Hawk

[CrealCritter]

My chickens have an admirer, a chicken hawk. That's just as big as my hens are. Not much I can do about it, as all birds of prey are federally protected and beside I don't shoot any animal, I'm not going to eat. Unless it's rabid or something...

 

[Britesea]

just make sure the area your chickens are in has "broken ground"... things like shrubs and small shelters that the chickens can run under. Hawks prefer a clean sweep down to their prey, without stuff that might catch and break a flight feather or something. Predators have to be very careful about getting hurt, as they usually can't hunt well while injured-- so an injury can spell a death sentence for them. You still might lose a chicken, but the numbers will be reduced.

 

[CrealCritter]

just make sure the area your chickens are in has "broken ground"... things like shrubs and small shelters that the chickens can run under. Hawks prefer a clean sweep down to their prey, without stuff that might catch and break a flight feather or something. Predators have to be very careful about getting hurt, as they usually can't hunt well while injured-- so an injury can spell a death sentence for them. You still might lose a chicken, but the numbers will be reduced.

I believe something's dead out back. I have turkey vultures circling overhead now. Probably a deer someone shot not so we'll and didn't track down.

 

[sumi]

just make sure the area your chickens are in has "broken ground"... things like shrubs and small shelters that the chickens can run under. Hawks prefer a clean sweep down to their prey, without stuff that might catch and break a flight feather or something. Predators have to be very careful about getting hurt, as they usually can't hunt well while injured-- so an injury can spell a death sentence for them. You still might lose a chicken, but the numbers will be reduced.

Great advice!

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

We have the hawks of course. My flock is well aware of them too, as they witnessed one of the hens get eaten. So if the rooster even hints he saw a hawk...they run for cover. I only have the one rooster left, and he knows he can't do it by himself anymore. So they don't free range unless I am sitting there with them. If I go out of sight, for a moment, they come looking for me or go into the run. We have the run covered with bird netting. They feel safe in there, and it has survived a few hawk attacks without allowing the hawks in.

 

[baymule]

I had a hawk attack this morning. This flock is in the garden, gate closed and dogs can’t get in. But they barked, Trip ran to the fence and scared it off. There were some feathers on the ground, but none missing. And the feathers are in a protected spot that I thought would be safe for them. They are on lockdown now.

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Yup. Mine hate lock down but feel really nervous when they go get to free range.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Before I covered my run, I had a hawk flying down into the run after the chickens, and there were overhead supports every 12', as well as a covered area within the run. Hawks are one of my greatest menaces. They will sit in the trees, taunting me, have been known to sit on the edge of the run. I've seen a hawk on the ground, dancing around the pen that held my grow out roos, working the birds up into a frenzy of terror.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's horrible! We see hawks here - but they don't seem to care for my chickens. Maybe because of my dogs? However, decades ago I had an owl that would pluck a bantam right off of the fence and carry it off...

 

[flowerbug]

That's horrible! We see hawks here - but they don't seem to care for my chickens. Maybe because of my dogs? However, decades ago I had an owl that would pluck a bantam right off of the fence and carry it off...

that would have been a pretty big owl to be able to do that!