INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[chick rookie]

O WOW I just looked in on honey and she is EATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND SHE CAN HOLD HER NECK STRAIGHT NOW... but still has little balance and is walking on her hocks??? but she is eating...

 

[chick rookie]

Anyone else having ridiculous hawk visitations? Pretty soon I'm going to know the neighborhood hawks so well that they'll be coming up to eat out of my hand. At least one is already not afraid of my presence at all.

I have seen 2 in a week. and for around here that is allot almost NEVER see them.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Seriously...this thing was sitting on the gate just 6 feet away from their pen terrorizing them this morning. Since it had been around a lot over the weekend I had decided not to open the run today until I get home and can monitor. That was probably a good call, eh?

They usually range so they have been doing a lot of hiding in the woods and staying very still. On Saturday it was around so much that they wouldn't come out of the woods to go to the shed to roost. I had to go out and escort them...herd them is really more accurate.

 

[chick rookie]

Seriously...this thing was sitting on the gate just 6 feet away from their pen terrorizing them this morning. Since it had been around a lot over the weekend I had decided not to open the run today until I get home and can monitor. That was probably a good call, eh?

They usually range so they have been doing a lot of hiding in the woods and staying very still. On Saturday it was around so much that they wouldn't come out of the woods to go to the shed to roost. I had to go out and escort them...herd them is really more accurate.

I know it stinks, I haven't let my girls out for 2 days either. Good thing you locked them up for the day. This hawk hasn't landed yet but he stays close and is always circling my run. I don't have a top but I have a tree that has a lg spread ( limbs ) and great coverage so that helps. I have been covering pens with deer netting all weekend, maybe I should cover the big run to?? That would take about 3 pk's. but we ran out, still have the Silkie pen to do and now maybe the big run. Don't even know if it would stop a hawk?? at the very least it might give them time to duck in the house.
If you do get it too eating out of your hand have a LG fishing net handy and catch the bugger... lol its a thought anyway.
Good luck hope they go away soon!!!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Yes! Cover all those runs for sure.

I have the netting too but have wanted to have the run covered with night pred proof fencing. Just haven't done it yet. I sure with I had this morning. I think they definitely think twice about getting their wings tangled into the netting. I've had it on my run for the last 2 years.

Your tree won't accomplish anything except to give the hawk a staging area from which to strike, unfortunately.

 

[Leahs Mom]

PS: @SallyinIndiana uses a heavy bird netting. Hopefully she can show some photos and the link, again, to where she gets it in case anyone is interested.

 

[chick rookie]

Yes! Cover all those runs for sure.

I have the netting too but have wanted to have the run covered with night pred proof fencing. Just haven't done it yet. I sure with I had this morning. I think they definitely think twice about getting their wings tangled into the netting. I've had it on my run for the last 2 years.

Your tree won't accomplish anything except to give the hawk a staging area from which to strike, unfortunately.

Well poohy. ok so my tree was a waste of time, that tree was the reason I put the run there in the first place... oh well live and learn I guess. It looks like I will be buying 4 more pks of deer netting, I use the deer netting cause it is stronger, I could tear the bird netting ( wasn't easy but could be done ) and I couldn't tear the deer netting and I tried really hard. And it is cheaper... go figure??? Now all I have to do is convince DH that 60.00 is worth saving my girls, and less feed to the wild birds will save us in the long run. Don't want another year fighting those starlings like I did last year... that sucked, went through feed like crazy.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
That tree is a good thing in the run. It provides shade for your birds which is important!

Can you send a link showing the difference between the bird netting and the deer netting?

 

[ChickCrazed]

Well poohy. ok so my tree was a waste of time, that tree was the reason I put the run there in the first place... oh well live and learn I guess. It looks like I will be buying 4 more pks of deer netting, I use the deer netting cause it is stronger, I could tear the bird netting ( wasn't easy but could be done ) and I couldn't tear the deer netting and I tried really hard. And it is cheaper... go figure??? Now all I have to do is convince DH that 60.00 is worth saving my girls, and less feed to the wild birds will save us in the long run. Don't want another year fighting those starlings like I did last year... that sucked, went through feed like crazy.

The starlings will come through the sides too - trust me. My whole run was chain link and they were still getting in. I reinforced with chicken wire on the inside of all of the chainlink and the sparrows were still getting in. I reinforced again with deer netting, fewer sparrows but they were still coming in somehow. I finally got clear car mats (less than $2 at walmart), cut them into strips and hung them over the pop doors to keep the wild birds out of the feed (I feed inside). My chickens still aren't thrilled with having to go through them, but I have yet to have a bird make it inside for a snack.

 

[chick rookie]

That tree is a good thing in the run. It provides shade for your birds which is important!

Can you send a link showing the difference between the bird netting and the deer netting?

I can show pic's but I don't have a link. All I did was buy some and tried it, I figured if I could rip it it wasn't going to keep too much out, hang on a min and I will go take pic's real fast