Possible Hawk Attack? Anything we can do?

[AnnaLK]

Had my first big scare today.
Was upstairs working on something, and my dad was downstairs in his office. The girls were free ranging like usual, when all of a sudden we heard screaming and a big commotion. My dad threw open the door, and saw something fly over the fence. Luckily, all the girls were okay, and accounted for. Just lots of feathers everywhere. No wounds that I could tell.
We think it was a hawk and it tried to go after my Wyandotte, Snips. We hear red shouldered hawks in the area, and it’s not unusual for her to be on her own. My other thought, and I know this will sound ridiculous, was that the feathers are near a squirrel nest that a squirrel is currently using. Will a squirrel attack a chicken?
We’re thinking we’re going to build a bigger run, and stop free ranging, unless we’re outside to be there with them, but is there anything we can do to deter them?

 

[cavemanrich]

Rule out the squirrel. I have a mess of those around and they do not bother my chickens at all. For that matter, they do not even bother the birds eating on the ground under the bird seed feeder.
Enlarge your run and try to cover the overhead with netting. I do have hawks in my area. I free range my chickens usually when I'm outside. They have a large run area, that is not totally secure, but tarp covered sufficiently so that hawks do not see clearly in. Chickens also have many things in there to hide under as well.
WISHING YOU BEST....

 

[Scratchychiken]

I really doubt the squirrels were harassing the hens, it was probably collecting stray feathers for it’s nest.

Do you have a rooster? Most of them will sacrifice themselves for the ladies, and roosters usually beat the crap out of hawks when its on the ground.

 

[AnnaLK]

I really doubt the squirrels were harassing the hens, it was probably collecting stray feathers for it’s nest.

Do you have a rooster? Most of them will sacrifice themselves for the ladies, and roosters usually beat the crap out of hawks when its on the ground.

Thank you.. didn’t think the squirrel would be the culprit. Just don’t know how protective they get of their nests.
We’re not allowed to have roosters, unfortunately.. If we ever moved out of a neighborhood, I would be willing to get one, but, until then, that’s a no go.

 

[Folly's place]

Keep your birds in their safe coop and run for one to three weeks, until that hawk gives up and moves on. Otherwise you will likely have losses, not good.
If your run isn't covered, get it done, so the hawk can't get into it.
Mary

 

[drumstick diva]

Do you have a dog that would run them off?

 

[happyfrenchman]

If you saw a hawk flying up from the ground.... (you saw something) and you find feathers from one of your birds on the ground.... use those feathers to deduce which bird.... then give that bird an examination.... I bet it has talon wounds.... having said that, you might not want to stir the wounded bird up too much. The wounds will be healing and you don't want to reopen them. It sounds like your dad came out just in time.

Hawks will stay on the ground if they are with their prey. Otherwise they do not generally linger on the ground so I bet it had one of your hens. And if it knows it was close... it will try again. Might keep them in for a bit til this bird moves to greener pastures.

It is not the squirrel... LOL.

 

[AnnaLK]

Sorry for the very late reply!
Yes, we have a pretty active dog, our Lab, but I wouldn’t trust him alone with the chickens. He likes to chase them and try to sniff their butts, then gets a little too excited when they run away
Snips was definitely the bird it went after, and I looked her over afterwards, and didn’t find anything..

But we had another close call today. My parents apparently don’t take this as seriously as I do, and guilted me into letting them out after all the rain we got, and to let my 4 year old nephew see them. My mom and I were near the coop, with all four of the girls, and my dad casually remarked that he saw a hawk. Few seconds later, I saw shadows on the trees, and looked up to see said hawk ABOUT 10 FREAKING FEET ABOVE THE COOP AND US! Then we saw two flying off.
So that’s IT. No more outside time for them. Definitely will expand their run and cover it. Much less stressful, I think.

And thanks for helping me rule out the squirrel

 

[cavemanrich]

Ounce of prevention , better than a pound of cure. The netting will have you sleeping better at night.

 

[RWise]

The squirrel is still a problem, they attract hawks! I trapped mine out of the yard, got 8 in 2 days in one trap! The hawks no longer fly over the yard, yet they are here.
Do check local laws on how and where you can take them.