New hawk repellent idea

[jspeese]

Hope it works! Unfortunately the only sure way I've found to protect chickens from aerial predators is a run with a top. From the look of your nice set-up, it doesn't look like it would be too hard to add one to the front of your coop where the chickens go in and out. I built mine out of 8 ft 4 x 4 posts for the uprights, 2 x 4s for the top, and used turkey wire for the sides. It's 16 x 16 ft in area...lumber comes in 8 foot sections...which gives 16 sq ft of space for 16 birds, 10 sq ft for 25, etc.; I don't know how many you have. Frankly, I put hawks in the same class as vermin and varmints when it comes to poultry.

 

[GreenMtnVT]

View attachment 2036949
The things we do to protect our chickens!

We get red tailed and cooper's hawks everyday and have lost 10+ in the past 6 months.
The shiny hawk tape seemed to work for a while, but the attacks started shortly after stringing it around the yard. We tried the owl decoy, bells and other shiny ornaments but nothing worked, so we just bought an air dancer and placed it in the yard a few days ago. It looks ridiculous, but we'll see if it works....*fingers crossed!!*

Update: It has been two years since we placed a blower-man in the yard, and two years of not one single chicken lost to a hawk!
If you can get past the eyesore, we 100% recommend trying one out!
(Note: It definitely did not deter the Fox, coyotes and bobcat, as we lost a handful of our girls to them

 

[Folly's place]

Thanks for the update! I think it's 'cute' out there anyway.
Mary

 

[cmom]

Update: It has been two years since we placed a blower-man in the yard, and two years of not one single chicken lost to a hawk!
If you can get past the eyesore, we 100% recommend trying one out!
(Note: It definitely did not deter the Fox, coyotes and bobcat, as we lost a handful of our girls to them

I bought several inexpensive strobe lights with sirens that are set off by motion. They have scared predators off that got close enough to set them off.

 

[McChooky]

I figured you must’ve snagged it from a car dealership... you should put it on the roof so it’s even taller! And get him Some wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man buddies

im sorry, I would have way too much fun with one of these in my yard

Yes putting it on the roof might work better lol

 

[Becca4181]

Update: It has been two years since we placed a blower-man in the yard, and two years of not one single chicken lost to a hawk!
If you can get past the eyesore, we 100% recommend trying one out!
(Note: It definitely did not deter the Fox, coyotes and bobcat, as we lost a handful of our girls to them

Would a 6 foot one work? Or does it need to be taller