Need info re: hawks

[Kikiriki]

I had most of a roll of left over weed block cloth that I used to cover the top of my run... I found I did not like it for my garden. I am amazed at how well it worked out! It lets air circulate and only a little water drips through when it rains--most runs off as it is hung on an angle--and it provides a deeper shade than the dappled light from the overhead oak tree. It appears completely solid, though, and it is strong so it would stop an attempt to fly in.

If I glue the overlap sections it would be even better for two reasons:

First, most of the rainwater is dripping in at the overlaps. After two days of rain, the odor was significant! It does not allow enough water to wash out the run, but currently lets in enough to make the dirt in the run damp and stinky. I went in and hosed it down good this morning, and the odor is gone. Very sandy soil here.

Second, a squirrel decided to trek across it, and fell through at an overlap! The run door was open and I chased it out, ensuring it got no time to nose around for food and giving it quite a fright. They have all avoided walking across it since then.

Alternatively, a tarp is inexpensive and provides a visual barrier. I have not heard of hawks dive bombing through a tarp...

Stories anyone?

 

[dumluckcluck]

Thank you everyone! We did have dreams of letting our chickens free range supervised, but apparently we will have to restrict them to fenced areas only. We not only love them as pets, but liked the idea of natural insect control since in FL, we have fleas, ticks, ants, roaches etc., in abundance. I don't think I'd have the heart to risk their lives just for insect control, though! I guess we'll consider putting over head fencing in the adjoining fenced area for a larger daytime pen. Hawks are only one problem we have. We also have foxes, raccoons, owls, snakes, and possums. I accept this as the price we pay for living in in the beautiful wooded wonderland we call home.......

 

[MusketeerinFla]

As for Bald Eagles, we have them here in Florida too. I used to think they were majestic as well, till I saw one shooing vultures away from a road kill. The eagle is predatory and a scavenger...just like the government it represents, ha,ha! Irony . MiF

 

[MusketeerinFla]

If you do solve your problem aggressively, keep quiet about it and be discrete.

Other than that, I cant offer much help other than to say that once a predator gets food at your property, they add your property to their route.

This review may help

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/657036/daisy-bb-rifle-review

Riki

No doubt, shoot, shovel, shut up !

 

[centrarchid]

No doubt, shoot, shovel, shut up !

this advice is bad.

 

[TK421]

I agree with Centrarchid. Any thought of "taking care" of a hawk or owl situation is not just immoral, but will earn you a meeting with a federal game warden among others. Besides, you will simply open a hole for another hawk or owl to move in... and one that is a little more desperate for a free meal.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

once they have you zeroed in all you can do right now is stay under cover till they move on to a better thing like rabbits, or your neighbors chickens ( I knew my neighbor was cleaned out when the hawks started patrolling me) my routine is to let the dogs out before I open the coop, and the two trusties can guard all day. My husband has been telling me when he sees one, and my question is, do you see any chickens? No not one. My pullets know the cruising scream of a hawk and now dive for cover, my game birds are disappeared long before that. Chickens are survivors and it's when we interfere with their ability to hide or run away they suffer bigger loses, now we have to provide some sort of protection for having domesticated them.

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

Alternatively, a tarp is inexpensive and provides a visual barrier. I have not heard of hawks dive bombing through a tarp...

Actually, the other day I watched a redtail dive to get a chicken and the tarp caused the hawk to bounce off it like it was a trampoline.

 

[rikithemonk]

I agree with Centrarchid. Any thought of "taking care" of a hawk or owl situation is not just immoral, but will earn you a meeting with a federal game warden among others. Besides, you will simply open a hole for another hawk or owl to move in... and one that is a little more desperate for a free meal.

I'm not going to tell him what to do one way or another. However I want to make three points.

1) The government isn't god yet. Even though they are doing their best to watch you in your bed and read every email and forum post you send, they are not yet all knowing. Crimes happen every day. Old people get shot by thugs routinely and there is no cop jumping out of the bushes tackling the thug to the ground. In fact, there is no cop anywhere in sight.

2) Were not talking about someone leaving their garbage can on the curb for a week, were talking about the murder of a living creature that I have taken the responsibility for. I know its just a chicken, but its a life, and its an animal in my care. When I purchased it and brought it home, I took full responsibility for its care and protection.

3) IMMORAL: Its immoral to stand there and watch a man murder another man with a knife and do nothing. Its immoral to stand there and do nothing while one dog rips another dogs throat out. Is a chickens life that much less important that its immoral to save it?


I'm not telling OP what to do one way or another. However I do think these are points that need to be considered. I don't know when the change took place where the population stopped interfering in injustice and instead sit by watching it all and complaining about in strongly written letters. If you see evil and injustice, don't blog about it. Get up and do something.

The situation with the hawk is no different.

Riki

 

[centrarchid]

I'm not going to tell him what to do one way or another. However I want to make three points.

1) The government isn't god yet. Even though they are doing their best to watch you in your bed and read every email and forum post you send, they are not yet all knowing. Crimes happen every day. Old people get shot by thugs routinely and there is no cop jumping out of the bushes tackling the thug to the ground. In fact, there is no cop anywhere in sight.

2) Were not talking about someone leaving their garbage can on the curb for a week, were talking about the murder of a living creature that I have taken the responsibility for. I know its just a chicken, but its a life, and its an animal in my care. When I purchased it and brought it home, I took full responsibility for its care and protection.

3) IMMORAL: Its immoral to stand there and watch a man murder another man with a knife and do nothing. Its immoral to stand there and do nothing while one dog rips another dogs throat out. Is a chickens life that much less important that its immoral to save it?


I'm not telling OP what to do one way or another. However I do think these are points that need to be considered. I don't know when the change took place where the population stopped interfering in injustice and instead sit by watching it all and complaining about in strongly written letters. If you see evil and injustice, don't blog about it. Get up and do something.

The situation with the hawk is no different.

Riki

Those hawks you advocate killing to protect your little flock of pets are my hawks, and property of every one else that pays taxes. The government is charged with protecting the tax payers and their descendants property. The goverment is not out with its own agenda, it s agenda is dictated by the masses and the masses interest in the common good. Protect you birds without decimating natural resources that have already been knocked down by 90% of it original abundance so that you can eat, have a place to live and infrastructure to drive yourself about. Immoral by some people's measures has already been realized a lot more than what you think is done in not killing to protect your creton birds.