Raptors are killing my flock

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

I live on 10 acres and over half of it is wooded. I have had the occasional red-tail hawk attack on my big roo but he's been either extremely lucky or he's tougher than he looks!

I let my 2 hens and the rooster free range only a couple times a week and never for 2 days in a row, just in case the attacking hawk comes back the next day looking for a free meal again. The rest of the time they are in a 20' x 20' run that is half covered with a white tarp and the other half with golf netting. I've had the golf netting up for almost 2 years and it's not rotted yet, only one or two places where a squirrel has chewed thru it to get down into the run and help eat the Cheerios and other goodies thrown inside.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Many people make this claim and I find it is simply not true. I'm in far northern Wisconsin and meet massive snow falls and accumulations. I have the 2 inch netting from amazon. It's like a Mason line or nylon string netting and the snow doesn't effect or at all

We're talking about two different types of netting. I stated deer netting which is smaller than 2 in. and is probably why the snow and ice destroyed it. I'm guessing that your wider netting didn't have the same problem. Much appreciated if you would show a link to what you bought so that we'd know which type isn't destroyed by snow and ice.

 

[blucoondawg]

This is what I bought, it is just a little big for my run but I gathered the excess up around the top of the fence and tied it off with zip ties all around the fence:

http://www.amazon.com/Anti-Bird-Net...qid=1393842909&sr=8-7&keywords=aviary+netting

Amazon also sells bigger pieces but I didn't need that. As long as this netting is supported it will not go down in snow, my run is 12 feet wide and about 40 feet long, I stretched a nylon rope down the middle length wise to keep the netting up higher in the center. My 50+ lb german wire haired pointer dog likes to chase and point the chickens and she can jump over the fence on one side, she jumped the fence once after this netting was installed, she ended up tangled up hanging up above the chickens. I was quite impressed that she didn't ruin the netting, not 1 strand broke. I wouldn't buy any of that plastic mesh or smaller light string mesh for this purpose, most of that is meant to drape fruit trees to keep wild birds from eating them up. I really don't think that small plastic mesh is good for anything, maybe keeping rabbits out of the garden.

 

[the foot]

Well today my rooster got attacked and we had a big bird fight in the yard. My rooster got the worst of it and died this afternoon. I'm finished with free ranging for a while.

 

[GD91]

I also share the same problem, this is how I solved it. You will have to keep them in straight for 2 weeks. I know it sucks, but hey, its better in the long run. after that, I randomly let my birds out. I would let them out for ten days straight, keep them in two days, let them out for one, in for 3. The key is to create a pattern, that isn't a pattern. You want the hawks to realize that their isn't always a food source here, and they may move on, mine did. They come back, but whenever I see one, I do a 2 week lock-down. My birds are happy, and I give them hay, and they are all set. Hope this helps!

I would try this

predators don't hang around unless there is a reliable food source available.

We had a fox a few nights back..... caught him sniffing at the quail pen & banged on the window at him. He hasn't been back since, I guess it was his first & last visit (hopefully).

The chickens & the quail never made a sound, even when I switched the light on. I was only alerted by one of the doe rabbits.

 

[gander007]

If you do not have Ravens around you need to have a big enough run for them that is if you want to keep them

 

[centrarchid]

Well today my rooster got attacked and we had a big bird fight in the yard.  My rooster got the worst of it and died this afternoon. I'm finished with free ranging for a while.

Acquire another rooster. Keep clock penned for a while, then begin releasing birds only near end of day after hawk's prime hunting hours for day are past.

Rooster being repeated target of hawk is unusual in my experience. Hawks for me usually target smaller birds making so rooster is free to attack hawk on ground. Something may not have been right with rooster. Breed is very important.


I use deer nesting with 1" mesh year round. It is not vulnerable to freezing rain or snow so long as you have enough support points holding it up.