Hawks, Netting, Miracles, and the Missing.

[Nardo]

I don't have a picture and I used the netting as everyone mentioned. I have a large area (maybe 20' X 60') and I used a PVC hoop frame to hold the netting up. Here are some images. Mine is not as neat as these but it is pretty cheap and easy to move. So I have the netting attached to the ends of the run and a frame like these just sort of in the middle to hold it up. The netting is zip tied just to keep it still but the ends of the netting don't wrap around the PVC like in the pictures.
https://www.google.com/search?newwi...j1j1j1......0....1..gws-wiz.....6.S6ouZvQ63o0

And try here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/using-pvc-for-a-hoop-house.488361/

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I don't have a picture and I used the netting as everyone mentioned. I have a large area (maybe 20' X 60') and I used a PVC hoop frame to hold the netting up. Here are some images. Mine is not as neat as these but it is pretty cheap and easy to move. So I have the netting attached to the ends of the run and a frame like these just sort of in the middle to hold it up. The netting is zip tied just to keep it still but the ends of the netting don't wrap around the PVC like in the pictures.
https://www.google.com/search?newwi...j1j1j1......0....1..gws-wiz.....6.S6ouZvQ63o0

And try here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/using-pvc-for-a-hoop-house.488361/

Nice! Thanks! I think my area may be too wide for the PVC though. We're going to run chain link from the "predator proof" run out to our existing privacy fence. These would be great for a nice roomy moble coop though! It's definitely something for me to consider!

 

[Roostie]

That looks like the thing Obiwan Kanobe used to train Luke to use the force.

It looks like a mutated archery target to me... lol!

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Amazon is not an option in my part of the world

Not yet anyway!

 

[AquaDuck]

I do the same thing now, I wave my hands all willy nilly and sometimes yell at them...I do have neighbors though, they probably think I'm crazy. They could be right. Lol
Do you recall which type of plastic netting it is? The kind I'm getting is plastic too but I'm hoping it's a bit heavier...

Haha!
It's a cheap blue type with quite small holes. It's fine as long as you don't try to tug it, or drag it over branches... If you fasten it by squeezing it between two pieces of wood, it holds up pretty good. Fastening it with only a nail or something, and the edges rip instantly.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I free range all of my chickens but because the hawks have been so active this year I'm going to be building an extended run that isn't necessarily as predator proof as my main coop and run but something I could put a net over to prevent hawk attacks and still allow a semi-free-range scenario. Does anyone know what kind of netting would work best for this? It's still going to be a large area so something wide and inexpensive would be nice.

View attachment 1756961
So my suspense-filled story for today isn't yet a happy ending but I thought I would share why I'm in such a tizzy and why fake owl statues, shiny object, and string just aren't going to cut it! The 5 above chicks were recently integrated into the flock and the worst happened this morning...a hawk struck. I ran out to check when I heard the warning signal from a hen and I watched as a hawk flew away with my little Blue Copper Marans. It dropped the baby somewhere in the woods and I searched for a while for what I was sure would be a body and I searched even longer for the other 4 missing chicks. No luck. I've locked up all of the other hens and chicks but even after circling the yard several times I couldn't find those 5 chicks! When making another pass around the yard because I was sure that once the danger had passed I would see the other chicks emerging from hiding...well, to my surprise I saw my little Blue Marans running toward me! The sweet baby is in just as much shock as I am, he clearly used his last semblance of sanity to run to me because he hasn't moved an inch since I brought him inside. His eye is scratched and has a wound on his back, but otherwise, I believe he's just very shaken. He's in a nice cozy, low light box to recover in with some vitamin water and wet crumble. Once he's had some time to rest I'm going to treat his wounds but fortunately, I think he's very very lucky and nothing looks terrible as long as he recovers from the shock.
So now I'm sunburned and still hunting for the other 4 chicks. Wish me luck! I'm very attached to my chickens...
UPDATE: I found the other 4 peeps! They're all perfectly fine! So now I can focus my efforts on helping this poor little marans chick and building a fortress.
View attachment 1756963

So glad you found them all! I don't have any advice to give you but I've found several very informative and helpful videos on YouTube on this subject.

 

[Celticdragonfly]

This is all very interesting. We're going to have a coop and run in one built in our backyard in the next few weeks. I feel like it should be fairly predator proof - hardware cloth not chicken wire, etc, and we're going to put the fencing apron around the bottom to stop diggers. But I want them to be able to come out into the rest of the backyard, too. My daughter thinks they're going to love perching on the old wooden play structure from when she was smaller. This whole thread has me pondering just trying to cover the backyard with poultry netting - attach it to the fences and the house, drape it over the play structure and the coop - might need to put up a couple of poles on one side of the yard. Then I see the mention of shade cloth - and I'm thinking oooo, that could both block hawks and a lot of heat. We're in Texas, summers here are killer. I wonder if I could get away with just covering the whole back yard with shade cloth? Ought to help keep the living room and kitchen a little cooler. The house already has the special dark hard-to-see-though screens to keep a bit of heat out. Has anybody done something like that?

 

[aart]

I wonder if I could get away with just covering the whole back yard with shade cloth?

Sure, that would work.....please post pics!

 

[trudyg]

When I strung up the caution tape and orange surveyors tape, my thought was to make a predator bird afraid of getting tangled up in it. I then took bits and pieces of bird netting (black 1/2" holes) and tied it with kite string to the fence top and then anywhere else handy. It stays up maybe 4' off the ground which is why it's hard to mow under (I just hunker down and use a weed whacker). The shade cloth 12' X 10' I attached with cup hooks on the coop on one side and the other I got 8' long t-posts and hammered them into the ground, used string to attach the far end of the cloth. So far so good. Now I just need to surround my fencing with bird netting to keep out the cat and keep in the new chicks. It's always something out there!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

This is all very interesting. We're going to have a coop and run in one built in our backyard in the next few weeks. I feel like it should be fairly predator proof - hardware cloth not chicken wire, etc, and we're going to put the fencing apron around the bottom to stop diggers. But I want them to be able to come out into the rest of the backyard, too. My daughter thinks they're going to love perching on the old wooden play structure from when she was smaller. This whole thread has me pondering just trying to cover the backyard with poultry netting - attach it to the fences and the house, drape it over the play structure and the coop - might need to put up a couple of poles on one side of the yard. Then I see the mention of shade cloth - and I'm thinking oooo, that could both block hawks and a lot of heat. We're in Texas, summers here are killer. I wonder if I could get away with just covering the whole back yard with shade cloth? Ought to help keep the living room and kitchen a little cooler. The house already has the special dark hard-to-see-though screens to keep a bit of heat out. Has anybody done something like that?

I'm sure if you have a smaller yard it would be similar to having an enclosed porch or pool area. I don't see why it wouldn't work!