My first Hawk

[terrigrice]

I have 6 young girls about 5 weeks old. They have a chicken house and I made a make shift circle pen around the front of house held down by stakes, so they can stretch their wings... They love it. Well yesterday I heard them making all kinds of noise and I looked out my window and a hawk was sitting in the middle of their little yard looking at all six of my youngsters huddled up in a corner of their house. I ran out and shew'd it off but now I am very fearful for them. What can I do a scarecrow? Put my cat out? I just don't want to lose a bird.
Help

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join us here! Phew what a lucky escape your chicks have had there! I would recommend a secure covered run area for your chicks. Now the hawk knows they are there I'm more than sure it will be back again. Please do check out this section of the learning Center ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/maintaining-a-healthy-flock
It has a good section on predators and pests. You might also like to check out our coop section for ideas on making a safe place for your girls ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coop_Designs

Wishing you the very best of luck and enjoy BYC

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Hawks are difficult to deal with as once they get focused on prey, even your presence will sometimes not scare them off. I have walked right past them as I am headed up to the coop as they are lurking close to the chickens and I don't even see them.

The best way to prevent aerial attacks is with either a hard roof or good netting over top your run. No scarecrows, music or even hanging disc's are going to deter them. I have had them dive right on to my hardware cloth and just hang by their talons as the birds run in panic inside the run. Had I only used chicken wire, the hawk would have broken right through the wire and killed my birds. Always use hardware cloth.

Definitely follow the links that Yorkshire Coop has provided and good luck with your babies! Keep them safe!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

Yes, do take Yorkshire Coop and 2 Crows advice seriously.

 

[Cynthia12]

I have chicken wire over the top of the runs. Had a neighbor tell me once that he heard a ruckus..went out to find a huge hawk with his wings stretched out across the top of the run..thank goodness that wire was there. I thought they could see better than that.
I let mine out to free range in the back. Twice I've been out there at the right time when a hawk was making a dive then saw me. The Coopers are very brazen. The two that I saw coming down were what we call around here...chicken hawks. :/

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

Glad you joined us! Here is a good discussion on hawk deterrents etc:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...on-did-ya-see-that-hawk-after-those-hens/0_30

Best of luck!

 

[N F C]

You've already been given the best advice (a covered run) so I'll just say hello and thanks for joining us!