Will a Red-tailed hawk attack my flock if I'm standing outside with them?

[SusanMc]

Hawks around here do attack when we are around the property. But our roosters always alert my husband when they sense danger. All of the birds take cover in the hedges or under vehicles.
We did have a hawk attack a hen when we were in the truck just after arriving home with groceries, she was lucky and just lost a few feathers, in her getaway.

The hens listen to the roosters alarm call....They help so much as we are not always round, the property is 10 acres of cherries.

Susan

 

[cmom]

I couldn't have watched either. Luckily I was outside when this one decided to have a go. I screamed like a banshee while running right at it and waving my arms like an inflatable tube man. That eagle wanted no part of this crazy and decided against it at last moment.

I found the BYC picture of the tube man.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

Like the other replies, I'm saying YES! A hawk went after my hen and I was only a few feet away and my daughter was also out there with us. They are tenacious. Be on alert always.

 

[KyCoop]

I had a hawk almost fly into me when I was cleaning the coop. The girls were thankfully securely in their run. They alarmed for immediate danger but I saw nothing when I looked around so I kept cleaning. Not 30 seconds later the hawk came flapping around the corner at my feet trying to get the girls. For a second, I thought it was one of the girls that was out the way it was on the ground flapping around but when it flew off I realized it was a hawk. I think he made a dive at the run from the privacy fence but got knocked out of line when he hit my hawk string.

 

[Scott G in CT]

My reply is Yes! If that hawk feels you are no threat, and why would he since you just stand around, he, if hungry, will attack a chicken and be gone with it in seconds. There would be nothing you could do. They fly so fast, and so accurately you wouldn't be a threat of any kind. Just my opinion.

They have trouble picking up full size birds. They tend to get feathers the first couple of hits. I've had 2 attacks and they fended off long enough for me to get outside.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Whenever I am outside I never had a hawk come and try to get my chickens, only when I'm inside they will try. I guess it depends how hungry they are?

 

[Georgiachickenkid]

Whenever I am outside I never had a hawk come and try to get my chickens, only when I'm inside they will try. I guess it depends how hungry they are?

Same here. Usually the hawk will circle around the house a few times but it will see me and then leave for the day.

 

[Altairsky]

We have lots of hawks and once I had a peregrine falcon dive bomb a couple of feet from my face, trying to hunt a swallow. I witnessed successful hunts midair on swallows and sparrows. I'm worried about my hens and I really want to get them a rooster, but I can't keep them closed in the coop all day long. Roosters are noisy and I will get in trouble with my neighbors. I just hope a falcon will have a hard time getting a 4 kg hen.