I apparently live in preditor central. I have lost one 3 month old to a hawk that came trough the netting 'roof' of their pen. I now have chicken wire, hardware cloth and tarps.
In the last 5 days I have killed a copperhead, it's head was 6 inches from the gate, AND had two suspicious lumps, had to chase an owl off of the roof, it could not get in, but it was sure trying, ran a blacksnake out from under the coop, and yesterday had a serious hawk scare. They were free roaming, I was planning my winter garden, standing in the yard, I heard screeching and flapping, and one of my girls came barrelling across the yard, practically threw herself at me. As I looked up I saw a hawk in our side yard taking off from the ground. Oh no. Well they had all hidden, and were completly motionless, when I 'saved them'. I put them back in the pen, made sure nobody was injured, and left them to recover. They came out for a bit in the afternoon, but did not go more than 20 ft from the pen, or stayed under the bushes. This morning was the same. I guess they are safer, but I want them to be able to range. Safer is better than sorry, but will they get over this? Maybe if they stay up for a few days.
Great, now it sounds like I want them to go play in traffic (KIDDING) I want the hawks to go away.
Oh well, they are all safe, and I guess I will do what it takes to keep them that way, even if I miss seeing them gallumphing around the yard.
In the last 5 days I have killed a copperhead, it's head was 6 inches from the gate, AND had two suspicious lumps, had to chase an owl off of the roof, it could not get in, but it was sure trying, ran a blacksnake out from under the coop, and yesterday had a serious hawk scare. They were free roaming, I was planning my winter garden, standing in the yard, I heard screeching and flapping, and one of my girls came barrelling across the yard, practically threw herself at me. As I looked up I saw a hawk in our side yard taking off from the ground. Oh no. Well they had all hidden, and were completly motionless, when I 'saved them'. I put them back in the pen, made sure nobody was injured, and left them to recover. They came out for a bit in the afternoon, but did not go more than 20 ft from the pen, or stayed under the bushes. This morning was the same. I guess they are safer, but I want them to be able to range. Safer is better than sorry, but will they get over this? Maybe if they stay up for a few days.
Great, now it sounds like I want them to go play in traffic (KIDDING) I want the hawks to go away.
Oh well, they are all safe, and I guess I will do what it takes to keep them that way, even if I miss seeing them gallumphing around the yard.
