Red Tail Hawks

[2overeasy000]

Thanks for all the replies. Here in this area we have mostly Red Tail Hawks. I let the chickens out to free range last week and in less than an hour I heard some commotion so I ran over to investigate and a juvenile RTH flew off of my RIR and into the tree. The RIR was laying on its side and had some blood on its head and neck. I went over to chase the RTH away thinking that the RIR was dying, but when I got back she popped up and started walking around and has been fine ever since. I have not let the chix out of the run since and am still trying to decide whether to risk it again. On the other hand I don't think locking them up all the time is that great either. We like to have the chix in the yard and they seem to enjoy it as well over being cooped up. Good advice on waiting a little while for the cover that will be all around in a month or so. I'm leaning towards letting them back out then. I guess we would never get into a car crash if we never left the house but what kind of life would we have, cooped up all the time?

 

[Silkie-Feet]

Now MMPoultryFarms I dont appreciate being fussed at for stating my opinion. I'm not trying to scare anyone, just stating facts that you don't want to hear. I dont let my chickens out because, I love them very much and couldn't stand it if somthing got them. They all live a LONG and HAPPY life, and I do everything to make that possible. But i guess if you dont care about the health of your chickens, and care more about some dumb hawk. You can let it eat them.

Like i said. metal expands when it gets warmer, like what happens when you go from winter to spring. my coop is built to a t.

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

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You stated your opinion I stated mine we can agree to disagree I get sick and tired of hearing things on these forums. For example.
(Poster)""My flock is sick and theres snot in his nose and bubbles in his eye I love my chickens what should I do""
(responder)"" Oh you have coriza I would Kill your whole flock and start over new""
Next your gonna tell me these things dont happen On BYC well read some of my old post and I bet you you will find I murdered my chickens for no reason at all. Listening to people on this forum. When you tell someone ""DON'T LET YOUR CHICKENS OUT IF YOU HAVE A RED TAILED HAWK""
Alot of New byc members who have over populated hawk areas Like me Might not ever let there Birds out. Perhaps theres the occasional situation we see from time to time. But this is no reason to not let your birds out. Your bird can Eat to much grass and get Impact Crop and die so should we not let our birds on grass either. Your bird can take a drink of water the wrong way and drown Should we not offer water.
You are correct you are intitled to your opinions and I very well apoligies for stateing mine. raising chickens comes with risks. If you lock your birds up at every sighting of a hawk when will they ever learn when to sound the alarm? When will they learn to seek shelter and saftey. I prefer chickens who can walk on there own 2 feet instead of having to give them a crutch everywhere they go. Maybe thats the difference in chicken farmers and chicken owners.
Anyhow Heres an Insert ""The diversity of prey for the Red tail hawk is due to the raptors ability to modify its diet in order to adjust to local food sources. What is interesting about this is that 2 hawks in the same area may develop different food preferences (Johnsgard,1990). In a summarization of 11 studies on the food intake of the Red tail hawk the diet compositions were estimated to be: 68% mammal, 17.5% other birds, 7% reptiles and amphibians (mostly snakes), and 3.2% invertebrates. (Johnsgard, 1990)
The average red tailed hawk weighs 1.5 to 3 lbs a Single can of DR. Pepper weighs around 1 lbs. Most hawks that attack chickens are starving. they do not do this because its an easy meal. they do this because the other hawks have taken there food source and they need to survive. Once a hawk has gotten a chicken. If its a local it might try to change its diet to chickens. But with the World Population of RTH being only 17% who feed on other birds. then we can pretty much say Hawks eat just about as many birds as there is People with 100% clean and healthy flocks in the USA.
""You may have heard of chicken hawks. The term chicken hawk is a common name for both the red-tailed hawk and the Cooper's hawk. They used to be called chicken hawks, because farmers believed they stole chickens, but based on their size all but the smallest chicks are probably too big for red-tailed hawks.""
With that being said. Yes hawks kill chickens. No they cant carry large fowl off. Yes they will eat the bird where it lays if they cant carry it off take small bites and digest it into there crops to store for later. However this has been proven that this is a very rare situation. as the 2overeasy000 stated her problem was a Juvenile red tail. young birds testing there abilitys to hunt can be very very problematic. but they will pass chances are there in the wrong territory and will quicky move on.

