Should I worry about hawks?

[WilliamH]

Should I be worried that hawks will attack my full grown ducks and geese? I’m just curious because I would think that my ducks and geese are too big to be attacked. I have Pekin, Rouens, Embden, and Toulouse.

 

[centrarchid]

The raptors need not carry carcasses of to be consumed. They can eat them in place.

 

[centrarchid]

Taxation without representation. Time for a rebellion!

 

[centrarchid]

Your birds vulnerable to Red-tailed Hawk and Great-horned Owl. Also Bald Eagle if present.

 

[Mark Park]

The proof is in the pudding.

Is your flock being preyed upon? If not, or if the losses are minimal, you shouldn't worry about it. If the occassional bird is lost to a predator, think of it as a tax.

If you are having constant losses then some engineering fixes can be applied. You will have to fence your flock in with a 6 ft or taller fence, and stretch wire across to discourage birds if pret from swooping in on them.

 

[Mark Park]

Think of it as a tax!! I like that!

A sort of hawk tax or fox tax. They can have one or two once in a while.

Some breeds of chicken are more clever at staying under tree cover (if available) and roosting up in the trees. A combination of breed selection and the environment you keep your birds in might be enough to keep losses minimal -- otherwise you will have to protect them.

 

[cmom]

The owl going through the netting.

 

[cmom]

It went through some crappy netting I originally put up because I was short on the good netting and I have since replaced the crappy netting with some good netting and when it tried to go through the new netting got stuck.
This is the new netting I replaced the crappy netting with.

 

[cmom]

I bought some that was less expensive and the ad made the netting look like it would be ok but an owl went through it and killed some birds as I already posted. I have never found good netting that inexpensive. Good luck...

 

[BeautifulCreatures]

Should I be worried that hawks will attack my full grown ducks and geese? I’m just curious because I would think that my ducks and geese are too big to be attacked. I have Pekin, Rouens, Embden, and Toulouse.

I have a small 3 lb chihuahua that got chased by a Hawk but luckily I was right there and got to her before the hawk! I have never had a full grown duck or chicken pursued but plenty of chicks and even baby pot belly pigs have just "gone missing" to some predator. We live in very rural SC so lots of predators!!