Lost a rooster to a hawk; need advice

[Fishsticks06]

I had a flock of 17 birds with 16 hens and one Buckeye rooster. We've had 2 hawk attacks on my hens prior with both leaving the hawk battered and my hens uninjured thanks to my rooster, he's been a good boy. Yesterday, I lost my rooster to a hawk. His feathers were the only scattered so I assume he was the one the hawk went after initially. The hawk was extremely large with probably a five foot wingspan and maybe weighing up to 6,5 lbs. Since he's a larger sized bird, I thought he wouldn't be an ideal target for a hawk. Now that my theory on that is debunked, I now know I have a hawk that is willing to kill larger roosters and I need a way to proof myself. I have all of my hens locked in their run. Whilst it is open enough and they have enough space to get away from each other, it simply isn't sufficient to keep them entertained or to let them forage. Some ideas I've came up were to either set up a large net that covers over all of the open space my chickens have (which will be very costly), sell my chickens and get larger birds like turkeys next spring, get two large roosters that have grown up together and hope they'll defend one another from the hawk, or get a guard geese (although where I live I haven't seen any available). I don't want to resort to getting licensing to shoot the hawk if it remains to be problematic. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I am sorry about the loss of your rooster!

The net idea seems like one of the best ideas, though I think I may be able to supply you with two more ideas.

One of the humane ways I know of to deter hawks is to place CDs in the trees, which reflect light into the hawk's eyes so it knows not to come into the chicken area or it will get blinded by CDs.

Another idea I have is to get a Liege Fighter rooster, which is a great predator-deterrent bird. They are very skilled at fighting and hawks will learn from their mistake of messing with Liege Fighters.

 

[McChooky]

Gather your fertile eggs & incubate them if you want another cockerel from him.Sorry for your loss!

 

[McChooky]

I had a flock of 17 birds with 16 hens and one Buckeye rooster. We've had 2 hawk attacks on my hens prior with both leaving the hawk battered and my hens uninjured thanks to my rooster, he's been a good boy. Yesterday, I lost my rooster to a hawk. His feathers were the only scattered so I assume he was the one the hawk went after initially. The hawk was extremely large with probably a five foot wingspan and maybe weighing up to 6,5 lbs. Since he's a larger sized bird, I thought he wouldn't be an ideal target for a hawk. Now that my theory on that is debunked, I now know I have a hawk that is willing to kill larger roosters and I need a way to proof myself. I have all of my hens locked in their run. Whilst it is open enough and they have enough space to get away from each other, it simply isn't sufficient to keep them entertained or to let them forage. Some ideas I've came up were to either set up a large net that covers over all of the open space my chickens have (which will be very costly), sell my chickens and get larger birds like turkeys next spring, get two large roosters that have grown up together and hope they'll defend one another from the hawk, or get a guard geese (although where I live I haven't seen any available). I don't want to resort to getting licensing to shoot the hawk if it remains to be problematic. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

The best cure is building them a bigger lot with lots of hiding places. If you harass, injure, trap or kill a hawk or eagle you'll pay a huge fine.They don't issue permits to kill them.

 

[RFoxfire]

I had a flock of 17 birds with 16 hens and one Buckeye rooster. We've had 2 hawk attacks on my hens prior with both leaving the hawk battered and my hens uninjured thanks to my rooster, he's been a good boy. Yesterday, I lost my rooster to a hawk. His feathers were the only scattered so I assume he was the one the hawk went after initially. The hawk was extremely large with probably a five foot wingspan and maybe weighing up to 6,5 lbs. Since he's a larger sized bird, I thought he wouldn't be an ideal target for a hawk. Now that my theory on that is debunked, I now know I have a hawk that is willing to kill larger roosters and I need a way to proof myself. I have all of my hens locked in their run. Whilst it is open enough and they have enough space to get away from each other, it simply isn't sufficient to keep them entertained or to let them forage. Some ideas I've came up were to either set up a large net that covers over all of the open space my chickens have (which will be very costly), sell my chickens and get larger birds like turkeys next spring, get two large roosters that have grown up together and hope they'll defend one another from the hawk, or get a guard geese (although where I live I haven't seen any available). I don't want to resort to getting licensing to shoot the hawk if it remains to be problematic. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

Invest in a gamecock as your flock rooster. I’ve had chickens since ‘97. Nothing avoids predation better than American gamefowl. Free ranged growing up in Pennsylvania and now in Maine. Never lost a rooster to a hawk, and I mean never. Have witnessed hens grabbed, some taken, some fought to escape and survived. I’ve seen chicks and juvenile (pullets and stags) gamefowl taken. I’ve also watch game hens attack a Cooper’s hawk that had her chick and save the chick. Lost count of how many gamecocks I’ve had just stand and watch a hawk or kick it it flap wings and crow at it after sending the flock to safety or attacking the hawk. Never yet lost an actual rooster to one.

Fox will hit any hour of day and are good at stalking. Raccoon are good at taking fowl from roosts, gamefowl or half bred will rotate trees/roost locations like wild turkeys though. Weasels, fisher, bobcat are no joke, but the ultimate chicken predator, possibly ultimate predator of all, is the Great Horned Owl. I’ve lost many to ole Bubo.

 

[Isadora]

Why not look into expanding your run? Seems a shame to completely give up on chickens when having a bigger run will solve the problem.