Silkie-Feet I am trying to picture a coop built from metal that expands in the heat. if the bowing is your chicken wire as you stated. might I suggest pulling it all together tightly and using small zip ties to Close your holes. aprox every 4-6 inchs. if its bowing from the say metal sides you can drill small holes and fix it that way as well with zip ties. Sorry about your loss and sorry for sounding so mean.

 

[wilded]

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It is the other 10% that will get you.

 

[jennh]

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Chicken hawks are called coopers hawls and there diet is 90% what ever it can kill or thinks it can kill. and everyone suggested that a red tail would eat a chicken if it were hungry enough. IMO its posters like these who scare new chicken owners into letting there birds enjoy the wonderful life. If a hawk got into your ""Covered run and coop"" it appears to me you need to do some more work on your coop. No one said anything about ducks either a red tails actual diet is Ducks, geese, Turkeys, Poultry, Rodents, and Rabbits, You dont see chickens in the wild but you do see ducks so if a hawk saw your duck and had access to it its just doing what nature has it to do. with that being said. I will try to state this as clear as possible. You have more to worry about from a sharp shin hawk or a Coopers hawk then you do a red tail. I have red tails all over my land and in all the years I have had 1 attempt to get a chicken. In that same time frame I have had 4 sharp shins kill birds. one flew right over my shoulder I thought it was a barred rock chick. and Killed my guinea, then flew up in the air and dive bombed my hen house coop. that ended badly for the hawk as my black aussie and Barred rock roo made quick work of the little fella and he flew away never looking back. Just a week ago or so a sharp shin attacked and killed a silkie hen. when I discovered the dead bird and went to retrieve it it flew out of the coop (the hawk) and attacked me.
I think the only point was if its hungry enough it will try anything. But if its on a typical feed schedule and food isnt in a shortage they would rather not bother with tons of birds. However Juvinile Birds are 100% trouble. what ever the breed.

I agree, sharp shins and coopers will get juvies and guineas, silkies, and small chicken.
I do, however, not see a sharpie or a coopers getting a LF hen, such as RIR, BA, BR, you get the idea. Red tails are much bigger, and probably CAN get LF birds. JMHO

Jen

 

[Silkie-Feet]

MMPoultryFarms I thank you for your apology, and I have thought of the zip tie idea to. By telling 2overeasy000 not to let them out, I meant that until they move on keep them in, or simply when you have plenty of free time to watch them you can let them out. I know some people make some bold statements on here, but it is up to you to decide what is best for YOUR chickens. like how it is 2oveeasy000's decision on what to do. we are here to help in that decision and give warnings. I see hawks as i see any other predator, until they are gone the chickes are in fort knox.

 

[Winggedheart]

We got lots of red-tail hawks out on our property---the mamas like to raise their babies in the trees around our field.

I do let my birds free range, and granted we do lose some. But, only when we're not home and don't see when the hawk comes out. If I ever see one and the chickens aren't hiding then I have my Mama bring out a gun and we pop a shot or two (or blanks) into the air to scare them off. It's illegal to kill them though.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

I do have hawk problems and they have taken a few of my birds. I have Coopers and RT Hawks. I live on one acre and I have chickens as much for yard art as I do for eggs or meat. I love my chickens and i spoil them rotten but I also know that chickens are on the bottom of the food chain. So here is my suggestion for what it is worth:

If you want your chickens to be free range then you have to decide if their freedom is worth the risk that some may not make it. With this, you have to try to minimize the likelihood that they will be attacked from above with ground cover but you also have to keep in mind that they need help avoiding attack from the ground. It is a precarious walk between freedom and destruction. My opinion here is I prefer freedom for my birds. I couldn't stand the thought of being cooped up all my life and they LOVE to eat grass, worms bugs and run around and do normal chicken stuff so much. I also get so much pleasure out of watching them while they are free that it is worth it to me.

If you can't stand the thought, then you have to leave them cooped. If you do that though, be a pal and give them green food. Grass clippings from when you mow or grow stuff to feed them. They love green food so much it bothers me when they are deprived of it. I'm an old world farmer but I still think cruel is cruel and depriving these creatures is wrong I think.

Good luck what ever decision you make.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

I forgot to add this article I found online. This is how the Chinese handled their problem with Eagles that it is illegal for them to kill. Thought it was way clever! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...hrow-trussed-eagles-poultry-pens-hunting.html

 

[QCFChicks]

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Wow that is great sweet revenge! I'd like to see someone try that in America and watch how fast animal rights will be on you.