STUPID QUESTION ALERT!!! Are hawks as dangerous in a heavily wooded areas as they are in an open field setting? We live on the side of a mountian and I am trying to guess what our biggest threat is going to be...
I think its easier for them to snatch a meal in an open area than one where they'll have to navigate trees and bushes. That being said, don't trust that they wont get your birdies in the woods. They are some stealthy and determined critters. Good luck- everything likes chicken for dinner.
It really depends on if there's a lot of shrub-height ground cover or not. Tall trees like pines make great places for hawks to hide while planning a swoop.
I've got a big problem with tall trees around my property. The forest hawks like goshawks are very clever at winging through the trees without being seen, and then they divebomb without warning. I've lost big adult birds.
So I would say a forest helps some aerial predators like goshawks...
If you could plant a lot of low shrubs the chickens would have a much better chance.
A relative of mine just had an issue with this earlier this week. She lives in a heavy woods and thought her chickies were safe from airborne creatures, until she stepped outside and saw a redtail hawk in her coop! Lesson learned, the put a wire roof on immediatly.