Red Shoulder Hawks...

[Phantom_k9]

The photos do look like Red-shouldered Hawks. Odd that they would pester your chickens. Usually they really are very well-mannered. The Red-tails aggravate mine to death. I did have a giggle this morning. There was a Northern Harrier out hunting any my little Bantam Cochin cockerel did his best Denethor impersonation...

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while all the girls scurried under cover. Silly boy. Harriers won't bother chickens.

We have a lot of Vultures who scare the heck out of our birds. I guess its good to know that they are at least aware of large flying birds!

I should also add that there was also a Red Tail in the area while all this was happening...
The Red Tail has never bothered us, I think I said in my OP that we have a sort of "understanding". Curious if he could have anything to do with their aggression?
Also, the texas freeze could have just made them desperate. No idea...

 

[ColtHandorf]

Also, the texas freeze could have just made them desperate.

That is highly likely.

 

[SLA]

I have determined that we have a family of RS Hawks that have moved into the area. In a previous post, I described a run in with a hawk that dove towards our flock and was only deterred by me swinging at it with a broom; I now know this was a RSH. It had been a month since I had seen any real hawk activity since. We have a red tail that stays high up and doesn't bother us. It probably will sound crazy, but I feel like the Red Tail and I have a weird understanding; a sort of "you don't mess with these birds, I won't mess with you" kind of thing.
Anyways, back to the RSH. In the past week, there have been three of these birds getting dangerously close to our chickens. They haven't attacked yet, but they have flown dangerously close; as in I have started to worry about myself getting attacked! They either fly through the trees near our yard, or circle up in the air; all while screeching non stop. I have a few decent pictures of two of the birds, and I have a feeling that they are trying to teach their youngest how to hunt. The timing sorta lines up, and it would explain why they have been going crazy when it comes to hunting.
I would hope this isn't a problem, give them a month to kick out the juvi and we get back to normal. Is that remotely correct? Also, if they have nested near by, in someone's yard, could I work with said neighbor to get the nest removed (via wildlife services of course) or do I just have to suffer?

I don't really know why I am making a post, it just felt like the thing to do... If anyone has had any experience with these majestic birds please do share!

We have the same issue. Juvenile hawks stay with parents a year to 18 months and will return to the same nesting area year after year.

 

[jwsmith1959]

I had a pair of RS Hawks start a nest about 25 yards from my coop in April. I don't know what scared them off...either my mowing close by, or the squirrels I saw trying to raid their nest, but they moved about 75 yards further away in a tree growing out of my Oxbow lake. Still a little too close for my comfort, but they have not been a bother.

I have seen Southern Fox Squirrels fend off attacks by juvenile RS Hawks and most of their prey around here seem to be on the small side. They do like snakes. I have a couple of Marsh Hawks (Northern Harriers) that have taken an interest in my area of late, but have not been a problem either. I spotted an Osprey down the road today (Brazos River is about 1/4 mile away), but am not worried about them as they are primarily fish eaters.

I do worry about Owls as they become active in the daytime during rainy weather and am not looking forward to Winter when the Red Tailed Hawks become more frequent.

My girls free range all day now and have plenty of cover, but a determined raptor can chase a hen even into thick cover.

Marsh Hawk taken today.