Why so many post on hawk arrack?

[lazyday]

Seems to me, I am reading more about hawks killing chickens then I have in the past. What are your experience with hawks in past years?

 

[Oregon Blues]

I don't seem to have any more hawks than usual in my area. What I've noticed in the past couple of years is a huge upsurge in the number of poultry keepers who don't think it is their responsibility to protect their birds.

Lots of folks somehow think that if they don't take any responsibility for their own livestock that it is the fault of that darn hawk when their birds get killed.

If you have hawks in your area that are large enough to kill a chicken (many of them are not), then keep your birds in a covered pen, and the hawks won't be able to get them. If you want to let the chickens out, then do it while you can stand guard.

If you decide to allow your birds to free range unsupervised, then be resigned to the fact that you will lose birds, and it is NOT the fault of the predator that takes them. Responsibility falls directly on the chicken-keeper.

 

[chicken grandma]

In Michigan - plenty of Coopershawks around my yard. Killed a full grown RIR hen. I covered our run 2 years ago and free range the hens when we are in the yard.

 

[War Chicken]

Weather patterns change. There are wildfires, droughts, etc.

Also, a certain non-native invasive species has been booming in numbers and decimated natural prey populations almost everywhere, forcing hawks and other native predators to go after chickens.

 

[seminolewind]

Yea, more backyard chickens, more hawks.

 

[toysmom]

Where I am in North Carolina there are plenty of hawks. I just lost one of my silkies to a hawk about 2 weeks ago. The chickens were under a big bush and the hawk just came down and landed in among them. The hawks here seem to be pretty hungry.

 

[comptonsgonecountry]

This is my first winter raising chickens and I have to say I lost 5 since October. Three have been hawk and the other two I'm not sure because there was no evidence. I have been reading threads on this topic for a couple months now and a lot of people are asking this same questions. I know I can't help you with answering my experience with hawk attacks in past years. But I'm sure experience chicken owners will chime in soon

 

[lazyday]

Been seeing red shoulder hawks the past 2 years and I didn't even know they lived in this area. Lost 1 hen and 1 was attacked and survived.

 

[drowningcreek]

Quote:
Do you mean domestic cats? I'm curious....

We've got a mating pair of red tails and a Cooper's Hawk that are keeping us busy. The bantams free range and have become the Red Shirts. I walked outside just in time to save Florence the Buttercup from the Cooper's Hawk last week. He had her in his talons and was trying to get airborne when I scared him. I'm making scarecrows for the chicken runs next week. Not that will do any good, but at least I will feel like I tried....

 

[WriterofWords]

In this area because of the drought and lack of food and water on the mountain they are hunting easier prey.