Will predators come back??

[Chickens_4life123]

I need some help here. This morning while my chickens were free ranging they got attack by a hawk which killed one of my hens. Will the hawk come back because he knows there is chickens to eat at my coop, and should I be careful with letting them out to free range for the next week or so?

 

[The Moonshiner]

Yes it will most likely come back

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It's been a couple of years but the last time I lost a hen to a hawk I kept them locked up for at least a week, which they pretty much did themselves anyway. They didn't even want to come out of the coop, which was really crowded. The hawk moved on, looking for easier prey.

 

[Chickens_4life123]

It's been a couple of years but the last time I lost a hen to a hawk I kept them locked up for at least a week, which they pretty much did themselves anyway. They didn't even want to come out of the coop, which was really crowded. The hawk moved on, looking for easier prey.

Thank you

 

[Al Gerhart]

Predator loss is pretty much a price you pay for free range. Hens do learn to be more cautious over the innate instinctive knowledge. Or more afraid at least.

There is a market for a flock protector using some sort of non lethal device that uses machine vision or Ai to track incoming threats and scare them off. It would be expensive, probably launch a wide, noisy drone to intercept the raptor and unless a fortune was spent to get it approved by game and wildlife officials it might get you jailed. I've heard of college students building laser systems to kill flies, couldn't be more difficult than that.

 

[Girlwithducksandchickens]

I need some help here. This morning while my chickens were free ranging they got attack by a hawk which killed one of my hens. Will the hawk come back because he knows there is chickens to eat at my coop, and should I be careful with letting them out to free range for the next week or so?

Mine 2. 2 of my chickens where eaten and stolen by 2 hawks. They stole my 2 littlest chicks. But my dad found a way. He put an transparent thread on top of the open fenced place where my chicks roam, making a spiderweb (I didn't exactly look like a spiderweb), and the hawks stopped eating them. The bad thing is that sometimes some of the chickens get out of the pen. But we get them on time.

God blesses you,
Girlwithducksandchickens

PS: Dont let your chickens roam free. Make them a coop and a fenced place for them. If they roam free, it will be easy prey for the hawks.

 

[ronlong1]

I lost one to a hawk or opossum this morning I think it was a hawk because he only ate the head and neck

 

[Blue Andalusian]

I need some help here. This morning while my chickens were free ranging they got attack by a hawk which killed one of my hens. Will the hawk come back because he knows there is chickens to eat at my coop, and should I be careful with letting them out to free range for the next week or so?

From My Experience, Yes (Probably)

 

[Folly's place]

This hawk will return, maybe every few days, until either all your birds are gone, or they aren't available to be killed. Plan to keep your birds in their safe coop and covered run for at least two weeks, maybe longer if that hawk is still seen.
Usually it's ten days or so minimum for safety.
Once we had a young Cooper's hawk who had no fear, and hung around at least that long. Our birds were inside over three weeks that time.
Your survivors have learned a valuable lesson, and will be more careful in the future too.
Sorry for your loss!
Mary