Trees next to run? I want to tell my husband he is wrong

[Juju2773]

I want to plant fruit trees next or near my chicken run to help provide shade for the run and protection when free ranging. My husband thinks the fruits trees will give the hawks somewhere to hide and hunt. Pro or Con having fruit trees next to or near chicken run.

A lot of fruit have seeds that are poisonous for chickens. Apples, cherries, etc. That should be considered. Trees along the run are a great idea. The hawks flying above cannot see your chickens as well, but fruit trees... check to be sure the fruit that fall are safe because chickens will definitely eat the dropping fruits and seeds. I have a run that is covered with a row of cedar trees that provide the perfect coverage from the flying hawks view. They fly over twice a day and so far I still have all of my chickens. It gives them shade and cover .

 

[morsekathan]

Our run is covered. We've lost too many chickens to hawks and other predators. But the hawks are in the tulip poplars. I have only seen them flying or way up high, never in the smaller trees. We also have a mulberry tree next to the run and the girls love it. They pass up any other food to get to the mulberries.

 

[Nommie Bringer-Uvda-Noms]

Our chicken house/run is nestled between oaks, because well... we're on 29acres of mostly oaks, and it's very difficult to find a spot that isn't (and those spots are needed for gardens!). But, there's a huge wild rose bush, nearby, as well as an enormous ticket of wild blackberries, and I put a pair of potted blueberry bushes, on either corner of the run.
We do have high predator pressure from both ground and air, and our girls often take refuge from the local predators and the sun, under the blackberries and the rose bush. Those are favorite spots for resting, between bouts of the hard labor of foraging. They love it under there - it's cool, and they can safely take naps, even with the hawks and bald eagles hunting, above.

 

[Vacman]

I have my coop inside an electric fence around an orchard that I planted three years ago. I figured after a few more years, they would give the chicken some shade on hot days and the chickens would fertilize the orchard. I had one hawk attack and lost a hen, but as the trees get bigger, they become more of an obstacle for the flying hawks.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Depending on what tree, it's a great idea for shade and hiding spots from predators. I have my chicken fence setup along the treeline so they have more protection from predators above and also a fig tree which they love the wiggly branches to perch, and figs are very tasty! And when it's Autumn the leaves drop and well that's fun!

 

[Kglassmo]

I want to plant fruit trees next or near my chicken run to help provide shade for the run and protection when free ranging. My husband thinks the fruits trees will give the hawks somewhere to hide and hunt. Pro or Con having fruit trees next to or near chicken run.

The hawks in our area always perch on high trees, camouflaged with bark on branches of pine or oaks, I don’t think hawks would choose fruits trees as those trees are too low to the ground and offer no camo. The hawks are quiet when they hunt and perch very high up for better vision. Good luck.

 

[Mewcycle]

My chickens have a covered run that opens into a small fenced orchard (not covered) of about 7 trees. I do keep a circle of woven wire around each tree to keep the mulch from being scattered by “you know who”. But so far no chicken loss to hawks. I think in part due to the cedar trees the border the orchard. They have plenty cover and things to hide in and behind. I haven’t let them free range yet.

 

[Mary19]

Fruit in trees will not attract the hawks as they are meat-eating. I like having shrubbery and trees around. Gives the chickens a place to hide and shields them from overhead predators.

 

[The Brick Coop]

Our run in SE PA has an American persimmon nearby but not directly overhead dropping fruit (in late fall early winter). These persimmons ripen very late and are like jelly when they do fall. gooey, those would hold acid on the galvanized chicken wire and rust it. When I am out and let hens out of the pen they love to eat over-ripe persimmons. I heard that they can get the seeds stuck in their crops so I worry about that and pick up the fruits but never had a problem when any hen ate a lot of them. Directly overhead is a huge old russian olive (not fruit for people use) which I let grow for shade and it has been awesome for the hen pen. Definitely everyone should have a flight net on the run. Before we finished the flight net (took a few days of piecing) we had 2 hawks different times in there trying to grab hens. I had to go in and chase out one confused juvenile red-tail when he could not find how he got in. that took a few minutes of just enough pressure to let him see how to go out. then we finished the net.

 

[kungfuchick]

I want to plant fruit trees next or near my chicken run to help provide shade for the run and protection when free ranging. My husband thinks the fruits trees will give the hawks somewhere to hide and hunt. Pro or Con having fruit trees next to or near chicken run.