Wondering if little hawks/falcons will bother full grown chickens?

[RareBreedFancier]

Hi all,

I would like to free range my chickens but I have a local resident pair of small hawks or falcons (not sure exactly what they are) and I wondered if they would bother my chickens which are larger than them? Logic says 'no' but I thought I'd ask more experienced peeps.

The birds are pretty small, overgrown pigeon size creatures. My chickens are considerably larger than them and I wouldn't be free ranging any chicks or small birds. I suspect bantams would be an easy meal.

I like the local birds and they do a great job of catching rodents and small snakes so I have no desire for them to leave but I don't want to find out the hard way that they will bother the chickens.

Thanks for any opinions or experience.

 

[dacjohns]

Can you tell us what kind they are or give us some photographs. Most of us live in North America and are not familiar with Australian birds of prey.

I would venture to say if they are about the size of what we call pigeons then your full grown chickens would be OK. Chicks would not be safe.

 

[Junkmanme]

Haven't you ever seen that little "Chicken Hawk" named "Henry" that gave "Foghorn Leghorn" so much trouble?

Ha-Ha !!!

"Now, Boy...I say there ...boy...don't ya know your s'possed to be attackin that ...er...Dawg?"

Ha-Ha !!!

If those little hawks are "burrowing hawks" that live in the ground...They likely won't bother your chickens...they'll rid ya of mice, though!

-Junkmanme-

 

[Sandy16]

Hopefully someone with hawk attack experience will respond, but I seem to remember reading that people have had large chickens attacked by smaller sized hawks. I think that some hawks will attack even if the prey is larger than they are. I do not know this from personal experience, so please do a search on this website and see what you find. We've had several hawks, both big and small, fly into the yard and one into the "run", presumably trying to get the girls. Fortunately I happened to see both incidents from the house and ran outside to intervene. No injuries on either side! Now the girls only get an hour or two to free range when we are home.

good luck!

 

[gardeningsis]

I have had red-tailed hawks take both big and small. The smaller hawks have only taken the banties. I only let them out if I am out there with them and even with that I have had a small hawk take two of my banties on two seperate occasions.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I think it depends upon the individual hawk.


In my area, I have a Coopers Hawk - I call him/her Coop. Coop does not bother my chickens - even chicks, but does catch wild bird pidgeon sized and smaller, plus mice and moles. Coop will fly thru and into my run to hunt small birds, yet leave the chickens alone.


In my area, I have ravens that are predators - they kill Bantams, chicks and steal eggs - goose, duck and into the chicken coops to steal eggs.


I have read on here of Coopers Hawks in other areas that do hunt chickens. Even taking large fowl.




Coop

 

[gardeningsis]

That is a great photo. It was a Coopers hawk that took my banties.

 

[dacjohns]

Folks, it looks like the OP lives in Australia.

Talking about North American birds won't help unless they are found in Australia also.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

I honestly have no idea what kind of birds of prey you have in Austalia, but here in my suburban neighborhood red-shouldered hawks are relatively common. They are a smallish to medium sized hawk with a good wingspan, and about 16-24 inches tall, but they aren't big enough to take on my standard sized, 4 pound plus hens. They fly overhead my chickens without shooting a glance, but I had a close call when they were 8 weeks old, but none were hurt. There's plenty of squirrels and small song birds to go around, though. Especially winter, since hundreds of american robins migrate here and I quite often see a pair of hawks feasting on a robin.

 

[CATRAY44]

A Broad- Winged hawk took one of my Orpingtons... dragged her under the deck and ate on her.