way to keep hawks out temporaly* Please don't read if you protect hawk

[Bear Foot Farm]

a lot of farmers here in NE NC do just this very thing

That doesn't make it legal.​

 

[rancher hicks]

I was just thinking (dangerous I know) but why not run some of the "row" fencing like they do for the vineyards, without the grape vines. The chickens could run up and down the rows and the hawk couldn't land and take off. The posts could be made from anything. If you wanted you could plant some scarlet runner beans on them just for show. Space the rows 3 feet apart and I doubt a hawk could land in that space. The chickens could easily go under the top row. Space the posts 4-5 feet apart making a grid. Plant your shrubs and when they get big enough take the grid down.

 

[huntercf]

Interesting thread. The idea of CD's and running wire lines are good ideas. For those of you with the rifle persuasion the shotgun is a better choice but I might recommend using rock salt instead of lead shot and don't shoot up close. The sound and a few 'pepperings' will probably be enough to scare them off and you don't necessarily have to kill the hawks. Even bird shot (size 7 or 8) from about 75 to 100 yards probably won't kill them (I have been shot myself a few times at that distance with no penetration). I have to agree with those recommendations that don't involve killing hawks, if you get caught it could be an even bigger cost. Good Luck

 

[twentynine]

Gosh!

I see hawks all the time, never had one take a full grown hen or rooster.

Chicks stay in the brooder or grow out pen until pretty good size.

In the OP's situation this is what I would do. Plant some poles in the ground , string rope or monofilament line between them and then hang CDs/DVDs off the line. Way whole lot cheaper than netting, and way whole lot easier to install.

I would put a few post around circumference of area and a couple in the middle.

 

[muell112]

Why not put your money and time into making a better enclosure for your chickens? Getting the proper permits etc. allows wildlife managers to track what happens to wildlife - and manage their populations at sustainable levels. I'm sorry that you're losing livestock but that's a natural part of them living *outside* and sharing space with other critters. Poaching results in managers losing critical pieces of information which makes it difficult to manage wildlife sustainably. Please just get your permits - there's a good reason why they're required. Wildlife is a public trust resource and quite frankly I hate to hear someone talking about poaching when they made the personal choice to have chickens and let them free roam. We have predators here - bear, raccoons, ermine, hawks, eagles etc. - my chickens have a covered run and they get to come outside when I'm working in the yard.

 

[Debbi]

In my neck of the woods, killing raptors is a hefty fine, like $500.00 (last I looked) per bird! God forbid you shoot an Eagle, federal offense. If you are trying to keep them out of a run or large yard, you may want to try very fine, like 2# test, fishing line. Cheap enough especially at yard sales, and criss-cross it above the run. The hawks may not see it, and once they run into it and get tangled, they won't want to do it again! Here in Missouri, I have an abundance of Red Tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles, Cooper's, Horned Owls, Falcons, and probably more I've never noticed. Keep in mind, that the hawks eat a lot of mice and rats and snakes; so if you take out one problem, you'll end up with more of another. There are also motion sensored sprinkler devices that shoot water when it senses motion. I think they are used mainly for deer, but if you aim it up, why wouldn't it work for hawks too? Just some of my thoughts on the matter, good luck!

Deb

 

[haTHOR]

all these topics always come down to the same thing, in my opinion...

should we have to steward our birds and maintain predator-proof coops/runs to protect them from predators, or should we be able to kill the predators at will, as we see fit, to protect our property.

there will always be folks on both sides of the fence.

for me it's common sense...putting chickens unprotected in an area where you KNOW that natural predators can and will take them is just not smart. it's not good for your birds, it'll make YOU crazy worrying and steaming over something that is completely natural and unstoppable in the long run--predators will always take an easy meal. i know i sure don't pass up a chance for take-out for my family. it's easy and fast.

chickens are wonderful, but they can't defend themselves. it's up to us to build and maintain smarter than the predators we want to keep away from our birds.

in my opinion, predators serve an important purpose (beyond the food web, the ecological niches, etc. etc.). they make us KEEP THINKING, they make us smarter. i like the challenge and i consider it a blessing to live in the world where i get a chance to grow and learn every day.

to the OP--good luck--lots of good ideas here. it's frustrating, dealing with predators (ask me how i know! i lost a few birds myself when i started out! considered the losses a kind of "stupid tax"--on me,. for being stupid--and i never made the mistakes that led to those deaths again).

 

[sommrluv]

The hawks in my area will actually sit on my run, and charge it. It's predator proof, but sometimes after an "attack" of three big hawks at the run, I won't get eggs for two days.

My area game warden was wonderful about permits. Maybe because I live in a farming area and not a bunch of transplanted yuppies.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
this is part of the reason I have quail and not chickens the cages are smaller easier to build and the legs for my cages are EMT no predator alive can climb slick EMT tubing I keep the cages away from any wood 1 1/2 - 2 feet but even with that I proactively trap rats and mice I like game bird food and chunky peanut butter mixed together the more rats and mice I kill the less snakes I see I mostly relocate the snakes about 50-100 yards down the road from me. during trapping season here I trap possums coon and fox and again during the summer I hardly see any at all near my pens . I also have a couple of places I use to dispose of dead birds egg residue from hatches bird waste that keeps the preds in those places and not near my birds it also makes them easier to trap come trapping season. HTH anyone struggling with preds

 

[vatterpa]

Quote:
How do you think you hunt ducks, turkeys, grouse, ect? More people die from idiots shooting up in the air on new years and holidays than from hunting.