Losing the flock - Update PICS pg7...

[walkswithdog]

Well. Color me a fool. I went out to count the Partridge Rocks today after finding the hawk near the yard twice this morning.

I'm down to 14. I'm going to scream.

Work my butt off for two months to feed a ..................really long string of blanks, hawk.

That's it. NOW I'm ticked.

And I thought I was ticked before.

Mumble.

Oh in the first attack I was aware of one of my BA's attacked the hawk... She got ripped completely open from both ears and under her beak to keel. I put her after picture on the last page here. She kept fighting him even torn up. She earned a name, Bear and a vet visit and I don't usually do that. But bravery should be rewarded.

 

[HennysMom]

I'm so sorry you lost your birds...

are they not covered so the hawks cant get to them?

 

[phalenbeck]

I really wanted to free-range my chickens, and have a moveable Tractor. Since spring I lost the first 4 when the tractor was by the back or the property to raccoons, and lost 1 to a hawk when i was mostly in the yard.- I see hawks most days in the air currents over the top of my 'moutain' -----I have had to move the chickens to a shed attached to the house, and to a run now covered with netting. I also have a little walkway between the coop and the run that has really tough fencing where they go if scared. When they duck into the walkway i know something is up. Come spring I think I will expand the run more from its current 8x16 to maybe twice that. ---I have acquired 15 chickens and now have 10. I also have a Roo for protection. With a house close to the top of the ridge, and the raccoons, foxes, hawks, dogs and whatever else I cannot raise chickens the way I want to, but the way the little buggers have a chance. My dogs patrol when out, but 1/3 losses since spring is not a good thing. Losses could have been more as part of the time new chicks have been getting raised in the kitchen. -----So my first idea of having garden helpers, and hens running around the yard is shot to hell. The shed next to the house with the covered run is simply what I have to do till chickens evolve up the predator chain.

 

[walkswithdog]

No, they're free range. They've never bothered the larger birds or my last batch.

I couldn't be more angry. I'm not doing this to feed a hawk, it's to feed me.

I'm going to go rig something now but I'm furious.

To be told I'm powerless against this feathered monster is insane.

NO. I don't care that it's a wild animal, that it has to eat. So do I.

NO. I don't think it's right to pass laws that affect people's ability to feed themselves.

If I had had the money for netting, gosh, that'd be nice.

A few I could handle. This. This is NOT going to happen.

I have to go buy twine and haul my disabled self up onto ladders and buy wood for posts and fence out this thing, because I'm not allowed to bother it.

More teared screaming...

 

[nnbreeder]

Scrounge for materials and get creative too. Concrete re-bar is fairly inexpensive and makes great hoops for netting as does UV stabilized PVC conduit.
Look for people taking down wooden fences or remodeling houses or barns, often their scrap can be had for nothing.

 

[walkswithdog]

Thanks nn for the support and ideas...

 

[ivan3]

walkswithdog wrote: If I had had the money for netting, gosh, that'd be nice.

Uncovered runs can be very well protected by this method: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=44145

Some of the larger species don't migrate (Red Tail was flew off with a Northern Flicker this morning when I went out to water the `flocks'). We are in the woods. The hawks don't like to stoop through leafed out trees but, now that we're down to bare branches, the temptation to dive in grows. We've had them lurk and gawk, but I think we've got `em pretty well blinded for next to nothing (3yr. no hawk loss).

Good luck and don't overdo it!​

 

[MissPrissy]

Free range does not mean without a pen.

Free range is allowing chickens to be housed with the option of leaving the house to go out into the outdoors.

When you choose to let the chickens out without any protection and limitations you have assumed the risk to give the free dinner to a predator.

I am sorry you have lost 2 chickens but the fault does not lie with the hawk.

 

[big greg barker]

Go to Lowe's and get some deer netting. It costs 12.50 for a roll that's 100 feet by seven feet. Use sisal rope to string it up on some poles around your run over the top.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Quote:

I second this post.

Do you have any neighbors or family who could come and help you rig up the netting?