Protection against hawks

[centrarchid]

We are definitely learning as we go along with our chickens. We never grew up around them or anything so I did research before I got them in August 2018, trying to learn as much as I could about them and more research as new problems arise. I don't know a whole lot about roosters, I didn't even want him lol. He was supposed to be a hen when I first purchased my chicks at the beginning. I just assumed if he was trying to attack humans that he must REALLY love his hens, therefore was a good protector for them. Guess not.

Roosters can be effective against hawks, but not all or all of the time. Bantams, silkies and Polish probably close to never. Immature (< 8 months) roosters never. Roosters in molt where tail and body feathers being replaced no. Rooster in poor health or of low rank no. Rooster in open without cover while hawk is above no.

Hawk on ground better. Hawk on ground where rooster can attack from cover better yet. Rooster that is a daddy with developing eggs or chicks nearby will be better yet. Game rooster best.

I have been watching how chickens interact with raptors for a while. Their patterns in variables that protect outcomes. Most people keep chickens in mowed areas with inadequate cover. The roosters are immature, represent breeds with limited physical ability, or in molt. Rooster does not win every time, but most people are not even aware of encounter unless the rooster looses.

I have as many hawks as anyone, yet have very few losses to hawks. Make so the chickens have in environment that helps the chickens in such encounters. And no bantams or all hen flocks in free-range settings with lots of chicken eating hawks.

 

[Howard E]

I have no roosters at all.......the hens do fine keeping an eye to the sky, even while foraging in the yard. I've watched them all go into panic mode and scurry for cover......almost always, a hawk can be seen flying off or perching on a post. Hawk eventually moves on.

What they also have is a place to escape to. One area near the Woods house is a fence line where I've allowed a border of 2 to 3 feet of tall, stemy weeds to flourish. In the summer the birds escape that for the shade and cover. They do the same in winter for the cover. Once they move into that, they are safe from overhead threats.

A hedge row......or even row of dense cover in the middle of a yard should work for overhead cover and shade. Lacking that, a couple of the 16' long livestock panels......propped against each other to form a triangle....teepee..... below.......would also work. Given one season, weeds and grass would also grow up under that to provide an impenetrable fortress they can escape to. That would be for a small flock of a dozen birds or less.

The traditional overhead protection for hawks was to make a criss cross grid out of twine or wire......about 2' square grid. Hawks can't fly into or through it without risking a broken wing, so they tend to stay out. A person could do the same thing on a smaller scale......somewhat like the cattle panel teepee.

 

[cmom]

We are definitely learning as we go along with our chickens. We never grew up around them or anything so I did research before I got them in August 2018, trying to learn as much as I could about them and more research as new problems arise. I don't know a whole lot about roosters, I didn't even want him lol. He was supposed to be a hen when I first purchased my chicks at the beginning. I just assumed if he was trying to attack humans that he must REALLY love his hens, therefore was a good protector for them. Guess not.

I raise a lot of birds. Most of my birds are livestock but I do have a few favorites and have had favorites that have been taken by predators. I hatch out a lot of chicks every year and around half are males. I do keep a few as future breeders. Over the years I have only had a couple of males that were aggressive. I took one to an auction with a few others which were probably sold to be eaten. The other I sold to a fellow that wanted a Rhode Island White male for his flock. I told him about the aggressiveness but he took him anyway, he wasn't concerned. Other from those, all of my males have been gentlemen. They will protect the females somewhat but the females are alert too. Here is a video of a coyote at a grow-out coop and pen.

 

[hayley3]

LOL gotta love that electric fencing!