So. Many. Hawks. Has anyone tried this or something similar?

[MisaF]

When the leaves fell from the trees out came the hawks. We went from never seeing them to having them take a shot at one of my hens with me standing close enough to touch its wing.

Our chickens have a 10 x 10 covered dog kennel with their coop inside (we’ve got a ton of coyotes too). They also have a zone outside of the kennel that is fenced in but does not have a roof. It going around the 10 x 10 run on three sides and is about 25 x 20 or so. The chickens spend a lot of their time out there as do our two ducks. We used to let them free range a few hours a day but since the hawks started in we only let them out when we are there to watch. We had to stop that too now because I apparently am not enough of a deterrent.

Anyway, I’m trying to protect their outer run area that isn’t covered. I managed to get twine up and tied some plastic every few feet. See photo. Anyone else do something like this? Did it help?

I don’t want to confine my 8 hens and 2 ducks to the 10 x 10 covered run all winter so I’m desperate to find something to at least allow them the outer run. First winter with chickens so it’s all been a learning process.

Thanks in advance!!

Melissa

 

[Shadrach]

Which type/s of hawks have you got?

 

[kimberley848]

I had the same problem, so we bought 2 pcs of bird netting from Amazon for less than $30 total [pcs were 24'x24'], I tacked it up over their yard area. It's super light weight and it can be put right over your wires you have up and just allow a little bit to hang from the sides. Mine hangs down several feet on the sides, so I can lift it to go under it, but from "above" it looks like it hangs down lower. I also attached a couple of baggies with rocks at corners to keep it from blowing upward. It solved my hawk problem, as they don't even fly over anymore. Best $30 I've ever spent on my girls! This will be my first winter with it, so I don't know how long it will last overall, but it's already worth it... free range without the worry. Good luck!

 

[MisaF]

Which type/s of hawks have you got?

We are in the lower part of NY state. We have mostly red tail hawks right now. I have seen Cooper’s hawks too but they aren’t nearly as bold as the red tails.

 

[MisaF]

I had the same problem, so we bought 2 pcs of bird netting from Amazon for less than $30 total [pcs were 24'x24'], I tacked it up over their yard area.

This is a great idea. I’m on amazon now looking for bird netting. Thank you!

 

[cavemanrich]

This is an option that I have read in other posts that does work. It scares away hawks. It is kind of pricey. The pole is a big portion of the price. There are other suppliers of similar. This is just a quick one I found.
https://www.falconcropprotection.com/index.asp#whyfrightkits

Your hawk problem was always there, but it escalated at this time to 2 possibilities.
Migrating hawks.
Food supply hawks normally eat dwindles with the cold onset.
WISHING YOU BEST.............................

 

[Shadrach]

A decent sized run is very difficult to make hawk proof.
I’m not familiar with the hawks you have so I don’t really know their attack strategy.
I have hawks here, the most dangerous and unfortunately the most common and persistent is the Gos Hawk. A Gos Hawk here will hammer through suspended chicken wire.
The first line of defense against aerial predators for a chicken is not to be seen.
The next is to seek shelter where the hawk can’t strike from the air.
Hawks can and do land where they know chickens are likely to be and wait on the ground and then pounce on the chicken. This isn’t quite so common but it happens.
Looking at your run, there is little in the way of cover; no dense bushes, small covered areas, large shrubs, etc.
The first thing I would do is make the chickens somewhere to hide. It doesn’t have to be fancy, a pallet on stilts or similar will do. I would also consider either buying some partially mature bush/s to plant in the run or weaving a wigwag type construction with two entrances out of cane or bamboo.
I think you could put a pot of time, effort and money into trying to provide a secure roof only to find that a hawk can hammer straight through it.

 

[Debby in france]

This is an option that I have read in other posts that does work. It scares away hawks. It is kind of pricey. The pole is a big portion of the price. There are other suppliers of similar. This is just a quick one I found.
https://www.falconcropprotection.com/index.asp#whyfrightkits

Your hawk problem was always there, but it escalated at this time to 2 possibilities.
Migrating hawks.
Food supply hawks normally eat dwindles with the cold onset.
WISHING YOU BEST.............................

Okay now this is a bit of a story but; in our previous house we had a gite (holiday home). We were woken one morning by a guest banging anxiously on our door saying she had seen a live bird tied up in a field and being used to scare other birds. My husband quickly got dressed, more than a little angry by the possibility that a farmer would do this. He trudged through orchards and mud filled fields to ... yep you got it one of these.

 

[FeatheredFriends&Horses2]

We did the same thing you did, only we tied shiny wrapping paper on, and it worked super well. It's been over a year, and the wrapping paper has fallen off, but now the hawks know that there's wire and won't go near the coop. Good luck!

 

[cavemanrich]

Found the other site that offers those kites. LESS PRICEY
https://www.jackite.com

and on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/BestNest-Jac...VBM3YS1G5KV&psc=1&refRID=2G2X7MH0FVBM3YS1G5KV

Okay now this is a bit of a story but; in our previous house we had a gite (holiday home). We were woken one morning by a guest banging anxiously on our door saying she had seen a live bird tied up in a field and being used to scare other birds. My husband quickly got dressed, more than a little angry by the possibility that a farmer would do this. He trudged through orchards and mud filled fields to ... yep you got it one of these.

Guess the way to avoid this is to talk to your neighbors and let them know you have a kite decoy/deterrent.