Stinking Lousy Hawks!

[mishellez]

We lost 2 this summer to hawks...I believe it was the same Cooper's Hawk. Never had a problem before but this year is bad. After the losses we restricted their 'outies' and monitored them when they free-ranged. DH did a fishing-line spider web over the run since we lost one there, and one in the yard. No more losses in the run, but he was outside when the Cooper's came down like a shot and landed on one of the girls and he chased it off. Good news: our girls are now wise to hawks now and watch for them, even listening to the crows and blue jays for warnings and running like h*ll for the coop when they hear the alarm. Bad news: the Cooper's Hawk and now a juvenile Redtail do drive-bys but since we're diligent they're deterred. Both have landed on the run's railings trying to figure out how to get into the run but neither have dared to attempt it. Thanks to BYC for that advice!

 

[wyandotte freak]

It may be illegal to shoot them, but an unfortunate accident could be arranged...

 

[chickfan]

I have noticed a hawk flying around our property maybe 2 or 3 times. Had never seen one before. Today I happened to be on the porch and see one swoop down and try to grab a chicken. I guess the chicken was too big and he didn't get her. I witnessed all the chickens getting into a panic when they saw the hawk....I had never seen that either. They all ran for the barn, making a group noise that I've heard before when I've been in the house. Now I think I know what the noise has about, but when I'd go check, I didn't see anything.
The hawk flew around today...landed in trees, landed on top of one of the coops once, and then flew away. I know he will be back.
Yep...endangered. I don't know what to do. All our fowl free range all day, and scatter out over at least four of our 8 acres, so I can't watch all of them all the time. I don't want to be breaking any laws, for sure, but if I see one with a chicken..........

 

[tomingreeneco]

Get some Guinea Fowl. They will warn the whole county when a hawk is around.

 

[treldib]

Quote:

Maybe some fluke accident could happen to the 3 RTH and pair of Cooper's Hawks that constantly patrol the area

 

[Mattemma]

Some posts suggested bottle rockets when you see them.Shooting off a few might keep it from coming around at all. I usually know when my hawks are around if the blue jays make a racket. Sorry for your loss. I would be crazy with grief if any of my hens got taken,because I would hate to face the kids and tell them. I have bird netting up over my run.My hope is if the hawk is dumb enough to swoop down it will get tangled in the netting(I always do).

 

[bburn]

Because I live out in the country I see hawks daily here. My chickens do not free range unless I am outside with them.....and then only in the garden that is attached to their run. I finally got brave enough to let them into the garden an hour before dusk. I sit in a lawnchair and have a broom by my side. I have loads of bottle rockets left over from the Forth. It seems the hawks have stepped up their game the last month.

I have had one land on the top of the wire cover of the run. I have seen them sitting in the trees. The rooster will stand on his platform in the run and watch for them. There is a noise that he start and then they all make if there is something out there. As many as I have seen this year I consider myself lucky to not have had any losses. There are also lots of crows and they really get loud.

 

[mishellez]

We have used bottle rockets...seems to deter them a few days when they have a close call, but the Cooper's got 2 birds here so he's persistent. And BTW he's like half their size. He can't carry them so he hits them from above and behind and goes for the head. And the warning call is the loud Ba-COCK they use. If our girls lose sight of us when they're free-ranging sometimes one will start that call for no apparent reason, just to see us running. We call that a 'test of the Emergency Ba-COCKcasting System', LOL.

 

[ranchhand]

We've had more birds of prey in general this year, must be a hard winter coming! My hens are in lockdown 24/7 right now. They don't seem to really care one way or the other.

All who are suggesting circumventing Federal law? Be aware, anything you post here and anywhere else on the internet is available to the world - and with almost 70,000 members, I'd bet we have some who work for USF&W Enforcement.

 

[dieselgrl48]

Yep that sucker musta been blind

. Flew right into that tree and just broke his neck . Poor Old hawk

.. Then the cat drug him off and all that's left is this pile of feather's.