Hawk attack......Time for a new coop..Done new pics

[redneck]

I went out yesterday to give my chickens some treats. I could only find two. One was a little bloody, the other was pretty shook up. I managed to find 4 of the six chickens,..........two were missing. I later found them at 10:00 PM under the nest box. All seemed to be fine.
I let my chickens free range all day. But not anymore. There current coop is pretty small.

Here is some of the current occupants:

I have a total of 6 chickens in this set-up. It has a 4x6 foot run with a 2x2 foot house with one nest box on the outside.
Now for the new coop. I started a 4x8 foot coop with a 4 foot square house. It will have tin roof with 3 nest boxes on the back. I patterned it after this one. www.backyardchickens.com/coops/monica.html
I still want to have the mobility of a chicken tractor, but with 6 to 8 birds in it they will quickly mow the grass inside. I got to thinking about a run that will be bigger than the 4x8 tractor. I went and bought some 10 foot conduit 1/2 inch dia.
I also bought some 3/4 inch elbows for black pipe and I screwed some 1/2 inch conduit connectors into the elbows. This way I could make a square frame using the conduit. The frame is 4x10 foot. I then stretched some chicken wire over the frame. My plan is to make 5 of these for a run, that would be a 10x20 foot run. I just need to figure out how to put a top on the run for protection. I will use 4 foot T-post to help secure each panel together. My camera has gone A.W.O.L. Got to find it. I will get some pics of everything when its located.
Any suggestions on the above post?

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I'm glad they all made it.

I'll be interested to see your next project when it is completed. My husband and I are still contemplating the best way to construct a large, movable, secure day-time run.

 

[MyPerfectChicken]

Happy all are there!

Yes show pictures of the next coop (I am also looking into tractors)

 

[gila_dog]

So how do you know it was a hawk that attacked your chickens? It could have been some other predator that got in, and then out again, couldn't it?

Recently I found one of my chickens dead in the pen, missing her head. That was really strange. A couple of days later the mystery was solved. While I was standing there watching the chickens a little hawk, the size and color of a pigeon swooped right over my head and down thru the pen, straight for one of the hens. At the last instant she ducked her head, and he missed her. But if he had grabbed her head it would have popped right off and he would have kept going, with her head in his talons. I ran another fence thru the chicken pen, dividing it in two, then put a chicken-sized opening in the bottom of the fence so they can pass thru. This has divided the area the hawks have for attacking hens into two smaller areas. So far, no more missing heads.

 

[redneck]

My chickens were free ranging at the time. I walked around to the side of the house and got to within 15 feet of the hawk. I estimate the hawk was about 1 1/2 -2 feet tall with a wing span around 3 feet. He was on top of one of my roosters. I have seen him before. I thought my birds would be ok outside of the coop, but I was wrong. They have plenty of briar's and under brush to hide in, in fact they were in a hedge at the time.

 

[redneck]

I found the camera last night, kids had it. I went out and took some pictures of what I did yesterday.

This is a pic of the rafters.

Overall picture of the tractor. the plywood platform is 4 foot square, and it is 2 feet off the ground. So far i have $0.00 invested in the tractor everything is recycled materials.

Here is the rooster that was attacked. His name is Sundrop. Don't know where the kids got the name other that it's a softdrink similar to Mt. Dew here.

 

[redneck]

Almost done except for the paint,wire, and chicken ladder.

Here is the poop clean out door.

Nest boxes

Roost

front view

 

[redneck]

I am kind of disappointed in this chicken tractor. It is very heavy. Once I get where i want it, it won't be moved. I am thinking about adding permanent wheels to it.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Looks great, but yes, also looks pretty heavy.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

Looks GREAT redneck!

I can't wait to see how you add the wheels. I really like this I am wondering if my girls and I could build a few of these?

My DH fixed our 12x12 shed into a coop they have a run also but I really want them to have access to fresh grass.

Keep the pictures coming I am trying to work this out on paper!