# Chickens and predators



## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

Specifically Hawks. 

We have chickens that run free range over about an acre of land. A few trees but not many. We also have some beautiful hawks floating around and recently they took 3 of our chickens. 

So the wife is looking at a variety of methods to protect the chickens and discourage the hawks. 

Since it’s an acre, and limited trees, and they run free range, netting and running fishing line wont work. We kept them in the coop for a few days hoping that the hawks would move on but they didn’t. My understanding is that during this time of year they are more active in hunting.

We did experience something yesterday that may be a solution of sorts. We let them out of the coop and almost immediately there was a beautiful hawk circling the pasture. As soon as my wife went outside the hawk left the area. So her thinking now is some type of scarecrow with CD’s hanging off of it, etc. 

We do let the horses into this pasture but not often so that’s not a viable longer term solutions. Not really thrilled about another animal like a miniature donkey etc... we have enough 4 legged friends. 

What other solutions have you tried and what seems to work? Input appreciated.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

If you have Hawks you need over head protection. Heavy tree coverage or nets. Not if they will get then but when.


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## agmccall (Jan 26, 2017)

not sure if this is true or not but a farmer told me that guinnea fowl with the chickens can protect them. They let out loud cries when hawks or other predators are near and the chickens will head for cover

again, not sure if this is true or not but it is something to research. Also, they are very noisy and the neighbors might not be too fond of them

al


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

agmccall said:


> not sure if this is true or not but a farmer told me that guinnea fowl with the chickens can protect them. They let out loud cries when hawks or other predators are near and the chickens will head for cover
> 
> again, not sure if this is true or not but it is something to research. Also, they are very noisy and the neighbors might not be too fond of them
> 
> al


 To a point they will but the hawks will eat them also. They make a lot of noise that does help scare some rodents away. Good eating.


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## Blendingin (Feb 13, 2016)

agmccall said:


> not sure if this is true or not but a farmer told me that guinnea fowl with the chickens can protect them. They let out loud cries when hawks or other predators are near and the chickens will head for cover
> 
> again, not sure if this is true or not but it is something to research. Also, they are very noisy and the neighbors might not be too fond of them
> 
> al


Guinea are good for nothing but making noise. The only thing that will really protect the chickens is a net and a good fence. The netting is pretty cheap on amazon. 
That doesn't help if you are going to free range though. Sometimes a few good roos hanging around the flock will help but I have found keeping geese mixed in my flock helps the best. This only works with mature birds though. The predators will eat any small bird.

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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

I have watched a hawk carry a full grown large chicken off at a high rate of speed. Around here we also deal with Eagles


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Heard hawks taste like chicken, I know eagle does. Make easy targets perched up in the trees. :tango_face_wink: Could use the 3 "S" method also.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Chipper said:


> Heard hawks taste like chicken, I know eagle does. Make easy targets perched up in the trees. :tango_face_wink: Could use the 3 "S" method also.


 The Hawks and eagles eat my chickens, the deer eat my hay, corn and soy beans. But I need the States permission to stop them and in most cases have to pay for it. The rain falls on my land but then the State claims to own it. But if it floods something out they claim it is not their problem. The system is rigged.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

We also deal with hawks but only lose a chicken or two per year. If you're losing that many chickens I think you're going to have to confine them to an area with more cover. 

Just my opinion but in our case there are so many large fields in the area while the hawks soar above regularly there is plenty of fields for them to hunt over so they generally ignore the chickens. Our birds often trot from one piece of cover to another.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

The moveable chain link chicken pens looks like the ideal scenario to me. You can build them out of an old swing set or buy them anywhere they sell yup chicken raising equipment. You let the cluckers peck around for a few days and then move it to greener pastures. As can be seen from the link even a skinny hundred pound weakling lady can scoot it all around. 


__ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/500955158523576811/


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

I hate crows. They bug me. A friend told me they are helpful with his chickens as they drive off hawks. Are there any crows in your area? Maybe a crow call could help.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

Denton said:


> I hate crows. They bug me. A friend told me they are helpful with his chickens as they drive off hawks. Are there any crows in your area? Maybe a crow call could help.


Yea, Crows love to pounce on hawks as they fly. And I've seen smaller birds bounce crows as the crows fly.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Elvis said:


> Yea, Crows love to pounce on hawks as they fly. And I've seen smaller birds bounce crows as the crows fly.


