Hawk Problems

Yesterday afternoon I witnessed half dozen crows making life pure misery for a red tailed hawk. In mid air the hawk would do a half roll throwing its claws up as the crows swooped in on him from several directions. Therefore, I suppose attracting a family of crows could help deter hawks. Unfortunately, crows are the only bird I hate worse than hawks.

We had a hawk problem that began last summer with one every two weeks, until fall when we were losing one every other day and the Hawks would even go into our covered chicken run and into the opened chicken tractors to get the chickens. We got a great Pyrenees in December and haven't had any hawk problems since. The dog did like to chase the chickens occasionally and as soon as she caught them she would let them go, but a few hours with a shock collar on cured the chasing - which may have eventually turned into chicken killing.

Dawn

If people can learn to think outside the box (think creatively), they can learn to live compatably, in balance with nature.....

People around here didn't like wolves - now we're overrun with elk. So many elk, there's very few deer.

I don't like coyotes. But they hunt rats, & the rabbits that ate my garden.(now fenced)

Chickens can be in runs, have cover or be in chicken tractors.

Raptors eat carrion, mice, etc. think about it.

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Only she who attempts the absurd can achieve the impossible

I may get in trouble with some poeple for posting this but here goes. We have some small hawks here, I'm not sure what kind, but I feed them. At least I help them catch their dinner. Last summer they had a family of 3 in a tree across the street to feed. These hawks are not big enough to take a chicken that is more than a few days old but they sure catch a lot of black birds. The doves are also afraid of them but I have never seen them after anything but the black birds. I use grain to bate the black birds and I trimed limbs so the hawks could get a good run through my back yard. It works, they almost never miss.

Yes, which is why a fence plus dogs are so effective. The dogs establish a territory that the other predators respect, even the arial predators. I like watching the ravens and hawks soar but don't want them picking off piglets. Neither does Kita, one of our woolfs, shown here:


See this article about her and the ravens. There is one raven in our valley who flies quite well despite the fact that he is missing a large chunk of one wing. Kita got the feathers and some skin along there. He healed but minus a mouthful. He now does not fall for her tricks but stays further out from the farm.

Territorial imperative - We all have our boundaries and if they're respected get along great.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
http://HollyGraphicArt.com/
http://NoNAIS.org

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SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids

To my simple way of thinking the whole idea of homesteading is living in harmony with the land around us. If we rape the land for our own benefit (and yes killing beautiful raptors is raping the land) then how are we any different than the corporate farm lots that most of us detest. You are not being a good steward of the land and I am very thankful we are not neighbors.

I don't know about where you live but it is legal here to shoot a hawk who is killing your animals. We recently had a guy shoot a wolf(s) who was attacking horses. Hawks can live fine around here until they attack chickens.

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www.theidahoagripreneur.blogspot.com

I put out whole corn for the crows to get them to hang around, in turn , they chase away the hawks

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The Journey -IS- the Destination

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, Its about learning to dance in the rain....

I once threw a flip flop at a hawk making off with one of my Rhode Island red hens. I missed, but he dropped the chicken

Go for it!!!

I bet their is no law against that.

I lost my guard dog (that would run off hawks) last fall... so now I'm wide open to attack. My modus operandi is a hawk 'might' get a kill, but I'll make sure (if I'm home) that it won't get to eat it. Just this wednesday, heard the guineas 'alarming'... couldn't see anything. As an old Indian Trick, I fired off a few rounds on the .22 pistol. Red tail flew up and off 30yds away. The OEGB hen was still alive, but died the next morning.

I like birds of prey. I like my chickens. If the b.o.p. would only eat the excess 'cannon fodder' roosters, I wouldn't mind a bit.

I'd turn anyone in for killing birds of prey. Quite a few species are getting endangered. Humans, to my knowledge, aren't endangered anywhere.

