Has anyone had any problems with hawks with their free range chickens? My girls and I finally got brave enough to switch to free range, and they so enjoy it! I still move their coop/tractor daily and shut them in at night. My ex was over the other day and saw the hens through the back patio door, and said Red Tailed Hawks will be coming through on migration soon, you might want to be aware. I would hate to loose a chicken! But they have such fun, and it is wonderful to watch them, especially watching my indoor cats watch them through the patio door. Anybody have any thoughts on this?
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I don't have chickens but I have rabbits in an open fenced in area. I'm in the extreme NW valley and I've seen some HUGE birds flying around and haven't lost a rabbit to them yet. I also make sure they have a place to hide. The best thing I have found is branches from a bush we tore out. All the foliage is gone but they can get back behind the sticks and branches and it keeps them from the predators.
Yes, the past two days I have had a hawk poking around my chickens. I live in Cave Creek and let my birds range during the daytime. They do have lots of cover and I put them in at night, but it makes me nervous. They have not struck yet. Will be interesting to see if the hawks migrate away or remain a permanent management concern!
Im sorry this is totally unrelated but I saw your moveable coop in the photos section and think its a wonderful idea. Did you design the coop yourself and do you have any suggestions?? Denise
Thank you, yes I cobbled up the design. Look at the questions and answers on my page and if there are any other questions you have, give me a shout and I will help if I can. I;m learning too!
One of my hens could top a 4ft fence even with her wings trimmed. She just really wanted out. Then the day after I trimmed her feathers back enough for her to stop getting lift off, a coyote caught her. So, I'm not a fan of trimming. Simply watch them, like you would watch a child in a swimming pool, while they are having yard time. Chickens are confident and curious, just like children.
Some people say hawks don't as a rule go for ground birds, they like to catch in flight. So, I think it is your call.
Provide plenty of cover, places to hide, and make sure they know when to hide. You can actually let them practice hiding by using a 'hawk kite'. Fly it over the hens and make the "hawk hawk hawk" sound that hens make when they are alarmed. Then run and hide. Sounds silly and the neighbors might think less of you but this technique is used to check if game birds are ready for release. Knowing when and how to hide meant the difference between life and death for one of my chickens.
You should not free range chickens in a yard with a fence less than 6 ft high. If the fence is not wood or block but is see-through, you can bet that night predators have located your hens and are just waiting for the right moment so it is good that you lock them up at night.
After a while, make sure to ask your neighbors what your girls have been up to while you are at work. They might come back to the coop nightly and look all innocent but that doesn't mean they haven't been up and down the block getting into trouble. Mine were terrible at catting around in the neighbor's bird feeders!
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Do you live in Mayer? I am thinking about moving up there, could we talk about what its like up there?
Thanks,
Lis
Thank you, yes I cobbled up the design. Look at the questions and answers on my page and if there are any other questions you have, give me a shout and I will help if I can. I;m learning too!
Lis
Some people say hawks don't as a rule go for ground birds, they like to catch in flight. So, I think it is your call.
You should not free range chickens in a yard with a fence less than 6 ft high. If the fence is not wood or block but is see-through, you can bet that night predators have located your hens and are just waiting for the right moment so it is good that you lock them up at night.
After a while, make sure to ask your neighbors what your girls have been up to while you are at work. They might come back to the coop nightly and look all innocent but that doesn't mean they haven't been up and down the block getting into trouble. Mine were terrible at catting around in the neighbor's bird feeders!