Aerial protection idea

[linguini]

We checked on bird netting, but would have to cover our whole pasture, as our hens refuse to stay close to covered area. For some reason the Ladies will stay near the coops on days we don’t see the Eagles, but the second we see a hawk or an Eagle the Ladies will go into the pasture.
Donkeys will chase Eagle off and stand over the dead chicken. When an attack happens the girls run to the coops, but when we try to get there to close them in they come out and spread again like Sister wasn’t just murdered .

so sad the attacks happened, how devastating it must have been for all! so so sorry.

 

[linguini]

Beautiful bird!!

We have a nesting pair of red tail hawks, and the fly-by Cooper’s hawks. There are bald eagles nearby but the red tails keep them at bay, thankfully! Here’s a pic of our resident red tail, hence the need for protection!! My 20# dog chases them off, but I fear for her, too!

Wow, the hawk really knows where to perch to get a good view of the chicken yard! They won't give up. Our resident red shoulder still watches the chickens from the trees around here. Luckily there are plenty of field mice around. It tries to attack squirrels sometimes, but squirrels escape pretty fast usually.

 

[The chicken master g g g]

If I had RIR, Easter Eggers, and Plymouth rock chickens what would be first in the pecking order.

 

[The chicken master g g g]

I am new to chickens and don't know what I am doing. If I had 4 Rirs, 4 Easter Eggers and 4 Plymouth rock chickens which one would be first in the pecking order

 

[PoppasGrill]

I am new to chickens and don't know what I am doing. If I had 4 Rirs, 4 Easter Eggers and 4 Plymouth rock chickens which one would be first in the pecking order

In our experience, RiR and Plymouth Rock are the more dominant breeds. They are sweet birds but our Barred Rock have been the bigger bullies to other hens and Leghorns have been the more food aggressive towards other hens even though they are the smaller hens.
Others might have different experiences with other breeds.

 

[PoppasGrill]

If you choose to use aviary nettings, you can cover the area with no trees using aviary netting and attach (by staple) to the coop (assuming the black roof is the coop roof). Patch under the tree using deer net, and use nylon strings to stitch them together. We have trees in parts of the chicken yard, and that's what we did. The deer nets are easy to work with but sink more in icy weather, but holds very well. The aviary nettings catch less ice and snow, and much cheaper than deer nets.

The photo below shows the heavier snow load on the deer net, and no snow loads on the aviary net. This photo was taken before we figured out using the 2x2x8 to hold up the net.

That is a bunch of snow, glad we don’t have to deal with that anymore.

 

[Rick&Chris]

I've been using Mason string for 5 yrs now. Agreed it will not stop a hungry hawk from getting in no matter what the pattern. Rather, it will interrupt a secret death dive bomb. It gives the ladies a chance to run for cover. I've personally witnessed this several times. I've also seen a hawk inside the yard looking confused as to how he got there and what to do next now that the chickens are just standing looking at him.
I've also seen them perched up on the power pole looking down try to figure out if a chicken dinner is on the menu but they fly off. I believe the string helps a lot and it's worth the effort to put it up a couple times a year.

Thank you! Do you have a photo of what you did (pattern, etc)?

 

[KyCoop]

I don't have any current photos but I can get some after it's coated in ice. If it's not on the ground I'll get one. Your diagram is very similar to my set up. Start with a high center point. If you have a tree, wrap a good size rope around it. Then, tie your individual running strings to it and run them to your other points be it the coop, a fence another tree. The key is getting the lines high enough with your center point that you don't hang your head on it every time you go in the yard.

 

[The chicken master g g g]

What are the best chickens to get 7 of them. I would like 21 chickens. I hope they would get along. Please reply I am a newcomer

 

[Seaslug]

What are the best chickens to get 7 of them. I would like 21 chickens. I hope they would get along. Please reply I am a newcomer

It would be best if you started a post just for your specific questions instead of using this thread, which is for a specific Coop & Run question.