Instructions
Modify the habitat by removing any dead trees or other perch sites within 100 yards of your chickens. Other perch locations, such as windmills, water towers and power poles, cannot be removed, so install sheet metal cones, or Nixalite or Cat Claw bird spikes, to deter predatory birds from perching.
Use pyrotechnic devices, such as small rockets fired from hand-held pistols, that make a loud bang or whistle to startle predatory birds in the area. Repeat this technique occasionally to provide a continuous deterrent.
Use scarecrows in the vicinity to keep hawks and owls at bay. Be sure to move the scarecrow occasionally to keep the predators on guard. Increase human activity in the area where chickens are kept to discourage predation.
Set up electric pole shockers along a fence that predatory birds will use as a perch. When they light on the pole, they will receive a harmless but painful jolt. This will discourage them from returning to the immediate area while still allowing them to nest and hunt nearby.
Keep your chickens in a completely enclosed areas. Use chicken tractors or runs that are completely covered with wire to effectively prevent predation from hawks and owls. Encourage chickens to roost in closed coops in the evenings, conditioning them to expect to be confined at night, to prevent owl attacks.
Obtain a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and your state wildlife agency to trap and relocate problem predators. Use any of a wide variety of live traps to safely capture hawks and owls. Relocate and release the bird in a more remote area.
Obtain permission to shoot the problem predator, if other non-lethal means have failed. While hawks and owls are protected species, special permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state wildlife agencies are sometimes issued when the health and safety of the public or a person's livelihood are threatened.
How to Keep Large Predatory Birds & Owls Away From Chickens
Keeping chickens, either as a hobby or a business, can help reduce your grocery bills with a supply of fresh eggs and meat. Often, people in more rural areas simply keep them as pets. But large predatory birds, such as hawks and owls, see your pets as nothing more than potential meals. Taking a few precautions can protect your birds from predation.