Bird netting is NOT hawk proof!

[lilchick]

I have a small pen approx. 12 ft. by 12 ft. so I purchased a plastic type of drop netting like the ones you place over fruit trees. It worked fine all summer and fall. Stretched tight over the pen and secured to the fencing... Once the snow fell I moved the chickens out of that coop and pen.
One snowy afternoon a hawk was sitting in tree near that pen and suddenly swooped and tore straight thru the netting and caught a snow sparrow on the ground! I was so thankful that no chickens were in the pen......
This spring I will use the heavier netting and not the deer or fruit netting again...

 

[hinkjc]

Agree, that netting will not stop birds of prey. You need some heavy duty flight top netting. We get ours at Cutler supply..excellent quality product and keeps critters out and chickens in.

 

[Ariel301]

Scary! What about chicken wire? I roofed our run with it because the chickens kept getting out at night and wandering off. Well, mostly roofed, there is still a gap I need to get more wire to cover. This morning we had a hawk (we think) get in the gap and tore the throat out of one hen (not killing it, we had to put it down because it was still alive and in shock) and ripping feathers off the others! If I completely chicken wire the top, will that be safe? The top of the pen is the only way a hawk could even come in. We've got a young redtail hawk hanging around that attacks people as well as going after our full grown goats, but this is the first time it has shown interest in chickens.

 

[kayri]

I use nylon bird netting that they say has 50 lb test strength. I saw a huge red-tail swoop down and try to take one of my chickens as it was walking up the ramp, but it pulled up at the lat minute, I didn't see if it hit the netting and bounced off or not. It works as long as mine don't escape. One did 2 days ago and was eaten by a hawk. Rest in peace sweet Chica with the fluffiest cheeks and beautiful olive -green eggs. . .

 

[FollowingMyNose]

Quote:
Oh, I'm so sorry...

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

oh boy, that's good to know about the plastic netting...I did my chicken avaries last summer with those. I think I'll go out the first semi warm day I get and put up all new chicken wire top and sides...thanks for telling all of us that. I just assumed a hawk would see it and not even try to go through it.