Possible hawk

[silkie3190]

Hi people have a concern first time keeping chickens have 6 hens 2 Roos about 22 weeks I live in the suburbs they free range in my fenced back yard . My yard is not overly big I'm going to say 60 ft x 30 ft lots of tree coverings anyways today my wife heard the two roosters making loud noises she saw the hens take cover in the coop she looked on our roof and spotted a hawk or falcon quite large she said it took off over the chicken coop . My question is do these bird scout for days before they try to attack ? Do they attack at a certain time of the day and since the yard is small and covered with trees can they still get in easily ? Any ideas how to protect my chickens I'm hoping to dispatch this bird if possible .

 

[QueenMisha]

Yes, hawks may hang around for days before actually attempting to attack the chickens. While it is uncommon for them to actually go after a mature bird, they can and will if they are hungry enough. They may attack any time of the day but only during the day, never at night. They navigate suprisingly well through trees, I've had birds killed by hawks in thick Manzanita brush where there was no more than a 6" gap in the foliage anywhere overhead. The ideal way to deal with hawks is to keep the birds confined to a covered run. I notice your use of the phrase "dispatch" and feel the need to mention that in the US and most countries it is illegal to kill, maim, trap, or harass any birds of prey, even those attacking livestock... and certianly even if you were to attempt such things (which again I must state that I simply cannot recommend)... it would be unwise to mention these intentions on an open Internet forum.