Backyard Chickens?

[MyBuddy]

Same here... I can't keep the hawk away. In 10 years we had one suspected hawk kill but it was at dusk so it could have been an owl. Now in less than a year a hawk has killed 5. I've got reflectors up, streamers blowing in the wind, and yesterday added tables and cover areas for them to dart under. If they can't be out of the coop, I'd rather not have chickens. Their area is a large former horse paddock, too big to cover. They have two shelters, the coop & pen plus one stall in the barn. I always felt like my chickens had the very best life, but now I feel like I'm failing them.

Wow, it sounds like they have a lot of protection. It's such a shame the hawk or owl are still getting them! How about a miniature donkey? I've always heard they are good protectors from coyotes. Are they the same with birds of prey? I don't know.

 

[Ravenbird]

How about a miniature donkey? I've always heard they are good protectors from coyotes. Are they the same with birds of prey? I don't know.

That would be fun, yeah, but like you, not sure that they would be a sky-watcher. They definitely hate a coyote! A Livestock Guardian Dog would be best, but I don't want any more animals, it's hard enough to get someone to come look after the chickens and the cat when we go out of town. The only thing that's different from the last 10 years is no rooster. A rooster can't fight off a hawk but they are constantly watching the sky and for any other predators and when he sees one he does an alarm call and every hen will dive for cover without even looking up. I guess I might have miscalculated how often our old rooster did this! Our nesting pair of Ravens are still around but they don't fly over or roost nearby like they use to. They would always attack any hawk in their airspace, but they just aren't around as much...

 

[MyBuddy]

Well then at this point I'd get a rooster. See how it goes.

 

[Fladobe]

Do the hawks kill the black chickens? I have found that they only target the lighter color ones. I assume the black one look like crows.

 

[DobieDesire]

Ah yes, roosters can be useful. When I had chickens my rooster would keep his eye out and squawk a funny squawk when any predatory birds were about. The hens would run for cover then. Never lost a chicken to wildlife, but plenty of trees around they could hide under. Ah yes, and I never had white chickens here. Leghorns wouldn't have been able to handle the cold winters anyway. Had Black Austrolorps, Aracaunas, RIR's and some sex ink chickens, but can't remember their breeding.

 

[GennyB]

Same here... I can't keep the hawk away

My husband made me some I guess I will call them baskets that he screwed on the fence railing. My neighbor grows peanuts so I fill the baskets with them and they attract crows. Han't seen a hawk near the chicken coop since. However the crows are a bit of a pain in the backside.

In 10 years we had one suspected hawk kill

This year was my first time I lost a chicken to a hawk. I've been keeping chickens for 60ish years.

My biggest heartbreak was my fault. In June we went to St. Louis for a ball game. We got home late and I didn't check on the chickens when I got home. Next day I found 8 of them slaughtered by racoons. We have a solar door on the coop and for whatever reason it didn't shut that night. Every night but that one I go out at dusk and check to make sure everybody is safe and sound. I can't tell you how mad I was at myself. Of course I was devastated when I went out the next morning. Hubs wanted to buy me more but I wasn't up for starting over with chicks.
He surprised me with some pullets he found. I think they were 9-10 weeks old. Not the breeds I wanted but they have been fun. They should start laying any day now.

 

[Gelcoater]

That would be fun, yeah, but like you, not sure that they would be a sky-watcher. They definitely hate a coyote! A Livestock Guardian Dog would be best, but I don't want any more animals, it's hard enough to get someone to come look after the chickens and the cat when we go out of town. The only thing that's different from the last 10 years is no rooster. A rooster can't fight off a hawk but they are constantly watching the sky and for any other predators and when he sees one he does an alarm call and every hen will dive for cover without even looking up. I guess I might have miscalculated how often our old rooster did this! Our nesting pair of Ravens are still around but they don't fly over or roost nearby like they use to. They would always attack any hawk in their airspace, but they just aren't around as much...

Sounds like you need to figure out how to entice the ravens to stick closer.

Wow, it sounds like they have a lot of protection. It's such a shame the hawk or owl are still getting them! How about a miniature donkey? I've always heard they are good protectors from coyotes. Are they the same with birds of prey? I don't know.

They will womp on a coyote but don’t care at all about birds of prey.
Not that I’ve seen anyhow.
I see one once a week and he’s a stinker.
He’s untied my shoes, grabbed ahold of the cargo shorts pockets a few times and goes for a nip at you if you don’t have food.
Took close to a year so he wasn’t angry at the dogs on the property because they existed.
I’ve seen hawks, falcons and crows around and he doesn’t give them a second look.