Open Topped Chicken Yards?

[Two Creeks Farm]

Just so you know...I have personally seen hawks land on top of a fence, drop down and get chickens on the ground. Hawks do not have to come screaming from the sky like a fighter jet, many types of hawk actually prefer to hunt in that fashion. City folks, your hawks are way more used to seeing people.....country birds tend to be a bit shy but can quickly realize you arent a threat and get very brazen. Once they find a food source, they exhaust it. Same with Owls. We had an owl feeding on mice that would allow us to walk out and be within 4 feet of it. Once it was satisfied the food (mice) were gone, it left. It took a week.

If you are concerned, build a fort knox run and coop. If you can handle an attack or your birds being wiped out, let them roam.

Here, im home during the week and my birds have run of the place. I do have a 50 x 50 run around the coop but most of the flock can fly up and out. I m also outside more then in during the day, and I do all I can to attract a healthy flock of crows that pester the hawks that do live here. It is not uncommon to see 8 or 10 hawks a day here. Vultures do not kill, they consume dead animals.....just for the record. Once the weather turns cool, we clip wings and do what we can to keep the flock in the run as the hawks tend to get way more aggressive.

Fishing line run from trees to the fence , cd's hung here and there and even those garden mirror balls (which were designed for detering hawks not just decoration) will help, but the only garuntee is a secure run/coop. Even crow decoys moved around will sometimes move a hawk off. The bluejays and such are also a harassment to them as someone else posted.

Good luck with your birds!

 

[Darklingstorm]

I don't know where you live but in Southern Oklahoma were weather is extreme and predators are plenty, here is what I do. This is my first year owning chickens and I've already learned that what works for me, might not work for my neighbor. I'm also a stay-at-home mom and check on my chickens several times a day.
My girls have a strong coop with lots of ventilation windows all covered with hardware cloth and secure doors that I lock them in every night. During the day they free range my very large yard (no top cover) but they have lots of hiding areas (bushes, a boat, buildings) to get away from predators. I placed water in several areas so they don't all congregate in one place for long periods of time. My trees do make it easier for a hawk to get them but they need shade too. I have also gotten a rooster (still a chick right now) to help protect. I got a Jersey Giant in the hopes that his size will help to deter any predators. But I think the biggest thing I did, was to come to terms that I will lose a few to predators over time and it is just nature at work. I love my chickens and have named everyone of them, but to me they are chickens and are here for a purpose, to provide eggs and meat.

I have already lost one chick, she was around 5 weeks old. The predator was my own dog and he pulled her through the fence. I've temp. fixed the problem (still trying to find a new home for the dog) and I've lost no more.

 

[stubbornhill]

We have always let our chickens free range. Recently we built a new coop as part of a barn addition. The chickens are all locked in at night. No predators getting in. However, when we built this new coop, we decided that we didn't want the chickens free ranging in my perennial gardens any longer. (they happen to love bark mulch and redirecting where it should be) So, we got some white 4 ft tall chainlink fence off from Craigslist. 200ft of it and attached it to the new coop. They now have a very large yard to roam with no top. We have one chicken that gets out every day, spends her day outside free ranging, hanging with the cows and then goes in with the rest when it is time to go to bed.

Have we lost chickens to fox and hawks in the past? Yes, before they were in the fenced area. Are they perhaps better protected now that they are not free ranging? Maybe, but it is a risk that we chose to take. It is a personal choice. Best wishes for you and your flock.

 

[stone_family3]

As of right now I don't have a door on my coop so I'm using a closed top run.

Even still my girls are back in by 7pm, I'm going to be making a bigger run and considered an open top until yesterday when I saw a large hawk on top of my garage (I'm also in the city). I have some plastic coated wire (1.5" square holes) that I'm going to throw on top and zip tie down, I'm also going to put a door on it since it will start to get cold and will be a bit more protection.

Here is my thread about our newly unwanted neighbor. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=564755

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
See my BYC page for pics of my setup which has a large open topped chicken run. Been working a couple decades now.

 

[mowmow]

I've been free-ranging chickens in my small orchard for years. Biggest predator problem is loose dogs belonging to neighbors. That danger was eliminated by a sturdy, taller fence, and a severe fine and restitution order levied against one neighbor.

We have hawks but I've never seen them harass the chickens. The rooster taught the stalking cats a lesson, and they are secure in their chicken house at night to protect them from the possums and racoons.

We may eventually lose one to a hawk, but I keep my chickens in part to control the insects in my organic orchard and garden, so that's just a risk I'll have to accept.

 

[AlienChick]

My chickens free range over about 3 acres.

Yes, I'm aware of them possibly getten eaten by predators.

The ONLY reason I do not have the 3 acres enclosed is because it would cost too darn much to put up a good 1/2-inch hardwire fence and COVER the entire 3 acres.

So they free range.

You can make a LARGE outdoor pen to keep them in.

I found a large outdoor pen on someone's BYC page that you might be interested in getting an idea from.

Here's a pic and the link to their BYC page.
Hope that helps you in building something for your precious ones!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=37862

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Guess you can see there are many different set ups for many diff people and situations, My own has been a build as needed kind of thing, ideally a run should have a top, because even if you free range there will be times when you go off and don't want to worry about them, like, vacation, and hawks hunt during the day, owls don't just hunt at night, once they learn you have chickens (who doesn't eat chicken?) they will extend their hunt time to include a trip by the deli. Chickens learn pretty quick where is the safe place and will have somewhere to run to.
My own dream run is fully enclosed, with a roof over part (to keep rain off the feed) with crushed rock and sand over that, and all the chickens live and play happily in it with no problems

 

[EggyErin]

Just have something they can go underneath for escape. They're going to need some shade anyway. Mine free-range in our large yard and woods around the yard. There is a fenced chicken yard around the coop which is open-topped and in the woods. Regardless of where they are, they have plenty of places to hide. Knock on wood, nothing has happened to any of mine. I might rethink things if something did happen but I know that my chickens are completely content with the way they're living now. Yours will enjoy the change of scenery.

 

[busyteacher]

Our chickens have an open top pen that they go into every day. We have a "doggy" type door that we open every morning to let them out into the pen which is attached. That door stays open so they can go in and out as they please. Just make sure you close them up before dark each night as that is when our flying predators choose to feed.