I watch mockingbirds chase crows around the flight line at work. Makes me happy.

Would a crow call scare the hawks?


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Just remember, if you kill or injure a hawk you are committing a federal crime.

We have Red Shouldered Hawks in the area, and they have gotten a few chicks, but not a full grown hen.
We have our birds seperated into small flocks, 6 or so hens with a rooster, and they each are in chain link dog kennels which I have covered the tops with tarps - both for weather and predators. The local Ace Hdwe sells fence parts which I use to make a bar down the center higher than the edges to make the tarps have a peak so rain will run off.


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Chickens do not require a full acre of land (at least around here they do not). Couldn't you fence off a much smaller area and cover the overhead? Then rotate as needed?


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Inor said:


> Chickens do not require a full acre of land (at least around here they do not). Couldn't you fence off a much smaller area and cover the overhead? Then rotate as needed?


That would be the most efficient thing, for sure.
We have about 50, plus or minus, and I have an area 40X70 feet fenced off with 6 foot tall chain link. Inside those are our dog kennels.
Each day, one group is let out to roam the enclosure. Only one group at a time otherwise the roosters will fight.

The only time I worry about predation is at night - it has only happened once in 15 years, but a raccoon climbed the outer fence and got inside. He couldn't get into the kennels, but managed to grab one thru the links and eat its head and insides. Came back the next night, tried to dig under the kennels with no luck. Night #3 was a live trap baited with store bought chicken gizzards. It took 4 rounds to the head with my 10-22 before he stopped thrashing. I took no joy in it, but the birds depend on me for security.
The red foxes in the woods out back don't bother even trying.


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

All great suggestions. We’ve also been told about turkeys and a rooster as well as the guinea fowl. A friend has also suggested a scarecrow with cd’s hanging off of it. 

Since there are only a couple of trees netting wouldn’t be possible. When it’s dry enough (which lately hasn’t been very often) we run our horses in the pasture. 

We may have a solution. We do have a large moveable chicken run fence (omlet). It’s “portable” and we have used it to supplement border fencing. Since it’s large the idea would be to set it up and run monofilament across the top. After a few weeks we can then move it to another part of the pasture/field and rerun the monofilament. Although it’s portable it’s a PIA to move and set up but might be a good solution. 

And as I’m tying this, a large beautiful hawk just few by...

We’d never shoot one either not only because it’s illegal but because shooting one wouln’t make any difference as there are many many in this area. My hope is that now that the large farm in back of us has been harvested critters will become more popular out there and the hawks will move off.


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

rice paddy daddy said:


> That would be the most efficient thing, for sure.
> We have about 50, plus or minus, and I have an area 40X70 feet fenced off with 6 foot tall chain link. Inside those are our dog kennels.
> Each day, one group is let out to roam the enclosure. Only one group at a time otherwise the roosters will fight.
> 
> ...


Last year we had a raccoon go over the top of the fixed run. We sealed it and they didn't try again. When we put up the coop and small run, which is actually and oversized dog run from tractor supply, we run wire mesh under everything so they couldn't dig. In the begging we noticed evidence of them trying but not in a long time.

I have 3 dogs that I wish I could put with the chickens. But, the small one would probably be carried away by the hawks, the medium one would invite the hawks to carry the small one away and the large coonhound would eat the chickens.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

I am a novice, with 9 chicks and two ducks. They are in 8 X 10 cage, three feet tall. I have talked to my neighbor, as his four birds have free run, and he stated he looses about one a year. A hawk did land on my coop, and which is fence top and bottom, but I happened to be outside and shoed it off.
My birds only free roam on Sundays, when I am home to keep the neighbors dogs off.


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## CoffeePot (Nov 9, 2018)

Have you considered a chicken tractor?


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## Go2ndAmend (Apr 5, 2013)

Another consideration would be to make your chicken pasture into a "no fly" zone. A couple of days with a few #6 shot should do the trick. Besides, I hear that Hawks taste like chicken. Just a thought.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

I guess you guys don't have weasels?

They are way worse than hawks and hard to keep out. They are not happy with just one chicken, but will kill a whole bunch at one sitting.


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

Nope.. no weasels (besides the political types) so we are good there..

My wife is looking at at chicken tractor now. Neighbor has one and it seems to work well.


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