What time are hawks active?

[Beacon Point Ratite Ranch]

We were having problems with several hawks and an owl hanging around in the dead oaks near my chicken pen (the owl even got my Lovebug, who was my friendliest bird). We seem to have found a solution. We ran wires in a zig-zagging pattern back and forth across the pen both the long way and the short way so the lines crossed each other. Then we hung fluorescent orange plastic ribbons every few feet along the wires. The morning before we did this, the hawks were sitting in the tree over the pen. After we set it up, they left. We haven't seen or even heard them since. That was weeks ago. I'll post a pic so you can see what the ribbon grid looks like. It's a super cheap hawk/owl deterrent.

 

[Kaesi2020]

In my experience hawks are most active early AM to mid morning then again in the late afternoon during the summer. During cooler weather they will hunt all day although most attacks have been in the early AM. They are opportunistic and flexible in their hunting and have the ability to adapt. During the fall migration and winter months my birds are on almost a 100% lockdown.

Hi! When you say lock down, do you mean in the run all day? We free range our 6 pullets and I think I may do what you do in the fall/winter. Do you supervise free range them at all during that time? Thanks

 

[Kaesi2020]

We were having problems with several hawks and an owl hanging around in the dead oaks near my chicken pen (the owl even got my Lovebug, who was my friendliest bird). We seem to have found a solution. We ran wires in a zig-zagging pattern back and forth across the pen both the long way and the short way so the lines crossed each other. Then we hung fluorescent orange plastic ribbons every few feet along the wires. The morning before we did this, the hawks were sitting in the tree over the pen. After we set it up, they left. We haven't seen or even heard them since. That was weeks ago. I'll post a pic so you can see what the ribbon grid looks like. It's a super cheap hawk/owl deterrent.

Nice idea!! Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

[cmom]

I don't free range anymore due to losses from predators in the past but all of my birds have nice large covered pens. I put flock blocks in the pens for something for them to peck at.

 

[B_Chickle01]

Th

I know it seems odd, but all my hawk attacks happened in the winter. Now that it is summer, I haven't seen a hawk in months. I can leave my girls outside while I am up at the house about 200 ft away.

We started allowing our chicks to free range a little before summer without any issues all the way up until last week when we lost one of our Porcelain D’Uccles. I’m still so upset about it...I wouldn’t even chance it If i were you I’ve been seeing hawks are bad right now.

 

[Stayc]

My best advice for hawks is to feed the crows. They will chase your hawks away. I used to feed mine a mix of birdseed and cracked corn. Once you have them near and feed them consistently they will stay.

 

[Pegbud]

I am fairly new to chicken keeping. My experience, in my area(Dallas, TX) is the hawks are more active in the winter. My chickens free ranged all day every day from October 2010 till this February when my frizzle was attached by a hawk. (She survived!Yay!) It was right after a bad week long snow storm and the vet told me the hawks were hungry. We continued to see hawks in our area until april or may and began free ranging again in June. I plan to stop free ranging all day and unsupervised as soon as the weather cools down again.
Would love to hear what others experience has beenl!

I live in Rhode Island, and yesterday, Feb. 17, we had a hawk attack. The chicks have been free ranging all winter. This was a first. Like yours, my beautiful Momma survived. The chicks (4) went berserk and perhaps their racket deterred further damage. She lost feathers and the four found cover under thickets. Very proud of my chicks, but will start being more aware. We will have another snow storm so they can be out again today, but I now understand that urge to eat that the hawks have after a long and snowy winter. I am learning. L am also new at chickens and love them to pieces. Last summer we lost two youngsters and I was heart broken.
thanks for your story.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

I live in Rhode Island, and yesterday, Feb. 17, we had a hawk attack. The chicks have been free ranging all winter. This was a first. Like yours, my beautiful Momma survived. The chicks (4) went berserk and perhaps their racket deterred further damage. She lost feathers and the four found cover under thickets. Very proud of my chicks, but will start being more aware. We will have another snow storm so they can be out again today, but I now understand that urge to eat that the hawks have after a long and snowy winter. I am learning. L am also new at chickens and love them to pieces. Last summer we lost two youngsters and I was heart broken.
thanks for your story.

We had 2 hawk attacks last month, but only lost 1 chicken thankfully. The first time, the hawk got into the run through a hole in the netting. The second time, a hawk swooped down not even 10 feet from my daughter and tried to take off with my favorite chicken. Luckily, it flew away after I ran over screaming and shaking my shovel. My chickens are now in their run all day unless I have to clean the coop. When I clean the coop/run, I have all 3 of my daughters out there babysitting and I clean as fast as I can. I feel bad keeping them in the run and not allowing longer periods of free-ranging, but it's for their safety. We didn't have this problem in the summer or fall. I'm hoping, like you said, that after the winter hunger subsides in the spring and the hawks go somewhere else or don't seek my chickens as food, I'll be able to let them out more. It's really a bummer.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

We were having problems with several hawks and an owl hanging around in the dead oaks near my chicken pen (the owl even got my Lovebug, who was my friendliest bird). We seem to have found a solution. We ran wires in a zig-zagging pattern back and forth across the pen both the long way and the short way so the lines crossed each other. Then we hung fluorescent orange plastic ribbons every few feet along the wires. The morning before we did this, the hawks were sitting in the tree over the pen. After we set it up, they left. We haven't seen or even heard them since. That was weeks ago. I'll post a pic so you can see what the ribbon grid looks like. It's a super cheap hawk/owl deterrent.

I love this idea. However, are you able to walk in the pen? Would you be able to mow under all of that?

 

[Donnalovesducks]

We were having problems with several hawks and an owl hanging around in the dead oaks near my chicken pen (the owl even got my Lovebug, who was my friendliest bird). We seem to have found a solution. We ran wires in a zig-zagging pattern back and forth across the pen both the long way and the short way so the lines crossed each other. Then we hung fluorescent orange plastic ribbons every few feet along the wires. The morning before we did this, the hawks were sitting in the tree over the pen. After we set it up, they left. We haven't seen or even heard them since. That was weeks ago. I'll post a pic so you can see what the ribbon grid looks like. It's a super cheap hawk/owl deterrent.

Hi, I see your post was from last summer, but this sounds like a great idea. How has it worked for you over the longterm? And was there a specific wire you used? Thanks!