Close call this morning- Hawk near the coop

[hoosierhen]

I was out picking green beans this morning and heard a noise by my coop. Sitting on a fence post looking into the chicken yard was a large hawk, checking out my chickens. I yelled and chased him away, but know he/she will probably come back.
Saturday I am picking up a Roo from justusnak to replace the one I culled due to aggression. I can't get him here soon enough!! I need the "rooster alert" to help keep my girls safe.
When I did my head count to see if they were all ok, most of them were huddled in a back corner of the coop under the roosts. 2 of them that didnn't go in the coop, but were out back in their yard, were like chicken statues- they didn't even move when I walked back. Poor things!

 

[scooter147]

Time to cover that run.

I use deer netting I buy at Lowes. It is less than $10 for a roll of 100 feet. I think it is 7 feet wide but not sure at the moment. It is easy to put up, very easy to work with. I use zip ties to attached to the fence, a nail driven into the top of the fence posts and cup hooks to attach to the coop.

If it sags due to snow, wet leaves etc it is easy to bring back taught by gathering it and stretching to the cup hooks and nails. I highly recommend it.

The stuff up now has been there for about 5 years.

I have red tails out the ying yang around my place and have not lost a chicken since using it and yes I have the same experience you just had, they come an sit on the fence post and drool.

 

[justusnak]

Oh jeesh! You will DEFINATELY love this roo....
The other day, Iw as out watering the pigs...and filling chicken swimming pools....when my 2 RIRX started yelling for the girls to go inside. Then my little Guinea started with its call..for the first time ever! So, I knew there was something out there. I started looking up, naturally...didnt see anything...then I saw Marigold ( you little roo to be) side stepping towards a flower bed....makeing warning calls. He was walking slowly...towards whatever was in there. Then I saw it...a kitten from next door. Crouched in the grass. scared to move! So, I walked up to Marigold....and shooed him away from the little kitten, and took it back to its home. Then came back and gave Marigold a plump juicy tomato! What a good boy he is!! He of course called the girls over, and let them have it.

 

[crtrlovr]

Glad your roo was able to control the big bad kitty until you could get things squared away... Good boy!

ETA: Isn't it sweet how the roos share their treats and delicacies with their ladies ? I LOVE to watch them do that!

 

[hoosierhen]

I have a very large area for the chickens to roam, but I am going to cover the area in front of the coop. It is approx 10'x20' I think. Actually, I am going to hire a carpenter (I have LIMITED skills) to side, insulate, replace windows, and modify the inside of my coop. So far, I have spent very little on my coop, since my chickens were small last winter and I had a hoop house inside the coop to make a draft free area-complete with heat lamp for cold nights. The girls are too big to confine to a small area. I am going to get an estimate and if it's not feasible, I am going to have a new coop built. I am alloting $3,000. for the project. I wish I were more talented in this area- I could save a lot of $$.