Hi,
We lost a chicken to a hawk. We strung wire line over our most of our 40' x 40' chicken yard. There's a lilac and a crab apple tree on the other part. The chickens hangout in the lilac much of the time, and it turns into a hide out when hawks are around. The other hangout is what I call the play pen . . . although once the chicks were set loose we took the sides off it. It morphed into a screen covered 6' x 6' area just outside of the coop door. I like it because they can be out and look through it to see if there's a hawk there or not. It's not unusual to see them take a flying run from the lilac to the playpen or visa versa.
ANYWAY, I'm thinking that it would be a good idea to plant more shrubbery for cover and especially evergreens as the tree & lilac will lose their leaves come fall. Also we could bridge the distance between the 2 hideouts.
What do you guys think of this idea? I couldn't find any info on this in the FAQs and such.
Which shrubs will hold up to the chickens in the long run? The chickens have been out in the yard for 5 weeks and so far the lilac is doing well. They don't eat much of it but the grass underneath is decimated.
Is rhododendron okay to plant? Or any suggestions?
I'd love to free range them on the back acre with the horse but now I'm not so sure . . .
I really appreciate hearing what others have done!
Prairie Chick
We lost a chicken to a hawk. We strung wire line over our most of our 40' x 40' chicken yard. There's a lilac and a crab apple tree on the other part. The chickens hangout in the lilac much of the time, and it turns into a hide out when hawks are around. The other hangout is what I call the play pen . . . although once the chicks were set loose we took the sides off it. It morphed into a screen covered 6' x 6' area just outside of the coop door. I like it because they can be out and look through it to see if there's a hawk there or not. It's not unusual to see them take a flying run from the lilac to the playpen or visa versa.
ANYWAY, I'm thinking that it would be a good idea to plant more shrubbery for cover and especially evergreens as the tree & lilac will lose their leaves come fall. Also we could bridge the distance between the 2 hideouts.
What do you guys think of this idea? I couldn't find any info on this in the FAQs and such.
Which shrubs will hold up to the chickens in the long run? The chickens have been out in the yard for 5 weeks and so far the lilac is doing well. They don't eat much of it but the grass underneath is decimated.
Is rhododendron okay to plant? Or any suggestions?
I'd love to free range them on the back acre with the horse but now I'm not so sure . . .
I really appreciate hearing what others have done!
Prairie Chick
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