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

Hawks come under the federal laws on endangered species. Some one has missinformed you. I have had my complete flock wiped out Raccons, Hawks. opposoms, snakes, feral cats, dogs, if I want poultry they would have to be pened or in a covered walkway and put in a secure building to roost. Yes I have been homesteading for over 50 years but I really don't have $75 thousand to a Hundred thousand to give away for shooting or harming a protected species. A wood carver I knew was really proud of the hawk and owl feet he used as models when carving very realestic birds. Carried them around so people could compare the real thing to his carvings. Cost $25,000 fine and his lawyer cost of over $50,000 Don't think he carves them any more.

You can kill hawks and other predatory birds when there is a serious local problem but only if you have the proper state and federal permits. Some states are faster to push permits through than others. And there are wildlife official who will issue permits after the fact. But without the permits you can end up in more trouble that you can imagine for killing birds of prey.

I've had hawk problems too, part of the reason I have duckatraz and am currently constructing a maximum security duck prison. At least I can shoot the coons.

I would say good luck, getting a taking permit.

I imagine one would need to know exactly what species of the bird in question one wanted to take. Some hawk species are very hard to differentiate. Taking the wrong bird, and presenting it to the feds, might just be a five figure fine.

Just the idea of a five figure fine should make anyone think twice about shooting migratory birds. I treasure my flock dearly, but even the most expensive, could be replaced for under $100... most for less than five, if ordering chicks.

I free range. By doing so, I acknowledge to the world around me, that I am taking the risk.... of losing a certain percentage to predators. Back when I had coops only, no bird of prey or ground varmint could get in... and zero losses were the norm.

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

Get yourself a pair of Grey Geese. You won't have any more hawk problems. But you will have chickens and geese.

We covered the top of our chicken pen with chicken wire. I used wire to "sew" up the seams and it was very strong. We even had a raccoon walk across the top of the pen and not fall through. Made for a lot less worries.

Lots of small predators is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. Mice and other rodents have very short breeding cycles and can produce a huge number of young in a year. Hawks and Owls do their part to keep rodent population down which in turn reduces farmers' crop loss.

Deb
in WI

Regardless of what a current "law" is, there is right and wrong to consider.

If the only way to protect your flock is to kill other wildlife on a regular basis, then you're doing it wrong.

Our flock free-ranges, and we lose the occasional chicken to coyotes or hawks. We could confine them to keep it from happening, but we opt not to. It's a personal choice, and IMO, an acceptable loss.

It's spring, and all wild critters have their young to tend to. For each hawk killed (out of selfishness, IMO), a few more die because their mom never made it home with their supper.

One can choose to live WITH nature or just kill everything that won't comply with your expectations.

The comment suggesting that the govt should reimburse $$ for chickens eaten by wildlife ... not even worthy of comment, luckily, or MD would give me another demerit!

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Before you marry someone, ask yourself, "Will they be a good killing partner during the zombie apocalypse?"
-someecards.com

When I had Sophie Ann..my wonderful Kuvasz (LGD), I never lost a single hen to any predator..she'd pick the high ground, and carefully scan the sky for hawks..after an hour of that, she'd get up and trot along the 5 acres of fence perimeter..checking, inspecting, etc.I loved to watch her work!! Then it was back to the high ground and hawk alert..

There was a breeding pair of hawks right across the road..they'd watch her,and she'd watch them..IMHO, LGDs are the very best ..the hens get to free-range and the predators go elsewhere.

BTW..
Killing or even firing warning shots against raptors is a FEDERAL crime..as is mere possession of their feathers...and it has been since 1973.

http://www.extension.org/pages/Hawk_...age_Assessment

One day everyone will realize that our survival is dependent upon the survival of every other species on the planet. That day of realization will come too late for all practical purposes. The wanton and reckless killing of any creatures around us is beyond tragic and sad and speaks very poorly for humanity as a whole. This is a critical worldwide problem and in no way limited to the USA.

At our home we live surrounded by hawks and eagles and every day I thank the heavens that those magnificent birds are there.

Jeff