Should i be afraid of the hawk?

[Roosterboy]

We have plenty of turkey vultures and stuff that usually stay away but how do i keep away?

Also, (Back to the hawk) should i be worried about the hawk. It is around our house and i love it(Kinda weird for a bird of prey) I don't want to kill it or drive it off but i want my chickens to be safe. I can cover the run and there is plenty of cover in my backyard.

Can i let them free range? It wouldn't really be free range because it would only be occasionally and i live in the suburbs.

Also, what should i keep in mind when designing the run?


There is a HUGE owl in the woods a couple hundred yards from the house in the woods but i don't know if 1) it would actually be able to attack because of our two story house and trees on two other sides and 2) if cover would even help against such a massive bird. When i say big i mean like knock down saplings big.

 

[rooster-red]

If you free range with a hawk hanging around you are putting your chickens on the menu, and the hawk will eat them.

Cover your run to protect your chickens.

 

[kwynn's birds Alaska]

My entire run is covered with a huge fish net. It keeps the hawks,ravens and eagles out, and other birds as well, we have camp robbers and magpies that like to steal their food. It also keeps them in their coop and run so I don't have to be afraid of neighbor dogs getting my girls either.