Hawk Checking Out My City Chickens

[Catalina]

I live in a very suburban cul-de-sac neighborhood. I didn't think I would ever have to worry about wild predators.
Today I saw a hawk very sloooowly flying up and down the fence line between my house and my neighbor's houses. He was flying about 8 feet off of the ground.

I know what he was looking for!!!
My girls were out in their run (which thankfully, is attached to my house on 2 sides) and he was trying to figure out how to get a chicken snack!

 

[#1California Chick]

Hopefull your run is covered on top!!!!

Otherwise, I would not let your chickens out in the run until it is covered!!!

I have had hawks almost fly into me trying to get small birds!! Do NOT expect them to make mistakes!!!

Keep your babies safe!!

Cindy

 

[sred98]

Oh NO!!! This is how I lost my OEG hen!

Please be careful! I almost stepped on the hawk when I came around the corner, while it was eating her.

I hope yours stay safe!

Shelly

 

[Catalina]

#1California Chick :

Hopefull your run is covered on top!!!!

Otherwise, I would not let your chickens out in the run until it is covered!!!

Cindy

No - I don't have a cover.

So they won't be going out until I get it covered.
How do you attach netting to metal house siding?​

 

[speltier]

Hmm, you could screw a furring strip to the house in just a couple of places, then staple the net to that. I can relate, I looked out the window this morning and, down below (I live about 20' above) was a huge redtail, sitting ON the chickendome. Man... They wouldn't come out of hiding till I went down and sounded the all-clear. Chickens. Oh, I'm also in the city... in the middle of Berkeley, California, in fact. I also relocated a family of 4 raccoons from next door. It's a little overgrown on the interior of my block, I'm lucky like that. Urban predators, indeed.

 

[jubylives]

Do you have a pic of your setup to help us give you ideas on how to cover yuor run?

jeremy

 

[Mom 2em All]

I recently had a hawk come down into my chicken yard and grab a pigeon while myself and my dogs were out there- and Im in a suburb neighborhood too-
what I did, for now, is I strung fishing line across the top in several places with CDS on them to make these light-reflecting spheres...my girls now enjoy a giant disco-ball effect...anyhow, so far, I havent seen the hawk again. I am sure he will return, but hopefully NOT before I can put netting up (waiting for a thaw, first).

 

[BayCityBabe]

I live in Hawk Alley - can see their nests from my windows! We covered our run with deer netting, because it costs about 1/10 th of the cost of "aviary net." Probably not the most secure. I also duct taped flags and whirly-gigs from the Dollar Store to the posts of my run. It's kinda cheesy, but we haven't lost a bird.

 

[dani813]

I've been having the same problem with both a Red-Shoulder Hawk and a Coopers Hawk.

 

[DDRanch]

Good advice from others. Please do cover your run. Your hens are being stalked!!! If the hawk gets a meal, it will never go away. And if the hawk kills inside your run, the others will be terrified as there will be no place to hide.