Free Range on 10 acres and Hawks

[Foreverawells]

I have 14 hens, 2 roos, 9 teenagers and 20 4week old chicks. They go in a coop at night, stay in a well protected run during the 1st half of the day and free range for the 2nd half of the day. I have just started having hawk sightings. After walking the property we discovered 2 nests. I have had chickens for 1 year and have not had problems before, but after seeing these hawks it's only a matter of time. I can't net off 10 acres. What is the best protection/decoy for this situation?

 

[Cassandra Lana]

You could fence in a “second run” for them to “free range” in with lots of grass etc .

You could even do a “third run” and switch them between the 2 once a month or so and let one get beat up while the other grows back.

You could attach it to the coop by a Chunnel or just bring them food and water in the second run.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Realize that free ranging will result in losses to predators, sometime. maybe tomorrow, maybe next year, but sometime. Raptors will take one bird at a time, often every three days or so, and usually youngsters and bantams.
When we loose a bird to a raptor, the flock is locked up for ten to twenty days, until that raptor gives up and moves on. That has worked well here, at least.
Other ground predators can take many birds within a very short time! Electric fencing works well for most canine types, if properly set up.
Only in predator proof coops and runs are your birds truly safe.
Mary

 

[Brooks_]

Welcome!
Realize that free ranging will result in losses to predators, sometime. maybe tomorrow, maybe next year, but sometime. Raptors will take one bird at a time, often every three days or so, and usually youngsters and bantams.
When we loose a bird to a raptor, the flock is locked up for ten to twenty days, until that raptor gives up and moves on. That has worked well here, at least.
Other ground predators can take many birds within a very short time! Electric fencing works well for most canine types, if properly set up.
Only in predator proof coops and runs are your birds truly safe.
Mary

^^^^
I accept the risk with evening free time. Mine are only safe when locked up at night.

 

[cmom]

I have 14 hens, 2 roos, 9 teenagers and 20 4week old chicks. They go in a coop at night, stay in a well protected run during the 1st half of the day and free range for the 2nd half of the day. I have just started having hawk sightings. After walking the property we discovered 2 nests. I have had chickens for 1 year and have not had problems before, but after seeing these hawks it's only a matter of time. I can't net off 10 acres. What is the best protection/decoy for this situation?

I am rural on a dead end road. My land is mostly open pasture so there is no places for the birds to hide, but that's not a guarantee. Free ranging is a risk you take. I have had a hawk kill a bird right in front of me. It didn't take her but did kill her. It happened so fast I didn't have time to react. Another time I had some chicks in a little temporary pen and while standing there next to the pen a hawk swooped down and grabbed a chick. Again it happened so fast I didn't have time to react but just watched the hawk fly off with my chick. I don't free range anymore but do have nice large pens for my birds. I have electric wires around the coops and pens, concrete under the gates and good heavy duty netting covering all of the pens. Lessons learned the hard way. Good luck...

 

[cmom]

I have 14 hens, 2 roos, 9 teenagers and 20 4week old chicks. They go in a coop at night, stay in a well protected run during the 1st half of the day and free range for the 2nd half of the day. I have just started having hawk sightings. After walking the property we discovered 2 nests. I have had chickens for 1 year and have not had problems before, but after seeing these hawks it's only a matter of time. I can't net off 10 acres. What is the best protection/decoy for this situation?

I have a lot of birds and you don't have to net off your 10 acres. I have several coops and pens covered with netting with a lot of room for the birds. I originally put the netting up before I had planted trees in the pens. As the trees grew I cut the netting and worked it around the branches until they were above the netting. My fences are 5' high.

 

[Kaddi143]

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