What is The worst kind of hawk???

[Emily_loveschickens]

I was just wondering if all hawks eat chickens or what? We have a Lotta red tail hawks should we be worried about those probably, just asking? Thanks.

 

[sourland]

The worst hawks that I have dealt with are Goshawks, followed by Cooper's, and occasionally Red Tails.

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

The worst hawks that I have dealt with are Goshawks, followed by Cooper's, and occasionally Red Tails.

I have seen three bald eagles in the span of living here for four years, and have only seen that many so there are not many bald eagles here.

 

[sdm111]

Redtail by far
Aka chicken hawk

 

[cherrynberry]

Redtail by far
Aka chicken hawk

Red tails and Cooper hawks were the two that attempted to make a feast on our chickens.

 

[Alexandra33]

Cooper's Hawks are by far the most blood-thirsty, fearless, and bold - both at bird feeders and in a flock setting. Relentless creatures that killed off a large number of my bantams and chicks. (and even peered through the coop window at them when they were closed in for safety reasons) NOTHING could scare them off. Second would have to be the Red-tailed Hawk. Not only are they unafraid of humans, but they're also large enough to take out large fowl chickens.

I'm sure there isn't a single hawk species that would pass up a chicken when desperate, but since they vary greatly in size between species, flock vulnerability is based on the age and class of your poultry. For example, a Kestrel is probably only capable of preying on a newly hatched chick....they're way too small to successfully harm a mature bird.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The worst kind of hawk is the one on your property.

For me, that's the Red Shouldered Hawk (who also happens to be one of the larger of the hawk species, able to take larger birds as meals), but the Red Tailed Hawk and the Cooper's Hawk are also widely condemned for stealing or slaying backyard poultry. Of the three, the red tailed hawk can be the largest (by a substantial margin), but I see fewer of them.

 

[cmom]

I think any hawk may attempt to take a chicken. Probably bantams are preferred. Here we have all different hawks. Here we mostly see Red-tailed, Red-shouldered and Cooper's hawks. We do have others but the Red-tailed and Red-shouldered are the ones I see the most, and they will kill chickens both large fowl and bantams.

 

[cmom]

I was away for most of a day. When I got home the birds were fussing quite unusual. When I went to investigate a big Red-tailed hawk had found a way into their pen and went on a killing spree. I got the hawk out and fixed the breach. Pullets not far from starting to lay.

 

[cherrynberry]

I was away for most of a day. When I got home the birds were fussing quite unusual. When I went to investigate a big Red-tailed hawk had found a way into their pen and went on a killing spree. I got the hawk out and fixed the breach. Pullets not far from starting to lay.
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We lost a hen to a hawk a few months back when they were free ranging. Fingers crossed it will be our ONlY one. Hate it when birds are killed by predators.