Chicken yard hawk defense

[Mahyatt]

I seem to be over ran with owls and hawks killing my flock. I have lost more chickens in the past month than over the past 5 years or so. Their run is covered with netting and nothing can get into the coop. Owls and hawks seem to be now finding strategic ways of getting through the netting. I would like suggestions on how to keep these predatory birds off my property. Thanks!

 

[Mahyatt]

I just purchased the same bird netting from Amazon to replace the cheap plastic aviary netting you get at the hardware store. Although thin, it seems string, so I’m thinking it will keep our the hawks, but what about bobcats? I’m having a problem with both...

I doubt the netting will keep out a bobcat. It’s most likely legal to harvest a bobcat unlike birds of prey. You may want to get a guard dog for the flock?

 

[David61]

When looking at netting I looked at Two things to find real protection netting.
1) polypropylene
It will last 8+year and is way better than nylon.
2) shipping weight.
Yes, they all say 'heavy duty' but 50x50 @2.3lbs shipped?
My 25x50 2"mesh poly shipped @13.3lbs rated at 85bls/245lbs burst. Rated for use in heavy snow.
https://pinnonhatch.com/Poultry-Sup...tting-and-Fencing/Poultry-Protection-Netting/

 

[daesee]

I doubt the netting will keep out a bobcat. It’s most likely legal to harvest a bobcat unlike birds of prey. You may want to get a guard dog for the flock?

I’m thinking the same thing. We have a an Aussie who thinks she’s a guard dog. Chased the bobcat down one time. We had to call her off it. I’d hate to think what would have happened if she’d have caught it. She may not have won the battle. Although we’re on several acres, we are very close to a busy road, so working in a fence, then the dog can stay out more, as mostly a deterrent.

 

[cmom]

Thinks you're going to need more than just those couple-few runs of string.


Nah.

I was hoping you would post this picture...

 

[cmom]

It may be better to describe the bird netting. That used to protect fruit trees not tough enough.

So true. I thought it would work but a hawk went through it and an owl. I didn't get a picture of the hawk but had plenty of dead birds from it but did get the owl going through the crappy netting. Luckily I move the birds but prior it did kill a couple and then I replaced the crappy netting with another piece of crappy netting and the owl went through it again and this time I got a picture of it.

 

[cmom]

Here are some of the dead birds I pulled out of the pen the hawk got in. Mostly pullets getting ready to start laying.

This is the replacement netting I bought which I replaced the crappy netting with. So far no issues. I have seen hawks and heard owls but they haven't penetrated the new netting.

 

[daesee]

Very sorry about your birds.

So what brand is the ‘crappy netting’ and what brand is the ‘good netting?” Keep us posted on how it holds up!

 

[cmom]

I'll have to look, I don't remember but I bought the first good netting on eBay. I put in a max bid and when the auction was over to my surprise I won the bid. The other netting, the crappy netting and the other good netting came from Amazon.
The good netting I recently purchased. This is the same as the netting I originally purchased off of eBay but the one on eBay was twice the size of this netting.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWL83TG/?tag=backy-20

This is the crappy netting.
Apparently Amazon doesn't carry the crappy netting I purchased any more, but it was like this.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072K2T6SY/?tag=backy-20

Here is my post of an owl plowing right through the crappy netting.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-yard-hawk-defense.1343412/page-3#post-22090044

 

[daesee]

I'll have to look, I don't remember but I bought the first good netting on eBay. I put in a max bid and when the auction was over to my surprise I won the bid. The other netting, the crappy netting and the other good netting came from Amazon.
The good netting I recently purchased. This is the same as the netting I originally purchased off of eBay but the one on eBay was twice the size of this netting.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWL83TG/?tag=backy-20
View attachment 2000475
This is the crappy netting.
Apparently Amazon doesn't carry the crappy netting I purchased any more, but it was like this.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072K2T6SY/?tag=backy-20
View attachment 2000480
Here is my post of an owl plowing right through the crappy netting.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-yard-hawk-defense.1343412/page-3#post-22090044

Thanks. I just sent my crappy netting back and have ordered the good stuff. As others have said, weight and polypropylene seem to be clues to how string the netting is. We shall see.