Well it didn't take long for the HAWKS to find my ladies!

[surfchicken72]

So the girls spent their first night outside last night... They're in the cheezy Critter-cages one we bought online as the big coop is still under construction.
I sured up all the doors, etc. and was very anxious leaving them out there, but they've simply outgrown the house....

So.... out they went.

I get up early to check (6AM) and there is a hawk PERCHED on the coop. Coopers hawk I believe. I couldn't believe it.
He then flew to the ground to do some more investigating at which point we opened the door and he flew off...
And a few hours later, we had them out in the yard, I was working on the coop only 10 feet away from them, my wife ran inside to answer the phone,
and i hear BANG! and turn around to see an adult Red-Tailed Hawk flying away from the coop! Only 10 feet from me!
I did a quick count and they're all there, but we definitely had a scare today... as well as the girls.....

Gotta get that coop done...... jeez.

 

[ranchhand]

Nothing like that to make you hurry on the coop and run!

My coops are under some really thick, large trees. I didn't think a hawk would fly into that maze. I was wrong.

 

[CallyB57]

I'm crossing my fingers, because there are a lot of hawks out where I live, but I have not lost one of my birds yet to a hawk. I have even seen a huge red-tailed hawk dip down in the pen and fly off with no bird in its talons. I don't know what to attribute this good fortune to-perhaps the CD's I have hanging on nails at the top of the pen is the secret. Perhaps it is the fishing line I have strung across the top of the pen (though some of the pen has NO fishing line strung across it). Perhaps hawks have good memories and they just don't want to tie up with someone who arms herself with a rake and flails it around above her head, screaming - come on down you vultures - just come on down - I'm ready to fight!!! Whatever may be the most significant contributing reason for not having lost a bird to a hawk in over a year, the little things I have done must keep them at bay. No night critters can get to them because I built sturdy henhouses and put 2 latches on the doors (except for the very small cracks here and there where 2 pieces of plywood meet). And the openings are covered with hardware cloth and framed all around with sturdy wood framing to hold the wire down. Also, the hum of 3 fans all night long might deter the critters that come out in the dark. We have plenty of possums, owls, raccoons, snakes. We even have a healthy population of wild cats and stray dogs running around.
I forget what this thread was originally about, so I'm closing now. Sorry, I got distracted.

Edited to correct typo.