Worried about hawks

[chickncat]

I am going to adopt a chicken , I got her a nice coop I want to let her out for exercise later in the day but I'm worried about Hawks. Any suggestions?

 

[Tanichca]

Well, for one thing, get more chickens. Birds need flocks, or they'll suffer from loneliness and boredom. Get at least two, if not three, chickens so that that doesn't happen.

Secondly, either babysit your birds when they're out, or build a simple run and attach it to the coop. It doesn't have to be fancy- drive some long stakes or poles into the ground and wrap chicken wire (meh) or hardware cloth (better!) all around the sides and top to protect from predators. Your birds will get outside time with no worries at all!

And lastly,

 

[chickncat]

Ok so I have adopted a rooster. And got him a hen. But she is not laying. I want to buy some chicks but he was a fighter. Do u think he will hurt baby chicks? If I get females maybe they will be ok?

 

[dekel18042]

Ok so I have adopted a rooster. And got him a hen. But she is not laying. I want to buy some chicks but he was a fighter. Do u think he will hurt baby chicks? If I get females maybe they will be ok?

You can't put small chicks or chickens with a size differential together without an introductory period. Your hen might resent new chickens more than the rooster and putting smaller birds with them wouldn't be safe.
Your best bet would be to get some birds near in size to the ones you have. After a quarantine period it's best if you could set them up so they can see each other without physically interacting...a dog crate within or next to a pen, dividing a run, etc. After they are used to each other they can be left to free range together and can integrate that way. I have runs side by side and once babies are old enough to go out, maybe six weeks or so they go into a coop where the runs join. When they are closer to adults, maybe three and a half months, I let them free range together.
I now have 4.5 month old bantams free ranging with the adult large fowl laying flock. They go in each others coops, eat out of the same feeders, but they do go in their own coops to sleep. But I don't introduce them when very small.

 

[chickncat]

I live in the Florida keys. Having a hard time finding older females Does anyone ship chicks that are not so young?