Lost a little one this morning

[Drew2SOA]

Well this morning was a bit of a downer. My wife found one of our 2 month old girls headless with an explosion of feathers in the backyard. It was my wife's favorite of the birds. I found her outside holding her body crying. So started shifting to trying to figure out what could've done it. We have an Aussie that likes to roam with the birds and has no aggression to them at all. He went outside and started sniffing over in an area and alas, that's where we found her. Leading suspect is a Red-Tailed hawk that was perched up on the light pole just behind our house after we found her. It seems like he made a kill and was eating when interrupted by the dog going outside.

What suggestions do peeps have to help keep hawks and other raptors away from the yard/flock? We let them roam the yard during the day and they do have an safe enclosed space to retreat/escape to. I'm leaning towards getting a couple Owl decoys, but figured I'd ask for other anecdotal experience.

 

[DobieLover]

What suggestions do peeps have to help keep hawks and other raptors away from the yard/flock?

You really can't.
The owl decoys don't work for long.

My flock is exposed to hawks nearly daily. I've had many hawk strikes, but only a single loss. They have at least 1 rooster and sometimes 2 on the look out, a large solid roofed run and a huge shrub to seek shelter in when hawks strike. They've been very successful for over 5 years.

 

[Dreamers Nook]

If possible a covered pen at least where they can run to?

 

[Ch1cken Tender]

Well this morning was a bit of a downer. My wife found one of our 2 month old girls headless with an explosion of feathers in the backyard. It was my wife's favorite of the birds. I found her outside holding her body crying. So started shifting to trying to figure out what could've done it. We have an Aussie that likes to roam with the birds and has no aggression to them at all. He went outside and started sniffing over in an area and alas, that's where we found her. Leading suspect is a Red-Tailed hawk that was perched up on the light pole just behind our house after we found her. It seems like he made a kill and was eating when interrupted by the dog going outside.

What suggestions do peeps have to help keep hawks and other raptors away from the yard/flock? We let them roam the yard during the day and they do have a safe enclosed space to retreat/escape to. I'm leaning towards getting a couple Owl decoys, but figured I'd ask for other anecdotal experience.

I’m very sorry for your loss. Your situation is scarily almost identical to what happened to me. I lost my sweet little Cindy to (what I believe) was a hawk. We haven’t had another attack after we put up an owl decoy, but I also only let them free range at 8:00 p.m. and I’m with them the entire time.
One things for sure, though, those decoys got rid of our buzzards! Good luck!

 

[Dreamers Nook]

I’m very sorry for your loss. Your situation is scarily almost identical to what happened to me. I lost my sweet little Cindy to (what I believe) was a hawk. We haven’t had another attack after we put up an owl decoy, but I also only let them free range at 8:00 p.m. and I’m with them the entire time.
One things for sure, though, those decoys got rid of our buzzards! Good luck!

I like your approach. I am so sorry for both of your losses. I chose having a covered pen for when we aren't around for that reason, as we have falcons, hawks and eagles. I don't plan to let them in grazing pens until they are completely grown (next spring). And even then only when we're home and moving about.

Good luck, perhaps someone here has some other solutions, from what I've seen and heard the fakes don't work long.

 

[Mrs. K]

THe !#^@%$#^&*^#%$ always get your favorite!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I am sorry for your loss. When we had littles hatched by broodies, hawks got most of them, as they were free-ranging out in the open - and they would snatch them practically within arm's reach of us when we were out there with them, and within inches of mama hen. Since then, we have put up a separate pen for our littles, which we get from hatcheries, and the pen is small enough that no hawk can maneuver in and out of it. It has 6' chain-link sides and is about 30 x 40' with no top. Our littles go out at about three weeks old and we've not lost any to hawks. There's also a 4 x 5 Rubbermaid coop in the middle of it that keeps a hawk from being able to swoop freely in and out. Good luck.