Tired of losing my Birds

[Meyers And Sons Chicken F]

Do you have Hawk and Eagle problems like I do? I'm tired of losing my birds to them. I free range with no cover, I have decided that is going to change. Once I get my flock built back up, I plan to either have a tractor cage or cover the 20ft dog cage with a net.

 

[SunriseHills]

Hello! Sorry for your losses. We have 4 Great Pyrenees that surround our chicken's free-range area, with a fence between the chickens and dogs. Thankfully, so far, we have not had any losses due to any types of predators (hawks, eagles, coyotes, etc.), and we believe that it is because of our dogs. Also, during the spring and summer we have sail shades over our feeders and waterers to keep our chickens cool and protect them from predators in the sky. Just wanted to share our experience, in case it helps. Hopefully you are able to solve your hawk and eagle problems.

 

[SamLockwood]

Cover is absolutely essential and not just for airborne predators. If they've got places to scurry to that are out of sight and hide there's not a lot of predators that are willing to go in after them, especially if there's other prey available.

Having feeders and waterers under cover also helps out a lot, especially if they're the sort of feeders that they have to stick their heads into, which kills their peripheral vision.

In my setup the feeders and waterers are under the raised coops and within a covered run. I have some other waterers under the stairs of the deck: again, zero visibility from above.

When I noticed they liked to congregate under the deck, I altered the lattice-work and added some roosting bars so they could use that as a shelter. It's a favorite spot in bad weather for them and if they're being threatened they can keep watch through the lattice-work.

When I noticed they liked to hide in the shrubberies around my house, and they even pruned "tunnels" through them to allow them to move from the back to the front yard in concealment, I planted some berry-bushes and holly-bushes in the back yard area. In another year or two they'll all be large enough to provide additional shelter.

I also let much of the back yard get reclaimed by wild plants last year. By mid-summer they not only had some additonal ground cover but it provided another food source between seeds and the bugs they attracted. I've also seen wild bees return with the wildflowers and shrubberies.

Winter is still touch-and go, but at least the holly bushes and shrubberies are evergreens and this year my flock seemed to figure out they had better chances sticking closer to cover when the leaves are off the trees.