Well, finally happened--Cooper hawk --Up dated 9-17 page 3

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Sometimes Coopers will come in from vertical if proper perch available.

I have had some success with elevated coops and heavy briars that frightened chickens can use as cover. The Coopers hawk will proceed on ground after one smaller bird if line-of-sight maintained but I have yet to see one go into heavy cover when multiple chickens the size of hawk or larger are present.

Now that we have purchased a peace of ground, I will be grooming my yard to have various plantings that will provide cover as provided on old family farm. Obviously complete stoppage of loss will not be realized but plantings combined with other measures such as live stock guarding dogs, some netting and a few vigilant roosters will keep losses at tolerable levels.

Maybe a thread dealing with design of yards for making hawk activities less profitable is in order. One that stresses integrated pest management.

 

[desertdarlene]

I agree, I've seen Cooper's hawks just "drop out" of the sky or from a tall tree many times.

 

[woodmort]

I have a couple of old surf fishing reels that I haven't used in year so that monofilament line will be strung before the chickens are allowed out. Also I have some netting to use to build protective area. I suspect there were three things at work here that caused my problem--one is the dearth of roosters. The second is that, in trying to make sure my pullets didn't hide eggs I bush whacked all the tall grass in the chicken yard--normally there is a lot of golden rod out there that makes dense cover. Finally, since the garden is still in use I haven't allowed the birds out of the chicken yard to forage, I suspect had they had room they could well have hid--the one that was killed was trapped in the lower corner of the yard. All of those things will be rectified once it stops raining.

The thing I feel worse about is that I have a more than enough Black Star pullets and only 4 EE's--so which one gets nailed? Have the same luck in the lottery.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Sometimes who gets caught must be more than luck. My youngest cohort, one being targeted by resident Coopers hawk, is made up of dominique and red jungle fowl chicks all of same hatch date. I can make them run / flutter as fast as they can for coop as easily as vigilant rooster by my growling. The last jungle chick beats the first dominique almost every time and a couple of the doms run away from cover. Those running from cover are gonna be harvested by hawk first.

 

[woodmort]

Spent the day stringing mono-filament hope to deter the hawk--although I seriously doubt it would stop it. Managed to cover about half the chicken yard by going corner to corner--we'll see if that works. Chickens were out for the first time in a couple of days but kind of leery, even with me working down there all afternoon. No sign of the hawk, but then there wasn't before so I'm hoping it was a migrant moving through. BTW, guy in the tackle shop thought I was going to do some serious big game fishing.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
I am planning plantings of bramble as well in patches a little thicker than recommended for berry production. Patches will be numerous enough that chickens wont be more than 50 feet from one. Already have in place a relative of milkweed that forms thick monoculture hens with chicks can use as cover in a couple places. About two tractor passes from my north fence a canebreak of bambo is growing up as well. The plantings will be slow to have desired effects but will happen. A couple osage orange treess also in works.

 

[centrarchid]

For las t 15 minutes have been watching a juvenile female coopers hawk eying my chickens from about 150 yards. She tried to take something in grass halfway between her perch and chicks romping in front yard. As she flew in I made the growl sounds that swnds the chicken into cover. Then I approached where she landed which was in high grass and flushed her. Either she missed whatever she was stooping for or it was small like a large grasshopper. She flew back to perch and began looking around. The chickens and most of songbirds seem have forgotten about her presence after about 5 minutes. My young game roosters nearly crawled between my legs when they saw her. One on one should is big enough to take any of my chickens.

This was the first time I have concentrated observations on what hawk was doing in respect to chickens. Chickens did not seem inclined to watch where hawk returned to tree leading me to conclude very short attention span. I do not think chickens can see as well as humans when it comes to distance.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Woodmort,

I have done similar with bailing twine strung over 1/10 acre ponds in a criss-cross pattern. Perimeter of ponds had deer netting. Predator we are concerned with is the great blue heron that targets my bluegill. Theory behind why twine works is that herons want wings free and clear when landing and taking off. Deer netting kept heron from walking in and twine kept them from helicoptering in. In our case we wanted heron to clearly see obstruction.

I have been sitting around watching how my chickens respond to perceived / real threats and come to conclude the cover need not stop the hawk at height over your head. Cover only 12 to 18" high seems affective so long as chickens can get to it quickly. I think it may also be halpfull for chickens to be able to see hawk while under cover. Otherwise hawk might wait them out taking advantage of chickens short attention span. The chickens as a function of breed vary greatly in respect to attention span where hawks are concerned.

 

[centrarchid]

Spent most of last two days working on yard and observing chickens and other birds including hawks. Seems at least 90% of time hawks not even interested in my birds even though when flying through they are close enough cause alarm call. Hawks seem to very very focused on whatever they are after. During middle of day hawks not moving much, just sitting in woods. They seem to be moving most about two hours before dusk and for a couple hours past dawn. Hawks here also in middle of molt.

Also have wood ducks flying about a lot. Dominique cock gives same call for them as does for hawk just flying through. The chickens seemvery adept at determining if hawk incoming (looking for meal) or not. Most of chickens I have running loose do not seem to associate with cover. Games a little better in that respect. Best cover now is under Chrysler 300M which has low ground clearance. Sadly I have seen Coopers pursue a chicken under a vehicle but my car might make it tougher for the hawk than a big 4WD.

 

[buff]

sorry to hear about your loss to the cooper, I have lost plenty of my hens to coopers they are very persistent. I free range my hens and even when the hawks come around I sure do know it. I got 2 buff orpinton roos but they are only 5 months old I'm hoping they will start to protect the flock. I would of got more aggresive roos if I did't have 2 young kids. my hens are very smart about getting away from the hawks and when the hawks are chasing my hens I go out and I stay there with them for hours doing yard work and sometimes I will shoot in the air just to chase the hawks off. I wish I could give advice on what to do but I believe that is the best thing to do is lock up the chickens for a couple of days. But I can tell you this the hens get very smart when it comes to hawks being around. my hens know alot of times if the hawks are around before I see tem and I would say its from the crows and bluejays letting them know. they must be able to from the calls of the birds. I actually seen a coopers hawk catch a bluejay right out the air. hope you don't loose anymore.