Lost our first girl - GOT A PIC OF THE EVIL PREDATOR!

[chickensioux]

My 3 big tom turkeys help keep hawks away but the best thing I have done is hang CDs all over the place. While that doesn't look very nice, it has kept the hawks away so far.

 

[juliawitt]

Our solution:

The hawks won't fly into the line, we also have shiny canning lids hanging from the line. The hawks still line up and watch the chickens from a distance, but we have not lost any chickens with this rig up.

 

[neuchicontheblock]

Does a hawk have natural enemies ie: like crows that chase others away, or a dog? Is there a less chicken dangerous animal out there that we can encourage to have the hawks leave? Or because chickens are what they are, it wouldn't make any sense because then they would be eaten by more animals?

 

[Wifezilla]

Crows will keep a hawk away.

There have been many reports of livestock dogs chasing them away too.

I used to have a murder of crows that hung out in a tree near my yard. They moved on last summer and then fall is when the hawk found us.

 

[gsim]

Quote:

This is not my post on this thread. I posted #6 on this subject and said I thought it was a coon and maybe to get an autodoor. Don't know where this came from with my name on it?

 

[Kanthaka]

Cooper's hawks are relentless. I call my particular nemesis 'Mr. Cooper". Mr. Cooper has taken dives at my hens while I was just a few feet away. I live in the city but have a very big fenced in back yard. I have a secure predator proof coop with a small run but my chickens definitely prefer to free range. I have lots of ground cover for the hens to hide under when Mr. Cooper makes his attempts. I also keep all food and water in the coop so they will not be blitz attacked while they are eating and drinking. I have a Delaware and a barred rock...both big girls and several times the size of the hawk! I had a RIR who died suddenly last November and Mr. Cooper soared and hovered while she was dying. Luckily I was with her and he never swooped down.
I also have a good neighborhood protection racket. At night I place unshelled peanuts on my porch roof for the crows. They love peanuts and hang out near my house. They have relentlessly chased Mr. Cooper all through the hood. They literally work for peanuts!
I have a lot of respect for Mr. Cooper. He is a beautiful bird trying to do what nature intended. I just don't want him to eat my hens!

 

[Wifezilla]

Now why didn't I think of bribery to get the crows to come back????