Will chickens defend themselves from a hawk?

[AGeese]

Here in Oklahoma it is illegal to kill these red tailed hawks. I have one that hangs out and he is HUGE!! Right now, when im
Home, I’ll let my firls
Out. They dig in my garden, they are the same
Color as my red dirt, I watch them and feed the crows! If they were leghorns, they would be a big target. I know hawks have great eyesight, but I think it makes a difference. I do not like to kill animals but I don’t want my girls dead, already lost my Puddy Tat to a hawk. Still thinking about a rooster for their protection, but don’t want the fertilized eggs!

I was thinking about having a scare crow when I had baby chicks, but now that my girls are growing up, I might just start feeding the crows too.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Here in Oklahoma it is illegal to kill these red tailed hawks. I have one that hangs out and he is HUGE!! Right now, when im
Home, I’ll let my firls
Out. They dig in my garden, they are the same
Color as my red dirt, I watch them and feed the crows! If they were leghorns, they would be a big target. I know hawks have great eyesight, but I think it makes a difference. I do not like to kill animals but I don’t want my girls dead, already lost my Puddy Tat to a hawk. Still thinking about a rooster for their protection, but don’t want the fertilized eggs!

In my opinion, if you can get a rooster, I think you should go for it. Fertilized eggs wont hatch unless a broody hen is incubating them, meaning that you can leave them in the nest box for 21 days and if its not being incubated it will never hatch. If you do get a rooster for protection, get a BIG one (brahma or jersey giants are the best for protection imo). My father used to own a 15 pound jersey giant rooster, it was a silent rooster and very friendly and killed a red tailed hawk in a heartbeat when it tried to go for his hens. Because the rooster and not the farmer killed the hawk, game and fishing could not do anything about it, given that he handed in the hawk carcass. The 15 lb rooster won the battle and no hawk ever came back

Always remember, its always legal for a livestock or rooster animal to kill any bird protected by the migratory bird treaty act, roosters got you covered : )

 

[centrarchid]

 

[bertogomus]

Click Norris!! Love it!!!!
I “banter” back and forth whether to get a rooster!

 

[Flockincrazy]

I agree with @sourland but you could put up a deterant an owl figurine on your coop

 

[SmiYa0126]

I agree with @sourland but you could put up a deterant an owl figurine on your coop

My girls scattered when there was a hawk attack. I didn't lose any. I think the one he was after squatted down, just some plucked feathers.

 

[Flockincrazy]

My girls scattered when there was a hawk attack. I didn't lose any. I think the one he was after squatted down, just some plucked feathers.

You were lucky

 

[SmiYa0126]

You were lucky

Agreed! The year before I lost my guinea flock to foxes