Hawk and Fos

[ChickenWhisperer$]

I was wondering if there is any way I can protect my chickens without always having to watch them when they are outside of the coop. I have 11 females and 1 duck.
Any suggestions would help!

 

[aart]

A secure covered run.

 

[love4mychickens]

I agree with @aart, A secure run. Put a roof over the run, (witch will deter hawks). Also, dig a foot (or two) under the run just to protect them from digging.

 

[Chickassan]

Nice! That looks great "especially the sad hawk."

A secure covered run.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

Joy of joys, a hawk was spotted flying over our coop carrying a load of twigs in it's talons. Must plan to set up a nest nearby and feed organic free range poultry to it's young babies

 

[aart]

"especially the sad hawk."

I got out my teeny tiny violin and played it a dirge.

 

[sevenfatcows]

There was a hawk within one of my pens yesterday at dusk. I heard the alarm set up by the roosters and ran out there (in my good shoes) to find it inside the only fully covered run. All the birds had gone into their coop-it was the birds in the adjoining runs making all the noise. I ran around after the thing wanting, mostly, to give it a bad memory, and it flew out through the gate which I'd left very slightly ajar. Instead of flying away, it went into my main run. What happened next was almost too fast to see, but suddenly the hawk was on its back, on the ground, in a corner between the main chicken house and chain link fence. Its talons were up in a defensive position, and my gallant Jersey Giant rooster and Marans/Dorking rooster were standing over it. For the moment, they seemed to have it under control, but I was afraid that it could/would do them some real harm in the fight. I approached quickly, rake in hand (not sure what i was going to do); the hawk flipped over like an acrobat and flew out through a small space between the fencing. I was truly amazed at its agility and ability to see its way of escape in such chaotic circumstances. A check through all the runs showed no losses. A tree branch had made a hole in the deer net that I'd covered that particular run with, probably during the big wind storm last week. We have a pair of ravens that live full time in a stand of pine trees about 25 yards from my pens and free range area. They patrol vigilantly; I have seen them run hawks off long before they reach the edges of our property, so this was a real surprise. The hawks had gone to roost already. I wonder if they saw me, and said,"We have a human who lives full time about 75 yards from our trees and she......."

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Joy of joys, a hawk was spotted flying over our coop carrying a load of twigs in it's talons. Must plan to set up a nest nearby and feed organic free range poultry to it's young....

In that case I recommend that you start cooking and heating with renewable, organic, free range wood. The tree where the hawk is setting up house keeping will be the perfect place to begin.

 

[Sublight]

I just lost my most favorite girl to a hawk. Then I covered my run. Hard lesson learned.