Preventing future hawk attacks

[Chickeeaholic]

I’m sorry you lost one, especially your favorite.

Shiny, reflective objects hung around can help.

I have a lot of hawks, fox, weasel, raccoon, etc, everything that wants to eat them. I had to cover my run with 1/2” gauge wire, top to bottom and with 12” sticking out across the ground to keep predators out. They don’t get free range time unless I monitor them. They get that every day for a few hours.

If it’s possible for you, I would consider replacing the chicken wire. It won’t hold up long, rusts easy and predators can still get in. Not hawks but raccoons can if you have them.

 

[Layniep3]

Try netting we got some at TSC fairly cheap & it has worked so far. Mine free range but run into pen if they feel threatened good luck!

What kind of netting did you use?

 

[Bestofsmall]

What kind of netting did you use?

It was from TSC it's made from a plastic type of material & has held up well

 

[Ccort]

I am sorry to hear of your loss.

There is no way to prevent a hawk attack and once it was successful with your flock, it will try again over and over as they are very patient and intelligent birds that will spend hours just watching and waiting for the right moment.

They even climb fences like parrots, trying to find the right mesh size to slip through.

The only way to prevent a successful attack would be to cover the whole run area with netting.
A tree will work in their favour and some strings won't help to deterr them as they are very agile birds equipped to hunt in the undergrowth, easily slipping and flying through every small opening they can fit and adapt their bodies to.

That video is astounding.

 

[SamLockwood]

The only 100% effective method is to have a secure run outside the coop for them to be out during the day. If there's anything with an open top predators can get at them sooner or later.

I don't think any of the reflective things work that well. What I do have for my free range flock is lots of options to hide if they get attacked and their feeders and waterers are in covered areas where a hawk can't even see them from above: they're under a raised coop, which has an attached run with a single walk in door.

Plus the survivors learn from their experiences. My birds even pay attention to the danger signals of the blue Jays and crows. A couple weeks ago I'm on my back deck and the crows started up. The whole flock freezes and heads pop up and start searching the sky, except for my 12 year old speckled Sussex. She just did her rickety chicken jog across the lawn and disappeared under the deck.

 

[BDutch]

The only way to prevent a successful attack would be to cover the whole run area with netting.

I used strong netting for birds of prey on my first run. And cat netting on the second run. I prefer the cat netting with a thin metal thread in it.

I attached it with a cord to the frame.

 

[Layniep3]

I used strong netting for birds of prey on my first run. And cat netting on the second run. I prefer the cat netting with a thin metal thread in it.

I attached it with a cord to the frame.
View attachment 3696687

I'm not familiar with cat netting. Is it easy to find or more of a specialty item?

 

[BDutch]

I bought cat betting in the Netherlands ™ Trixie cat netting.
https://www.zooplus.nl/shop/katten/kattennet_kattenluik/kattennet/kattennet/
The maze is 3 cm (about 1.2”)

I found a similar cat netting with an Engish description online:
https://www.fenceshop.eu/en/product...ethylene-meshes/anti-bird-and-cat-netting/148