I Need Hawk Proof Run Ideas-- Need Lots Of Room

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
Don't laugh! I bought camouflage hen aprons. I'll try anything!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/34566_silkiecoop-6.jpg

. That made my day! Sorry for short posts I am on the Droid and the buttons are small

 

[Shelly_WNC]

I am thankful for this post too ... as this is one of things I have been real worried about.

I have a nice big mountain yard I wanted to let the chickens free range in ... but I recall seeing hawks. So I was wondering if this was going to be a problem with letting them out in the yard free. Sounds like it is. Guess we can't have to big a covered run area then.

I will keep an eye on this post for ideas. And once I finally get some chickens (in a week or two) I will keep a watchful eye when they are in the yard.

 

[bockbock2008]

Any other ideas? I have lost at least 3 to hawks in the past week. One was yesterday while we outside. We weren't within sight of the coop ALL day but several visits were made and he still got one. I heard the guineas and then they came up to the house but it was too late.

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
So sorry BockBock!

 

[mythreegirls]

I RECENT LOST MY TWO ONLY RSL HENS ONLY 8 MOS OLD TO HAWK - IN MY YARD, BASICALLY IN THE FIVE MINUTES THEY WERE NOT ATTENDED TO WHILE I WAS OUT IN THE YARD. THEY ARE BOLD THIS WINTER IN BUFFALO! I AM RELUCTANT TO GET ANY MORE. I AM SO STRESSED AND SAD BECAUSE OF THE ATTACK. THEY WERE OUR PETS AND CAME IN THE HOUSE OFTEN. I MISS THEM DEARLY. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS TO THE NINES.... I HAD PIE PLATES AND CDS HANGING, ALSO A SCARECROW AND MOVING PINWHEELS (NO HELP REALLY), I THOUGHT ABOUT THE TWINE OR FISHING WIRE BUT DON'T WANT MY SUBURBAN YARD TO LOOK LIKE A TENAMENT. THEY LOVED FREE RANGING AND WALKED RIGHT UP TO THE DECK AND PECKED ON WINDOW FOR TREATS! I HEARD ONLY A BIG GUARD DOG COULD HELP, OR MAKE A TUNNEL OF CHICKEN WIRE AND SET UP LIKE A SMALL GERBIL MAZE, MOVE AROUND IN YARD, FOR THEM TO BE COMPLETELY SAFE. I HEARD PLAYING A RADIO HELPS A LOT. THEY NEVER CAME AROUND IN THE SUMMER WHEN THERE WAS MORE ACTION IN THE YARD AND NOISE. IF HAWKS ARE STARVING, THEY WILL BE BOLD AND ATTACK YOUR BABIES THE ONE THAT KILLED MINE STOOD RIGHT OVER HER AND DIDN'T EVEN MOVE WHEN I RAN TO PICK UP HER LIFELESS BODY.

FROM MYTHREECHICKS - NOW DOWN TO NO CHICKS....

 

[mythreegirls]

I MEAN MY THREE GIRLS! (ACTUALLY MY SILKIE TURNED OUT TO BE A ROO, BUT IS LIVING A NICE LIFE WITH OTHER SILKIES ON A NEARBY FARM, AS WE COULDNT KEEP A ROOSTER IN MY HOOD) - ELEANOR BECAME ELLIOTT, OR ELLIE NONETHELESS

 

[Kasilofchrisn]

I have hawks and eagles daily.
Fortunately my dad was able to help with supplies for my run.
He gave me some scraps of coiled tubing.
This tubing is ~1" diameter and very stout. It is used in coiled tubing oil wells. It comes on giant rolls all coiled up.
The pieces I got were curved and roughly 10' wide at their widest.
My dads neighbor is a commercial salmon Seine fisherman and gave me some large pieces of heavy duty netting for the top.
I have used this netting when commercial fishing to hoist over 5,000# of fish at once. Even though mine is used I absolutely cannot pull it apart in the least.
I sunk treated 4x4 posts then fastened the curved tubing for the top. I zip tied the netting to the tubing. Screwed treated 2x4's to the 4x4's at the ground and used fence staples to secure the netting to the treated wood and to my coop.
I did have to tie an extra piece of netting together but a net mending needle and mending twine made short work of it.
Here in AK I don't have raccoons,skunks,or opossums to deal with.
My run is roughly 10'wide and 25' long and 7' tall in the center.
No hawk or eagle is getting my birds.
You'll likely not have these materials on hand for free but maybe will give you some ideas.

 

[drumstick diva]

How about using fiberglass panels or ??? to make a solid run cover - no hawk will get through - it will also provide some shade and protect from rain & snow. Also don't use shabby chicken wire to build a run, it only keeps chickens in, doesn't keep any predators out. Use something heavier & with small openings like 1/2" hardware cloth & afflix security to frame not using dinky plastic tie ons.