung on some trees (and moved around every other day)... helped to keep the hawks away .. also had a neighbor with some pidgeons and chickens.. and, sorry to say he fed the hawks more and may have saved mine (unintentionally) by sacrificing his birds (unintentionally).

Whatever you get to scare the hawks away.. move it around.. go outside and take a towel or shirt with you every time.. swing it around and make noise whenever you see hawks around.. keep the babies inside the coop unless you are outside.. (I have a half gate I can put on the coop door to keep the babies in and let the grown hens fly over in and out as needed)....

So sorry.. don't know what else to suggest.. only that you have to move around anything like a scarecrow or plastic owl... every few days at least.. the hawks quickly learn the "thing" is no threat to them.. only you keep moving.. Also note the sound the hawks make.. I listen for their "screech" and run out if I am home. Keeping the little ones inside if I am not. I have less hawks now that it's a bit colder.... but, I saw some a couple blocks away today... so.. the threat is not gone.

Oh.. I know a couple who left their "french doors" open on their bedroom, had a parrot out of it's cage inside their home.. a hawk actually flew into their bedroom to try to get their pet bird.. thankfully the hawk missed and flew out.

So sorry..

 

[GreenGoddess]

Sorry about the hawk problem... I'm near Lumberton NC and we have hawks really bad here too.. Between them and the loose dogs in the neighborhood, I keep mine in a pen all day... Best thing you can do is get yourself an LGD, keep them penned up (with a cover on it) or give them LOTS of places to hide (which don't always work... Maybe others can give you more ideas... As for the owl, as long as it's fake.. Owls will kill chickens too...

Unfortunately it's illegal to kill, harm or even relocate hawks in most states including NC.. They are protected by the migratory bird act and carry a minimum $10,000 fine if you are doing such...

Goddess

 

[Ole rooster]

Thanks for the warning. I hadn't heard that before. Protected huh?

 

[corgiscatsandchickens]

Unfortunately it's illegal to kill, harm or even relocate hawks in most states including NC.. They are protected by the migratory bird act and carry a minimum $10,000 fine if you are doing such...

Actually, hawks aren't that bad. Yes, they're horrible if you're trying to free range your chickens, (which we can't here in middle TN BTW, because we have so many hawks and owls just to name a few predators) but they take waaaaay more mice and rats than chickens and rabbits. That's actually pretty handy when it comes to pest and disease control. Not to mention tick control, since mice, rats, and moles are huge carriers of ticks. PLUS I've seen more than one hawk flying off carrying a snake in its talons--a beautiful sight if you ask me! It's really a good thing to have the hawls around, just gotta watch out for your girls to keep them safe.

 

[crj]

Quote:
Well, this hawk is eating very well. I'm missing 2 guineas and I found 1 guinea seriously hurt. I don't know if it will make it. I think the hawk showed up just before I went out to feed this morning at 6:45. I don't know if the guineas were missing yesterday if this morning. I'm just sick over this. I will find some shirts to hang out if I have to run errands. That's 6 1/2 birds now with in 2 weeks or less. Yes, the owl I plan on getting will be fake unless I can find a stuffed owl which would be even better. Except if it rains. That couln't be good.

 

[southerndesert]

Hawks and protected species can be dealt with in many cases by jumping through the proper hoops...

http://www.fws.gov/permits/mbpermits/birdbasics.html

As authorized by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues permits to qualified applicants for the following types of activities: falconry, raptor propagation, scientific collecting, special purposes (rehabilitation, educational, migratory game bird propagation, and salvage), take of depredating birds, taxidermy, and waterfowl sale and disposal. Migratory bird permit policy is developed by the Division of Migratory Bird Management and the permits themselves are issued by the Regional Bird Permit Offices. The regulations governing migratory bird permits can be found in 50 CFR part 13 (General Permit Procedures) and 50 CFR part 21 (Migratory Bird Permits).

http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/intrnltr/mbta/mbtandx.html

Hawk, Asiatic Sparrow, Accipiter gularis
Broad-winged, Buteo platypterus
Cooper's, Accipiter cooperii
Ferruginous, Buteo regalis
Gray, Buteo nitidus
Harris', Parabuteo unicinctus
Hawaiian, Buteo solitarius
Red-shouldered, Buteo lineatus
Red-tailed, Buteo jamaicensis
Rough-legged, Buteo lagopus
Sharp-shinned, Accipiter striatus
Short-tailed, Buteo brachyurus
Swainson's, Buteo swainsoni
White-tailed, Buteo albicaudatus
Zone-tailed, Buteo albonotatus


Owl, Barn (=Barn-Owl, Common), Tyto alba
Barred, Strix varia
Boreal, Aegolius funereus
Burrowing, Speotyto (=Athene) cunicularia
Elf, Micrathene whitneyi
Flammulated, Otus flammeolus
Great Gray, Strix nebulosa
Great Horned, Bubo virginianus
Hawk (=Hawk-Owl, Northern), Surnia ulula
Long-eared, Asio otus
Northern Saw-whet, Aegolius acadicus
Short-eared, Asio flammeus
Snowy, Nyctea scandiaca
Spotted, Strix occidentalis

http://www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-13.pdf

No permit is required merely to scare or herd
depredating migratory birds other than endangered or threatened species and bald or golden eagles. You should apply for a
depredation permit only after non-lethal management proves unsuccessful. If a permit is issued, you will be expected to continue
to integrate non-lethal techniques when implementing any lethal measures.

Please provide the following information:
1. List the species of migratory birds causing the depredation problem and estimate the number of each involved.
2. Provide the exact location of the property or properties where the control activity would be conducted (State, county, and physical
address of the specific site).
3. Description of damage.
(a) Describe the specific migratory bird damage or injury you are experiencing.
(b) How long has it been occurring (e.g., the number of years)?
(c) What times or seasons of the year does it occur?
(d) Describe any human health and safety hazards involved.
(e) Provide details such as types of crops destroyed, human injuries sustained, property damage incurred, and health and safety
hazards created.
4. Describe the extent of the damage and estimate the economic loss suffered as a result, such as percentage of acres of crop and
dollar loss, cost to replace damaged property, or cost of injuries.
5. Describe the nonlethal measures you have taken to control or eliminate the problem, including how long (e.g., a week, month,
year(s)) and how often they have been conducted. List the techniques you have tried, such as harassment (e.g., horns,
pyrotechnics, propane cannons), habitat management (e.g., vegetative barriers, longer grass management, fencing), cultural
practices (e.g., crop selection and placement, management of pets and feeding schedules), or no feeding policies.
6. Proposed actions.
(a) What actions are you proposing to take to alleviate the problem (e.g., kill, eliminate nesting, trap and relocate)?
(b) Describe the method you propose (e.g., shoot; addle, oil, destroy eggs; trap and relocate; trap and donate birds to a food
processing center).
(c) If you propose to trap birds, describe the method that will be used and your (or your agent’s) experience with the method.
7. What long-term measures do you plan to take to eliminate the problem?

 

[moetrout]

Just two words......bottle rockets! It will at least send them on to another location to hunt. they may come back, but I think if you keep it up they will find someplace less menacing. I don't really aim for them or anything, just shoot them off when they come around. Get the whistling bottle rockets with report (bang at the end).

 

[brendapa]

Hawks are smart. Hiding places really do not deter a hawk on the hunt. I have a giagantic Holly tree, the bottom branches rest on the ground and the chickens love to go under it to get cool and scratch.
The hawks will and do go under to grab a chicken.
My chciks are only allowed to freerange while I'm out there with them. other than that it's a covered kennel/tractor or pen.