Should I worry about hawks?

[hysop]

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.

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

 

[Mark Park]

Taxation without representation. Time for a rebellion!

They were here first

 

[cmom]

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.

First,

 

[cmom]

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.

Most people who own birds are going to loose some at one time or another to a predator. All of the additions to my coops and pens to secure them were because of predators killing some birds. I covered all of my pens with some good heavy duty netting. Tensile Strength: 85/245 LBS per 2" Mesh. I ran short so I ordered some online but when I got it, it wasn't what I thought it was but decided to use it anyway. I thought probably a bird of prey would see the netting and not bother. First I had an owl go through the crappy netting and kill a bird. I put another piece of netting up. A couple of nights later the netting was torn and another bird was dead so I moved the birds to another coop and put a camera up in that pen and another piece of netting. I got an owl going through the netting. I had ordered more netting but this time made sure of what I was ordering. Meanwhile I had to go off one morning and when I got back the birds were making an unusual ruckus. I went out to investigate and the first thing I saw were several bodies inside the pen. As I looked I saw a huge Red Tail hawk in the pen. It must have been excited with all of the quandary going on. I got the hawk out and retrieved the bodies. I received the netting I ordered and immediately put it up where I needed to replace the crappy netting. The owl came back and discovered the coop I have moved the birds to and decided to try to go through the netting but instead go caught in it. We managed to get it into a cage and called some wildlife people and they came and got it. They said they would release it in an area and it shouldn't be back. So far it hasn't. I have several game cameras up.

 

[cmom]

Here are a few pullets that the hawk killed.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

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.View attachment 2159167View attachment 2159168

Hi cmon, I've been using some similar netting over our guineas pen. If convenient, could you share a link to yours in case I need to buy more?

 

[cmom]

I bought it on Amazon.com. I checked yesterday and the stuff I ordered is no longer available but I saw some on Amazon that was very similar.
https://www.amazon.com/Aviary-Netti...keywords=aviary+netting&qid=1590425686&sr=8-2

 

[hysop]

I bought it on Amazon.com. I checked yesterday and the stuff I ordered is no longer available but I saw some on Amazon that was very similar.
https://www.amazon.com/Aviary-Netti...keywords=aviary+netting&qid=1590425686&sr=8-2

Wow!! I remember buying that type of netting months ago for $20 !! Same size and everything.

 

[hysop]

It’s been out of stock for a while but this is the one I bought last year and the year before. It’s worked for me but I don’t have many, if any, predators. I also have a good dog so that might be really helpful.

 

[kirstenchickenlady]

We live out in the middle of prairie/grassland. I have seen the odd hawk hunting mice in neighbouring fields, I leave my chickens free ranging and never had issues with hawks predating them. Hmm, interesting how sometimes they are an issue and other times not.