redtails driving me nuts

[ErieSpurs]

Quote:

I completely agree. Coexisting is always nice, but sometimes its impossible.

I haven't been raising poultry nearly as long as you, but I completely agree that you have a very bold hawk.

Good Luck and be careful.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

Quote:
I agree.

The tone of the one e-mail in response to my original post I took exception to. I do not put my hens in front of hawks (whatever that means) they are in a covered run 99% of the time. The point of my original post was I could not believe the boldness of this one hawk (I suspect a juvenile and desperate, although in 40+ years of raising poultry I have never seen anything like it).
The one comment was is that I was in the hawks territory and I not in his. I REALLY beg to differ on that point. Until I see that hawk writing the mortgage check each month he is IN my territory.

You aren't thinking back far enough.

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"Just remember if the world didn't suck we would all fall off!"

 

[Wifezilla]

When I find a 400 year old hawk, I will buy that argument. Another option would be a 3 year old hawk with a will from his parents showing he is the legal inheritor of the land

 

[RendonRoo]

OK I've contacted the game wardens office and wildlife office here in Texas. Can't get a definate answer but was told that you should be able to get a special permit to kill predatory birds if they are killing your livestock. They are supposed to get exact info and call me back. Said it would most likely be the first of next week. Will get back with you when i get this info.
I did find out that they are under different regs. than fur bearing predators which you can definately kill if they are killing your stock.

Personally I would protect against such a brave bird as you are describing. Just like someone that's threatening me, my family or my property i will shoot to kill. I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
Good Luck

 

[Wildsky]

I've seen LOTS of hawks the last few weeks around our area, my chickens free-range from sun up till sun down.
So far we have only had one close call - I ran out with the dog and threw my shoe at the hawk

(it was all I had handy)

Other than that, I think the fact that we have a horse and goat in the back yard helps alot!

 

[wombat]

I saw the largest Cooper's Hawk I've ever seen repeatedly dive-bombing my coop a few weeks ago. The coop was roofed, so he couldn't get in, and eventually he gave up. We don't leave the chickens out ranging unless people and/or dog are out to protect them.

I've not seen the Cooper's since. We have some small hawks around regularly, but I'd not seen this one before or after. He was big, I had to dig out a bird guide to see if maybe he was something else. The chickens would have been no match.

It is the season for migratory hawks to be passing through in many parts of the country. Sometimes the best solution is to cut back on the free ranging until they pass through.

 

[bluey]

I think we should start paying hawks reparations!

Seriously, though. I free range my birds in the daytime hours, feed the crows, wild turkeys and blue jays and have not lost a bird to an aerial predator ever (2 1/2 years) although one of my RIRs did get slightly roughed up by one last weekend. The flock successfully fought it off.

Killing a protected species like a hawk over a chicken seems kind of silly when there are many ways to deter hawks. If you can't afford to lose a chicken, don't free range them. If a hawk gets one of my birds, then bon apetit to him. There's probably hundreds of thousands of chickens for every hawk on this planet.

It's just common sense. Last I checked, we're supposed to be stewards of the land and nobody owns the sky!

As for pest species like raccoons and opposums, the more lead the less said!

 

[scooter147]

For the record I have never shot a bird of prey and don't intend to.

I have not checked but I believe red tails are on the federal endangered or at least threatened species list. I find this amazing, I drove 30 miles to and from work and last night on the way home I counted 5 sitting on electric poles along the interstate.
I am going to my parents this weekend which is about 80 miles from my house and I am gonna count and I bet I get close to a dozen sightings along the way if not more. There thick as thieves around here.

 

[bluey]

Sorry, did not mean to convey that you, as the OP, suggested that.

 

[RendonRoo]

Don't get me wrong, hawks are one of my favorite animals on this earth. But in some areas they have come back and repopulated beyond belief. I see a dozen a day in my travels.
I also agree that we are stewards of the land. So if a bird lands on my land and tries to eat my food source i will be a good steward and protect. I would not choose shooting as a first option but this post was about a daring bird that wasn't afraid to attack with a person defending the flock. Bears are protected but when they loose fear of people they have to be put down. I think that's the case here.

I'll shut up now. LOL