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

[Ella_michele08]

Indeed they will. I had several BO one year that hatched 8 chicks. Only two made it to adulthood, the rest got carried off by hawks, in some cases only feet from where I stood. Aggravating.

Ughhh that's so SAD I'm sorry!!!!
It's hard bc my hens in the small coop don't understand and wanna go outside.....but that's terrible.
the hawk at our house two years ago was on the back deck perching and watching for more and when I came out and yelled at it and it saw me it took off! But now there a couple in the trees even tho our yard is open, there are pine trees way outside (around our property)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Ughhh that's so SAD I'm sorry!!!!
It's hard bc my hens in the small coop don't understand and wanna go outside.....but that's terrible.
the hawk at our house two years ago was on the back deck perching and watching for more and when I came out and yelled at it and it saw me it took off! But now there a couple in the trees even tho our yard is open, there are pine trees way outside (around our property)

Trees all around our property too. I was shocked and amazed. Even with the mother hens right there, and we had a rooster, too. They're just so fast.

 

[Ella_michele08]

Trees all around our property too. I was shocked and amazed. Even with the mother hens right there, and we had a rooster, too. They're just so fast.

WOW ,yeah.
We have four roosters
But the these hen are separate from the roosters rn. But when I see the hawks flying high in the sky, I keep watching them

 

[2 Acres]

My suggestion would be to buy a small caliber .410 shotgun and some shells to scare off the birds of prey.

Do not however... shoot directly at the the birds,
since Raptors are protected by federal law, and killing an eagle or hawk will lead to a $250,000 fine and 5 years in prison.

 

[2 Acres]

The best protection for chickens is low ground cover like pine trees and bushes... and a rooster with an "eagle eye".

My "Roo" makes a unique call if he sees anything out of the ordinary, and the girls run for cover.

I have had only one close call with a hawk and my GLW. She wandered away from the flock and I heard her in a panic. I ran over to where she was, and a hawk flew up out of a pine tree, and did find tail feathers.

It took a couple hours, and the GLW came wandering back like nothing happened.

From that time on I now keep a shotgun with me when the girls are free ranging.

 

[2 Acres]

FYI... the owl decoys don't work very long, before the raptors figure out they are fake.

 

[Ella_michele08]

FYI... the owl decoys don't work very long, before the raptors figure out they are fake.

Yeah my fake owl isn't working. It probably knows. Thanks

 

[Ella_michele08]

The best protection for chickens is low ground cover like pine trees and bushes... and a rooster with an "eagle eye".

My "Roo" makes a unique call if he sees anything out of the ordinary, and the girls run for cover.

I have had only one close call with a hawk and my GLW. She wandered away from the flock and I heard her in a panic. I ran over to where she was, and a hawk flew up out of a pine tree, and did find tail feathers.

It took a couple hours, and the GLW came wandering back like nothing happened.

From that time on I now keep a shotgun with me when the girls are free ranging.

Wow!!
That's scary.
I have many roosters but there in the run

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Of course it will. Any predator is opportunistic, risk reward. I had a Coopers Hawk which is a rather small hawk go after a Barred Rock hen and I was standing no more than 10' away. The hawk misjudged and died when it crashed into a stump. The hawk was very thin and light which I think was why the attempt was made. Hunger is a great motivator.

 

[2 Acres]

Wow!!
That's scary.
I have many roosters but there in the run

My GLW is tough and tempermental. She decides when she will let me handle her... and will nip at me hard if she wants to be left alone.

I suspect the hawk found that out. And it was also a Coopers Hawk as well.

The "red tail" is a bit more concerning, since they are closer to Bald Eagle size.

I think it was on this forum somewhere... where somebody made an aboveground tunnel system with chicken wire and hoops.

It allowed the chickens to free range some, without a major threat of an attack.