Yikes! Hawk dive-bomb?

[centrarchid]

Hawk species is still important. Some medium sized like broadwinged and red-shouldered not an issue. This all gets silly if talking about a kestrel or kite.

 

[varidgerunner]

I think the concept and vision of "dive bomb" is in the eye of the beholder.
Unless a raptor is chasing a prey animal like robin, cardinal or starling through a glade or forest - they attack from above to achieve that advantages of speed and surprise.
Every time I've seen a hawk (of any species) attack a chicken, it could be construed as a "dive bomb".



Depending on the dog, I doubt most keep an eye to the sky and can react in time to thwart a raptor attack.
Bushes, brush and other forms of ground cover can help with breeds of chickens that are wary. However most of the breeds I see people on this forum have would be sitting ducks because they have had that alertness bred out of them.
The extraordinarily common request for breed suggestions is for gentle, calm, docile, friendly, etc..
Those aren't the characteristics of breeds that are wary and likely to take cover before they are prey.
Worst among those are breeds like silkies and polish because their overhead vision is obstructed.
On the other hand, a big agile rooster of the aloof, wary, flighty ilk will spy a hawk a mile away and send the hens for cover long before they arrive - and if he's worth his weight in salt, he likely will stand his ground waiting for the oncoming dive bomb and meet it with a flurry of talons, beaks, wings and feathers.

If you have the calm, docile, gentle breeds, you probably need a covered run and only free range when you are right in the midst of the flock.

It is possible to have docile, friendly, gentle chickens as long as those are describing attitude toward humans, yet still have lots of survival instincts to the point they might not run from a hawk, they might snatch it from the sky and demolish it. But it requires aseel genetics.

 

[centrarchid]

It is possible to have docile, friendly, gentle chickens as long as those are describing attitude toward humans, yet still have lots of survival instincts to the point they might not run from a hawk, they might snatch it from the sky and demolish it. But it requires aseel genetics.

Species is still important!