Long-time viewer, first-time caller

[Ashland Oregon]

Merry Christmas.

I've enjoyed browsing your pages since it frequently appears after googling a question.
I got ten hens in September, assuming I would lose some to the cat, but they all survived until they could defend themselves.
That is until a Cooper Hawk discovered the open-roof pen and got one of my girls.
Over Thanksgiving the kids came home and helped me build a monster run. So far so good. The hawk returns regularly but the hens are allowed out of their run only when I'm out with them, usually an hour before sunset.
This is a picture of my daughter attaching chicken wire to the roof of the run:

And here is my beautiful coop that my daughter's boyfriend built for my ladies:

Obviously, this was before the hawk and pen. My dreams of chickens wandering my yard? Gone.

Next I will trick out the run--I already transplanted roses and am painting boards in the barn (when temps allow) to finish out the posts.

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The barnyard and back acre denied my hens by hawks (sigh)

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, Ashland, and

! Great to have you in our community! Yes, hawks can be a real menace! Glad you have taken measures to keep them at bay! If you'd like to chat with some of your chicken owning neighbors, locate the OR thread in this link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you
Best wishes and thanks for joining BYC!

 

[RodNTN]

Welcome to BYC! I am glad you joined us! I hope you enjoy BYC, best wishes!

 

[Teila]

G’Day from down under Ashland Oregon

Welcome!

I am sorry for your loss. Great introduction, love all the pics! Merry Christmas to you also.

I hope you enjoy BYC. There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun. Unlike non chicken loving friends, family and colleagues, BYC’ers never tire of stories or pictures that feature our feathered and non feathered friends

 

[sunflour]

So glad you have joined us.

But so sorry about your loss

.

Hope the run fortification works.

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[BlueBaby]

Hello, and welcome to BYC!

 

[ElementalFarms]

Nice setup you have there. We have a hawk problem also, but we haven't lost any birds yet. The hawks seem to like our mice or whatnot in the yard.

 

[Ashland Oregon]

Nice setup you have there. We have a hawk problem also, but we haven't lost any birds yet. The hawks seem to like our mice or whatnot in the yard.

Our cat kills anything moving on the ground--even with a bell. The hawk has cleared up the dove invasion, however. So there is that. And the back hill, that was straight out of Watership Down but with squirrels, now seems squirrel-free. With the plunder in the rear view mirror, my hens must be alluring.

 

[N F C]

Once hawks find a meal, they will keep coming back. I'm glad you got your run covered, that's a good deterrent. Sorry for your loss.

Nice looking coop, thanks for sharing the photos with us!