Hawk Solution-Will it work???

[Lilywater101]

I was wondering if anyone could help me, I have a HUGE hawk problem. I was wondering if covering the top of the run with some type of strong wire would help prevent the Hawks from attacking. But what type of wire is good for keeping hawks out???? Any advice would greatly be appreciated!!!Also how small do the holes of the wire have to be so that the hawk won't be able to get in?

 

[Clay In Iowa]

Hawks are typically ambush killers.

That is if they can't drop in unannounced they are unlikely to hop through a hole in the fence and stalk their prey from the ground with no easy means of egress . Hawks are pretty fragile and can be easily injured and left unable to fly. Instinctively they know this.


So if you cover the run with almost anything they will most likely leave your chickens alone. That's not to say they won't sit on the netting making dinner plans should a chicken get out.

 

[jprinc44]

I had a problem with a hawk flying into my pen one day-while I was in it!!! What an exciting time that was-not sure who was more surprised- me or the hawk... After that I put poles in side my existing fence poles- 4' chain link fence- and tied and taped big white plastic bags that would blow in the wind to these poles- may not look real pretty, but have yet to loose a bird to a hawk either. They will fly out of the pen during the day- some of them- but haven't lost one in the yard either-maybe I gave the hawk a lasting memory. I know he hangs around out in the field next to my place as I have seen him several times- but not back in my yard. HTH Janet

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I've got chicken wire over my run. It's only to keep out hawks during the fall migration season. Spring and summer, they free range. Any kind of netting works, too. I bet 2x4 welded wire would work. That's a little sturdier, in case you get snow where you are.

 

[sugarbush]

The cheap deer netting that you can get at the farm supply store works well. So does the light weight crop cover netting. It does not have to be strong as hawks have very good eye sight and will usually avoid the net.

 

[lavacaw]

I bought a couple of rolls of the plastic mesh they use around construction sites and stapled it in strips to the boards on top of my pen fencing. I left about a foot and a half between strips because the hawks won't try to fly into an opening that small and it gets kind of expensive to do it solid. It has worked for about 8 years now...good luck with whatever you try. It is a very sickening feeling to see one of your young birds being eaten alive by one of those critters.

 

[TammyTX]

I wonder if just zig-zagging some rope across the chicken run would work? Cheaper.

 

[mirecipes]

I met a lady a few months back that had fishing line strung up between the poles on her run..

While I was there a hawk came to visit, but he/she? didn't dive at any of the chickens..Just looked at em..Pretty cool!

 

[merry hens]

I used to have bird netting (like the kind they put over orchard trees) over mine. It worked well for the chickens, but on my other pen it wasnt as secure and it had ducklings, which must have looked tasty to the hawks. One afternoon a red tail got in, ate Puddles, my duckling, and couldnt get out. I had to put on a mask and gloves and untangle her. I think chicken wire would be more secure.

Mary

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

I've never had a hawk problem because the crows attack them here however, during this winter the crows have thinned out. I saw one flying low eyeballing the girls. I learned that hawks don't like firecrackers launched from a slingshot. Not that I launched a firecracker at the hawk because that is wrong. I launched straight up to annoy my neighbors. The hawks moved to the other side of the forest again and keep that field cleaned out of rabbits.