Hawks a big threat?

[PhoenixAngel429]

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I'd say they are a danger to chicks and small chickens. However, a few months ago a hawk tried to catch some of our pullets and they fought off the hawk, all they lost were a few feathers, that's it. Keep an eye out but depending on how fiesty your chickens are, the hawk may have to find easier lunch.

 

[zengrrl]

I find it very interesting...and kind of disturbing to watch the trees in my area since there are no leaves growing just yet. I am amazed at the amount of hawks and vultures I'm seeing. The odds are stacked against us!

 

[riverrat1203]

I live in the Texas hill country, so there is a abundance of cover for them to hide under. But on the same token I also have some wide open areas that I'm sure my chickens will be in and i don't want to offer up any easy meals to the local hawks. I will still build a run for them, but until then i guess i will have to see how they fare on there own because i was really hoping to let them free range. I also will have to be sure to get a rooster as quick as possible because that seems to be a pretty important deterrent as well.

 

[Snegurochka]

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I think the magic number is 10 sq. feet per bird, 20 if you want to spoil them, but honestly I've had 12 chickens with only a 7X7 run and didn't have problems (although I'm expanding this year). Mine is completely covered with chicken wire.

I used to let my birds free range, but lost my favorite EE to a hawk when I was a kid and kept them cooped up for a few years. Then I got brave again and started letting them out, but eventually (many years later) a hawk took my leghorn, who liked to go off by herself (both birds were full grown). Both times I've lost chickens they were scratching around in the edge of the woods (around the cane pole) so I can tell you that in my experience, having bushes for cover isn't enough. If I had more birds and wasn't attached to them individually, I would still let them free range, since my hawk attacks were so few and far between.