I THINK this relates to this section....Am considering putting the dog out
- Thread starter chickchoon1
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OOOKKKKK..Just got home from picking up new engined truck from shop(another reason I am so poor/angry/rambly) and chickens were terrified in their shed(it was after 5 pm here) and I immediately went to shed to see a hawk(not a Redtail but more than likely Coopers) flying out of shed and it had killed/partially eaten a Redstar hen. So now I am thinking the very first bird I found 2 weeks ago(Salmon Faverolles hen) with her crop/neck eaten could have very well been a hawk(THIS hawk, probably) Suffice it to say I now know for a fact smallish hawks DO take chickens(well-they kill them/eat them on site) when given the opportunity. The chickens are so terrified and it breaks my heart. No more pastured chicken here, I am sad.And this is still allowed in "managing your flock" I believe. I took out 2 adult/7 young rats 2 years ago with snap traps(after saying how fortunate I was in having never seen a rat for the first 12 yrs of chickendom) but they had been after the feed at that point.Anyhoo-I think I would have felt better if it HAD been just weasels. That is a creepy heartsinking feeling seeing that hawk fly that way(sounds weird too) out of the shed. Will consider something like aart displayed above.
Sorry to hear about your girls. Y'know, we all think that a run area has to be tall enough for a human to get into, but if materials are tight, you could build something say, 3ft tall with wire overtop. It would cut down on building materials, keep the girls safe and could be expanded upon at a later date. The run could go right up to a 'pop' door so no access for the hawk. Good luck, keep us posted,
- May 3, 2014
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Sorry to hear about your girls. Y'know, we all think that a run area has to be tall enough for a human to get into, but if materials are tight, you could build something say, 3ft tall with wire overtop. It would cut down on building materials, keep the girls safe and could be expanded upon at a later date. The run could go right up to a 'pop' door so no access for the hawk. Good luck, keep us posted,
In the spring when I put my pullets out I used chicken wire, 10 t-posts, 2 rolls and blueberry netting. It was about $75.00 and kept them safe from hawks and tom cats...I was mostly worried about cats. Anyway, the run was about 3 foot high, fine for them, kept them safe. Awful for me if I had to get into the run...it was back breaking! You could consider free pallets for the outside instead of t-posts and chicken wire and blue berry netting on top. Would definitely cut down on the cost.
- Thread starter
- #14
Am just stunned that I can never comfortably pasture my girls. They have an area that I can cover with existing netting(their current penned in area is free privacy fencing and free 6' tall dog kennel panels from CL so the tall part of that will do even when covered.) It will evolve some by spring , I am sure, but not having chickens pecking around the yard enjoying themselves saddens me. I may try to attach a pen of sorts to the back of my house where my huge picture window overlooks.I probably have 3 billion square feet of the berry netting I bought a few years back(very tiny 1" stuff) and I envision having to rescue a hawk out of it now. Will investigate pics of enclosures and I will be busy this weekend putting berry netting up(shouldn't be too hard). TY.
OOOKKKKK..Just got home from picking up new engined truck from shop(another reason I am so poor/angry/rambly) and chickens were terrified in their shed(it was after 5 pm here) and I immediately went to shed to see a hawk(not a Redtail but more than likely Coopers) flying out of shed and it had killed/partially eaten a Redstar hen. So now I am thinking the very first bird I found 2 weeks ago(Salmon Faverolles hen) with her crop/neck eaten could have very well been a hawk(THIS hawk, probably) Suffice it to say I now know for a fact smallish hawks DO take chickens(well-they kill them/eat them on site) when given the opportunity. The chickens are so terrified and it breaks my heart. No more pastured chicken here, I am sad.And this is still allowed in "managing your flock" I believe. I took out 2 adult/7 young rats 2 years ago with snap traps(after saying how fortunate I was in having never seen a rat for the first 12 yrs of chickendom) but they had been after the feed at that point.Anyhoo-I think I would have felt better if it HAD been just weasels. That is a creepy heartsinking feeling seeing that hawk fly that way(sounds weird too) out of the shed. Will consider something like aart displayed above.
As you have found out, Cooper's hawks can and will take large fowl birds, even following hens in through a coop's pop door. Through the years I have lost more birds to that one species of hawk than any other predator. Coyotes are #2 with wiping out a flock of a dozen one morning. Add the other raptors (redtails, goshawks, eagles), mink, fishers and fox, no more ranging allowed here.
Well, I wouldn't say Never. This is how I mostly live with predators. Once they find you, it is their easy meal. So at that time, I lock things up firmly for several days. Then often time, you can let them out for limited times. It is not perfect, but they do get out and about more.
Couple of tricks:
* don't let them out at the same time each day
* don't let them out on windy days or dark cloudy days
* Get a mature rooster, over a year old, roosters have always reduced my day time predators
* when you get hit, go back into several days of lock down
December was pretty much lock down, I had a trio of coyotes making my coop their diner. I locked things up, and quit free ranging for a month, and they moved on. I let them out for an afternoon, a couple of days later, most of the morning.... so far so good.
Mrs K
Couple of tricks:
* don't let them out at the same time each day
* don't let them out on windy days or dark cloudy days
* Get a mature rooster, over a year old, roosters have always reduced my day time predators
* when you get hit, go back into several days of lock down
December was pretty much lock down, I had a trio of coyotes making my coop their diner. I locked things up, and quit free ranging for a month, and they moved on. I let them out for an afternoon, a couple of days later, most of the morning.... so far so good.
Mrs K
- Thread starter
- #17
Have a 2+ year old roo and he is of no use(for hawk predation anyhow) and timing their range time would be useless, imo, as the hawks are numerous and I am not positive it is a single hawk.Gonna have to face it and it didn't even occur to me until a little bit ago that I have 2 ducks(poor kids-they've been locked up, for just this reason, for the last 3 days) Lost 2 welsh harlequin girls the last 2 years(so I am obviously very negligent because this is all coming back to me and the pieces are fitting on who the predator probably was). I MAY try things like windy/cloudy/dark day adventures although that baffles me? Am worried about them being out tomorrow while I am working on their area and have to check weather to see if its going to be a mucky mess.
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