Keeping hawks away from chickens is crucial if you’re raising them in a small space like an urban backyard. Even if you’re keeping your chickens in a large area, these raptors can find their way into your enclosed backyard and attack them. Not all hawks will take the chick home for dinner—some of them may just be curious. In this article, we’ll learn about how to keep hawks away from your chickens based on different reasons why they are coming towards your fowl friends. Whether you have only hens or also some roosters, we have got you covered with these tips on how to keep hawks away from your chickens.
How To Keep Hawks Away From Chickens?
- Monitor the area where your chickens are living. If you see hawks in the area, move them away from the chickens.
- Have a hawk repellent around to keep hawks away from your chickens.
- Monitor the ground for hawks’ nests and remove them if you see any nearby.
- Keep your chicken coop clean and free of clutter to discourage hawks from nesting in it.
- Be vigilant as hawks will often try to steal eggs from nests of other birds as well as poultry’s own nests, so make sure your hens have enough room perches to raise their chicks safely and comfortably in a nest or nest box that is protected by a roof or other sturdy structure so that they are not easily accessible to predators like hawks and falcons (or predators like coyotes).
- Make sure your chickens are fed and watered on a regular basis to prevent the hawks from taking eggs or chicks.
- Keep your chicken coop clean and free of clutter to discourage hawks from nesting in it.
- Monitor the area where your chickens are living. If you see hawks in the area, move them away from the chickens.
- Monitor the ground for hawks’ nests and remove them if you see any nearby.
- Keep your chicken coop clean and free of clutter to discourage hawks from nesting in it.
- Monitor the area where your chickens are living. If you see hawks in the area, move them away from the chickens.
- Have a hawk repellent around to keep hawks away from your chickens.
Why Are Hawks Attracted To Chickens?
- Chickens are an easy target. Chickens can be found in a wide range of habitats, from dense forests to high-elevation meadows. A chicken’s natural instinct is to run away from predators, the same instinct that causes them to scatter when they see hawks approaching. They are also quite noisy and cluck loudly when threatened.
- Chickens have a wonderful smell that attracts hawks, especially red-tailed hawks and great-horned owls who are specialists in catching small animals such as rodents and other birds.
- Hawks love to eat chickens! They will swoop down on the chicken flock and they will often be able to catch several chickens at once by surprise or by stealthily approaching the flock from behind while the chickens are distracted by something else (like a cat or dog).
- Chickens have been known to attack hawks that have attacked them! This is called “brood defense” and it happens when an injured hen is protecting her chicks by attacking any predator that comes near her nest (this can even happen when she has chicks that are not yet fledged).
- Chickens have been known to chase after hawks attacking them! This is called “flock defense” and it happens because of their natural tendency to group together for protection against predators (again, this can even happen with un-fledged chicks).
- Chickens keep your garden free of unwanted pests such as mice, rats, rabbits & skunks.
- Chickens keep your garden free of unwanted pests such as mice, rats, rabbits & skunks.
- Chickens are a great source of food for hawks, who will feast on chickens the same way that hawks will eat other small birds (birds like sparrows & wrens).
- Chickens are a great source of food for hawks, who will feast on chickens the same way that hawks will eat other small birds (birds like sparrows & wrens).
- Hawks have been known to kill and consume chickens! Hawks are known to attack entire chicken flocks at once in order to get some quick protein before flying off to hunt other prey (this is called “mobbing”).
Install A Hawk-Proof Coop To Keep The Hawks Away From Chickens
- Keep your chickens away from the hawks’ nesting area by installing a temporary fence around the area where your chickens are kept.
- Get rid of all food sources near your chicken coop and the hawks’ nesting area.
- Install an electric wire from chicken feeders through the roof of your chicken coop, into a high point in your yard so that hawks can’t get to it.
- Build walls around your chicken coop and allow for only one entrance and exit per side of it so that hawks have no choice but to fly over it to reach their prey (this is called “hack proofing”).
- Attach a small dog or cat to one end of the electric wire you installed in #3 above so that they can scare off any hawk that comes close enough to get to the bird feeder (this is called “petsitting”).
Conclusion
Hawks can be very harmful to your chickens. Therefore, keeping hawks away from your chickens is a priority. You can do this by building a hawk-proof coop and putting it in an area where hawks don’t usually reside. You can also try to drive away from the hawks by making loud noises or by spraying them with water. Ultimately, the best way to keep hawks away from your chickens is to keep your coop clean. If you’re raising your chickens in an urban backyard, keeping hawks away from your chickens can be a challenge. However, by following these tips, you’ll be able to keep these birds of prey away from your chickens.
