Chicken Wire & Hawks

[Lilywater101]

HI Everyone!
I was wondering if I could get some input from people who have more experience than I do....Would chicken wire be okay to keep out Hawks?? I planned on covering the top of the run with chicken wire because the run is kinda large and chicken wire is cheap but I want to make sure that the Hawks wont be able to get in??

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

It would probably be fine for a cover, BUT I can tell you from personal experience, hawks can and will kill chickens through even the smallest wire. I lost a not-so-smart 9 week old bantam pullet this summer to a hawk, because she was sitting right next to the wire, and the hawk grabbed her through 1/2" x 1" welded wire. He also bloodied the combs of 3 others before I happened to go outside and scare him off.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Quote:
That's too bad. It's a good warning for others, though. I remember someone else posting that they had at least one chick killed through the side of a cage by a hawk on the ground. The were just trying to give their chicks some fresh air on a nice day.

I have chicken wire over the top of a run, to keep out hawks. It's been working fine for several years. Now that I've started typing this reply, I can't see your location, if you have it listed. The one downside is that it does collect snow in the winter. Then it will sag like crazy and can even collapse a weak run. We ended up adding more roof support and tarping it for the winter. We already owned some rolls of 6' chicken wire that we had bought for a different project, before we changed our plans. If you're going to go out and buy something and you live in an area that gets snow, I'd think about getting something with openings small enough to keep out hawks and large enough to not hold snow.

 

[lilchick]

I bought netting and covered my dog kennel pens. It is 1 inch and individually knotted and has strength up to 80 lbs. Used for back stops at ball fields.. Stretches just enough to stay tight with no sagging and snow does not stay on it... I bought it off e-bay. The hawks will not even land on it and if they did would probably get tangled up in it with their curved talons. This has worked far better for me than chicken wire and looks neater also.

 

[knjinnm]

Quote:
Hi,
Good tip. Do you recall the name of the wire? Or any other way of describing it?
Thanks,
Joe

 

[puredelite]

I would think that 2" chicken wire would keep hawks out but if raccoons are a problem they can chew thru it and gain entry. I have just built a new coop and run and although it will be more costly I plan on covering the run with 2x4" welded wire. I would think that it is large enough openings to allow snow to not collect on it. Right now I have strong twine strung across with plastic grocery bags tied to it and have not had any problem yet with hawks. This is suppose to work...

 

[lilchick]

knjinm just go to e- bay and search for knotted netting. it is not a wire at all but is a nylon type material and is very strong...

 

[JennyDillyAnna]

Quote:
What do you suggest using then? Were the chickens on the ground or roosting when attacked? I'm so confused on how this is possible and how to remedy. We are building coop now and my municipality requires a very stiff wire 14g and all that we could find was a 2x4" with a 1x1" overlap at the bottom for over 1 ft high. We have major hawk issues. Neighbor was out with the chickens and the hawk came within feet of him and shreiked at him angrily to drop the chicken.

 

[knjinnm]

Quote:
Thank you.

 

[knjinnm]

Quote:
What do you suggest using then? Were the chickens on the ground or roosting when attacked? I'm so confused on how this is possible and how to remedy. We are building coop now and my municipality requires a very stiff wire 14g and all that we could find was a 2x4" with a 1x1" overlap at the bottom for over 1 ft high. We have major hawk issues. Neighbor was out with the chickens and the hawk came within feet of him and shreiked at him angrily to drop the chicken.

Hi,
A Hawk got a "not-so-smart 9 week old bantam pullet this summer to a hawk, because she was sitting right next to the wire, and the hawk grabbed her through 1/2" x 1" welded wire.", no offense but how? If that is the case then I would put 1/4 x 1/4 mesh up the sides to keep "not-so-smart bantams" from sticking their heads out so a hawk cannot grab them. Are you sure your wire is "1/2" x 1", that is pretty small.
Joe