My first chicken loss to a hawk

[Erika Shumway]

I became a first-time chicken owner this past July and ended up with two hens and three roosters, all bantam silkie Cochin mixes. I have about 5 Acres, mostly Woods and they were super happy content chickens survived 3 blissful months with no issues until this a-hole Hawk came along and got one and traumatized everyone including myself. I have all this land and I hate the idea of keeping them fenced-in and covered in netting, plus it's so ugly and ghetto looking, but the heartache of losing one to a predator is more than I want to deal with. Are there precautions I can take to keep them safe and let them free range, without trashing and ghettoing up my hard with CDs or nets hanging around? (My construction worker husband built this amazing coop and then I built this ghetto fencing after the hawk incident, which he wasn't too happy with.. He prides himself on quality work and a clean yard and I just built it out of crap I found laying around my property. Just wishing/hoping there was another way to keep them safe and let them enjoy all this land to explore)

 

[Chickassan]

No way to protect them completely from hawks unless you build a very secure covered run. Unfortunately loss comes with
keeping chickens, if it isn't hawks it will be something else. I'm sorry you lost one.

 

[Zoomie]

I am so sorry for your loss... hugs!

The plain truth is, we share this planet with all kinds of amazing animals, including hawks, raccoons, dogs, weasels, foxes, coyotes, bears, large cats and on and on. Most of these animals have to live by their wits alone and of course, are very pleased with a chicken dinner, just like we would be.

The reality is, if you don't want your chickens to be someone else's dinner, you are going to have to take steps to stop the predators preying on your birds. Fortunately, you have opposing thumbs and a big brain, so you can do this!

The best defense against hawks (and owls) is a run that has a cover over it. Other clever humans have come up with deer netting, so that is available.

I am really sorry you lost a bird to a hawk. However, hawks are birds too, and have to live by their wits and hunting skills (they are sure not always successful!!!) but let me warn you, once they *have* been successful, they WILL come back. So please, keep your flock confined until you are able to cover your run. I am so hoping you are able to keep the others safe, and have some joy in them. And WELCOME! To BYC!!

 

[Erika Shumway]

Thank you very much for the dose of reality, I was hoping there was some magical secret solution that someone can tell me that I wasn't thinking of. LOL
I knew, this was a risk, especially living in the woods in Alaska, people lose their chickens to bears and fox and of course predatory Birds, I I guess because we made it 3 months with no problems, I thought, I don't know what I was thinking honestly..... I didn't think I would fall in love with these birds so much, but they make me so happy and I love them so much and it was so tragic and sad when I lost one of my girls, I guess I have to not care about how my yard looks just do what it takes to keep them safe

I am so sorry for your loss... hugs!

The plain truth is, we share this planet with all kinds of amazing animals, including hawks, raccoons, dogs, weasels, foxes, coyotes, bears, large cats and on and on. Most of these animals have to live by their wits alone and of course, are very pleased with a chicken dinner, just like we would be.

The reality is, if you don't want your chickens to be someone else's dinner, you are going to have to take steps to stop the predators preying on your birds. Fortunately, you have opposing thumbs and a big brain, so you can do this!

The best defense against hawks (and owls) is a run that has a cover over it. Other clever humans have come up with deer netting, so that is available.

I am really sorry you lost a bird to a hawk. However, hawks are birds too, and have to live by their wits and hunting skills (they are sure not always successful!!!) but let me warn you, once they *have* been successful, they WILL come back. So please, keep your flock confined until you are able to cover your run. I am so hoping you are able to keep the others safe, and have some joy in them. And WELCOME! To BYC!!

 

[Chickassan]

Hey don't worry about the yard. Have your very particular hubby built the run and tell him to make it pretty.

 

[Zoomie]

Alas, no magic! I only wish! Whoever could invent such a thing would be a BILLIONAIRE easy, because I sure as heck would buy whatever that was. Unfortunately, we are left with trying very hard to keep our birds as safe as we can, not always easy considering all the predators out there. I myself made the decision that I would accept no more losses, if I could prevent it, to raccoons. We have built the most predator-proof coop and run that we could and yes, we do have bears. Even a bear will have a hard time getting in there.

You do the best you can. Some people choose to free-range, and I understand, totally. But it is a risk. The National Forest is right across the street from me. I have a different risk level than someone who lives in the middle of Chicago.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Agree with the first two posters...if you live in an area with wild life, you will have loss if you free range.

You also have the added disadvantage that your flock is comprised of bantams, and with that mix, Cochin-Silkie, I shall assume feather footed.

Silkies and Cochins both waddle more than run, and I find that they are simply easy hawk bait. I have had to resort to confining them in a secure, netted run, 24x7 if I want to keep them. I have lost too many to hawk kills.

So, my suggestion would be build a nice fence for your lovely bantams. Honestly, they will likely be happier. My bantams generally prefer smaller protected quarters.

The other solution is a Pyrenees type dog, but that requires training time and good handling.

My other suggestion is a different breed. I hereby enable you to buy better free range types that are more hawk savvy and fleet of foot. I suggest getting breeds that are colored well to hide in your particular area. For me, that means bark colored birds. I avoid whites and buffs. I also avoid foot feathering.

It does mean you get the flightier types as they are more predator savvy. Birds like game types (if you aren't focusing on eggs), Egyptian Fayoumi, Buckeyes, Brown Leghorns, and even Cream Legbars, should do well.

Anyway, my suggestions.....pen up the bantams or get a LGD or get better foraging birds for free range if that is what you would like to do.

LofMc

 

[BYCforlife]

I would really reccomend Baler twine strung about 1 or 2 feet apart on the top of the run.
I have SEEN hawks try to spread their wings to land, and they were deterred by the twine. It's more a visual thing for the hawk. I would really try this, it's extremely cheap.

 

[chicmom]

Awe, sorry to hear that! It has happened to me as well. I think the benefits of free ranging outweigh the risk, but if you only have a few chickens, you might ask your hubby to build you a really nice enclosed chicken run so that they will be safe. Then you could let them free range when you were outside with them. I had a fox problem one year and lost half of my flock. So I had to sell out and quit for a few years. Now I just keep silkies and they have a nice enclosed, safe chicken run. It's also in the center of my fenced in yard next to my flower garden. We have a six acre woods surrounding our house, so there are predators galore. Now that they're protected by two sets of fencing and also a secure coop inside that I lock up at night, they're pretty safe. I do a lot of cleanup though, since the coop is beside my flower garden I have to keep it very tidy. I love it though. I bet your hubby would be glad to construct you a nice (non ghetto) chicken run. haha

 

[Sara Ranch]

I hang up old sheets and scraps of fabric to wave in the wind and to deter overhead predators.

There are lots of hiding places on the property.

And I am outside often. I've had black buzzards (which WILL take live animals up to the size of baby goats/cows if they are hungry enough) do low flyby's multiple times a day. I tell them to keep on going...

We can't protect our animals 24x7 unless they are locked up tight 24/7 and that's not even 100% guarantee.

Do the best you can.

All of my animals (except for the babies inside) are outside free ranging or in an open pasture. All of my animals are secured at night.

Edited to add - Hey - I do lots of make shift stuffs! And I am not handy with a hammer and I don't touch power tools for safety reasons!!! It may look rough, but who the heck cares? You don't like it, you can change it.