My chickens are being stalked. :( What to do?

[lovemychix]

For the past week a red tailed hawk has been hovering my coop and actually landing on the pen. My poor chickens are scared out of their minds. Poor things. I can't do anything about it but chased it off when I see it just for it to return. They actually were out the other day and I was with them and when they saw the hawk you should have seen them run to the coop.

Is there anything I can put out there to deter the hawk from coming around? Something that might scare it.

 

[Shannon's Chix]

I had the same problem a couple months ago...sucker landed right on the posts of the run! I stuck some old CD's, shiny side up on the posts (I think many people hang them) but I haven't seen the thing since. Well, I did once but he just flew on by...

Good luck, I know it's scary!

 

[lovemychix]

I was thinking those aluminum pie pans or something shiny. I know it works in the garden to keep birds away but this is a huge hawk apparently not scared of much. He is beautiful but I want him to move on and leave us alone. I am putting some up as soon as I find some. I'll post how it's working.

 

[Whispering Winds]

The nice thing about those CD disks, you almost always have one around the house that isn't working anymore, or you can pick them up at the $1 store!! Good luck, the Hawks around here are so pretty, I can't stand the thought of hurting them, but they are relentless hunters and we notice more and more of them perched in tall dead trees as we go to town.

 

[lovemychix]

I'm going to search for some old CD's. I see them all the time too. Getting pretty populated around here. I live in town too.

 

[citrusdreams]

My dogs scare away the hawks. Do you have dogs? You can let them out the next time you see the hawks flying overhead (if they're not out already).

Guineas will raise a rucus too , when they see hawks overhead.

I'd also make sure they have stuff to run under. A young hawk once flew into the pen and got a chick. I find they like to take cover under porches, sheds, decks and bushes. Though some run into the henhouse as well. But considering one flew into my pen, I think it would be best to provide other hiding places, like dogloos or other doghouses or structures they can take cover in. You can fill up these things with ice in the summer too, to provide chicken a/c

 

[imtc]

can't you get one of those plastic owls or somthing like that? Would that maybe make him "move on" like a territorial thing? I don't know...just a guess.

 

[lovemychix]

Quote:
I don't have a dog and don't plan on it. All my runs are covered with welded wire. They are secure. Nothing getting in there. It's just the hens are scared to death all day with the hawk sitting on their coop run.

 

[lovemychix]

Quote:
I thought about that too, but then I think the chickens would be scared of it too.

 

[lovemychix]

He was back again. Nothing is scaring him. He got one of my babies.

Just for everyones information if you have a bad hawk problem call your local game warden and talk to him/her about it. You will be surprised what they may say they can do to help ya.