Talk to me about hawks

[HeatherTheMommy]

Ok this past friday a hawk killed my dominique hen. It was so heartbreaking. Usually I let my hens free range during the day and lock them in an enclosed run and coop at night. The day after the attack the hawk was in the yard all day so yesterday we built an extended run to gave them space where they are safe. The extended run neefs some spaces closed because its chain link fence pieces we buily a pen from. How big of a space can a coopers hawk fit through? Will it stay aroud or leave? Can i ever let my hens free range again?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Talk to me about hawks


OK, hawks are tough and they don't have much meat so I don't think that they are worth plucking.....

Oh, you mean like this? During the nesting season hawks are territorial. Now not so much. Hawks can navigate tight places very well thank you. Places that chickens can hide under work but only some times. Red Tailed hawks and Coopers hawks often run their food down on the ground. Sharp Shinned hawks or Blue Darter Hawks (a.k.a. quail hawks) usually make their kills by dropping from the air. Because Blue Darters are the smallest chicken hawk they are not apt to attack a 12 pound rooster. Chain link fence properly installed should exclude all dangerous hawks from your chicken coop. Two inch by four inch no climb horse fence will do so as well but you will need to cover the entire pen or run regardless of the wire that you use. There is no chicken hawk that is able to fly off with a dead adult standard size hen or rooster, that is unless they can consume most of it at their leisure before attempting to fly away with the remainder. The laws of physics that govern flight simply forbid it.
One other thing, hawks are smaller and more fragile than they look.

 

[HeatherTheMommy]

Some of the fencing pieces didnt line up exactly right so there are some gaps in some areas. Its a pain in the butt fixing it all. Sorry for all of the typos im on my phone with a mind of its own

 

[Folly's place]

Chicken wire or netting will keep hawks out, but not any other predator. you could fix gaps in your chain-link with something like that. Mary

 

[HeatherTheMommy]

Yes i have 2 runs. The first run is very secure and nothing will get in. The second one is mostly just to keep out hawks since I cant let them free range now with the hawk out.

 

[DarlaHS]

I have 8 hens that I let free range from sun-up to sundown. There are small trees on one side of the yard that they often hide under. I also have a chicken tractor they use. I have fortified my fence by adding rows of wire to increase its height. I thought I had done everything right.
The hawk is kinda brown color and I don't know if it is a known hawk to Kentucky.
The hawk has been swooping into our backyard, to close for comfort. No chickens attacked yet. What can I do to keep the hawk out of my yard? I'd love to shoot him but don't like enclosed spaces.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! It's best that your birds are confined to their safe coop and run for two or three weeks, until that hawk moves elsewhere. If it's hunting mice or wild birds, that's great, but having your flock safe is your job. It's illegal to injure or kill raptors in the USA, so don't go there. Juvenile or bantam chickens are especially at risk, but many hawks will attack big birds too. Mary