Today a hawk killed a chicken! Please advise on netting!

[pixie546]

Hello everyone! I live in a wooded area and have a small backyard flock of silkies and cochins for eggs. They are for enjoyment and entertainment. I built a 4x8 Fort Knox coop for them so nighttime predators aren't a worry, but during the day they roam in 10x40 chain link dog run that was already on the property (we are renters). I have some 1x1 plastic netting I have been meaning to put over the run but haven't yet while I research better quality aviary netting.

SOOOO, just this morning I decided to break down and put up the netting as I have noticed more hawks in the area, getting closer and closer. Today my husband came home and actually spooked the hawk that was in my run, eating one of my chickens!!! Augh!! Thank goodness it was my least favorite rooster who was inching his way to the stewpot with his bad behavior, but ARRGG! ICK!! I was too late!!!

They were all under the coop and the hawk and poor rooster were right next to it! Everyone is mildly traumatized and won't sleep on that side of the coop!

So I put up the netting- it fit nicely. Won't keep out any coons, but hopefully will deter attacks from above. The big question I have is-- what are some ways to keep a hawk from diving through the netting and possibly hurting itself and getting tangled? As hawks are federally protected and all, I do not want to contribute to the demise of any of them! As of right now I have kite string zig-zag strung through the netting. But what is the best way? I am planning on purchasing some heavier duty aviary netting. What do you suggest? What do you use?

Thanks BYC friends! Thanks so much!

 

[stilldeb]

We have a heavier plastic webbing on top of our runs that you can get in rolls at Lowe's. It is more substantial and they will not get tangled in it. I know this because our darned hawk was sitting right on it one day. Also won't stop a large four-legged predator from the top, but everybody is locked in a night and it definitely stops the hawks without catching or injuring them. Wish it would make them go away.

 

[pixie546]

What is the gauge of the net- Is it 1x1,2x2..... Thanks!!!

 

[SilverPhoenix]

I used the orange caution fencing at first, and it held up for about a year. However, it became brittle after being out in the sun all summer and a raccoon used that to his advantage...

I have chain link on the top now.

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

I've heard you can use fishing line woven back and forth on the top of the run. I wonder if that will work...

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Whatever netting you decide to use, think about snow load. They do offer heavy knotted(?) netting rated for snow loads on some websites.

I have used 2" galvanized poultry netting (took a few rolls

) atop a pen and it works. I connected the sides with string.

 

[Mattemma]

When a hawk attacked my hens I had bird netting loose over a run with plastic fencing. The netting was so loose the hawk pushed it down to the ground.It was not able to get to the hens.If it was tight it would rip through it during flight. So I think loose is good for bird netting,and do a deer fencing plastic if you plan to attach it tight.

 

[Mattemma]

Oh yea the snow did bring down my bird netting to the ground.

 

[Sandy16]

We live in Atlanta so snow is not a worry for us. First we put a web of white string across the top and just used regular old chicken wire to lay on top of that. We read somewhere that the white nylon string could be seen by hawks and might be enough of a deterrent, but we decided to add the chicken wire just in case they tried an attack. We actually let them free range in our yard for several hours a day and when the hawks are around, they stay in our bamboo bushed or under their coop. Knock on wood, the hawks have seemed to be more interested in the rats than the chickens.

 

[darin367]

12x75 ft roll off amazon, think i paid 12-14 bucks a roll..... used zip ties, overlapped it about a ft.... havent had a hawk/eagle attack since,,,, and we have alot of hawks/eagles