Hawks! Permaculture solutions in the chicken yard

[@donedennison9237]

What I really like about your video is the "working" homestead awareness you bring to any topic. I haven't gardened for years and I have never had chickens, but you help me to be aware of issues I enjoy thinking about. The, "this is what we do, this is why it works" part just makes me so happy.

[@permiebird937]

I've had good luck with similar defences for my fowl. I befriended my local crows as raptor defence. Smaller birds warn about raptors in the area, but the crows will actively mob any raptors coming into my neighborhood, and chase them off. When combined with a lot of room to roam and trees and shrubs to hide under, I haven't lost a single chicken to a raptor in the 19 years I've kept them. This year I added ducks to my homestead, and they figured out the warning calls right away, and disappear into the underbrush. I don't feed the crows year round, but I give them cat food and table scraps in spring when they are nesting, so they know I'm a friend. They seem less interested with the scraps once the fledglings are out learning to forage, that's when I stop filling the dog bowl I put up high for the crows in spring. The crows will pick up some of the chickens scratch all year, so they never go hungry. All my chicken losses to predators are from raccoons and opossum. I have caught both of those animals attacking my hens. My first flock of hens I put bird netting over the pen to keep the hens in, then one morning a raccoon tore the bird netting. It got in the pen and killed all but one of my hens, so I stopped using bird netting to cover my hens, because the bird netting turned my chicken pen into a death trap. After that I have only used bird net to keep hens out of garden beds. The crows are a much better protection from above, and the option to run or jump up into trees a better defence for ground predators, and minimizes my losses to at worst one bird at a time.

[@edibleacres]

This may sound crazy, but Sasha puts out an offering every night of a few eggs and some bananas and the wild raccoons and oppossums come in and eat them. 5+ years with no problems from them. We say thank you to them when we see them.

[@treesagreen4191]

There was an old woman who lived in our area, lived in a shepherd hut on the outskirts of a village. She was well known in the area and went miles on foot. Story has it that she used to feed the rats to keep them out of her food store.

[@permiebird937]

@Karalevsky Borzoi I don't let my chicks free range until they are big enough a young crow would struggle to pick it up, but if the chicks are being raised outside with the flock, then crows are a real concern. I can't keep a rooster where I live so I buy pullet chicks and raise them in a brooder.

[@etruedus]

Once again, thank you Shawn and Sasha! I love these chicken / compost videos. Thank you for being great, and great stewards to the environment!

[@conquererification]

Crows the wild life watch dogs for hawks. Was in the field one day and a crow flew by chaying loudly like he was on a mission,right behind he was a hawk. To we were watching a family of 5 hawks ridding the thermals when a crow showed up announcing the hawks presents and even attacked a younger hawks as they changed course to avoid the crow. Just amazing.

[@rosehavenfarm2969]

Trees, that's right. One of our flocks, in the permanent coop, is under a canopy of black walnut and other trees. Bushes and high grasses around for when they "free range" before bedtime. Our second flock (in a movable coop surrounded by electrified, movable fence) take refuge under the coop when the rooster or first hen give alarm. We also try to move their area under a tree or two whenever possible. Love the wires, we added some over the permanent chicken yard after a juvenile hawk got one of our chicks last year. Always so happy to see a new video from you!

[@TheMelanda]

It sounds like your hawks are very big compared to ours here in Kenya (or our chickens are feistier, or both!) - here, they take only the chicks, not full grown birds. Some of the solutions to chick predation here that I've seen work amazingly well are dying the young chicks purple by painting them with natural gentian violet colour (the hawks simply no longer see them as food, it's quite astonishing), or penning the chicks together with their mama hen in a small covered enclosure while they are young, or tethering the mama hen under a tree so her chicks stay close and under cover.

[@olgakuchukov6981]

I don’t have chickens but I do have a small wildlife garden that I keep my indoor kitty out of so the birds are safe to be in this tiny sanctuary amidst all the outside cats in the small rural town. I use the small animal alarm system often! The din that the chipmunks and birds put up is always a clear indication of something somewhere. (It’s a bit odd how quiet it is now in late November since the chippies are hibernating.) One time a chickadee directed me exactly to the spot a cat was hiding in the perennials, by putting up a row sitting on a branch immediately above the kitty. It was really rewarding to be in such a useful relationship with the wildlife.

[@billhiggins3845]

Them hens got to be the happiest hens ever 👍🦇🌻🐓

[@johnnierichardson1771]

Nice roosts! I use bird netting over my coop. It’s very labor intensive to put up, as my coop is 1/2 an acre with a lot of trees. I put posts in with ropes over the tops and created a webbing. So far so good!

[@winniecash1654]

This is the best! I've been watching video after video to get ideas on how to deal with the neighborhood hawks. I'm going to do this plus some netted areas. It'll be beautiful. I can't thank you enough for your ideas.

[@gardenboots7464]

LOVE watching your hen videos. Chicken TV :) It does my heart good to see that you give your chickens such a good life. And I continue to learn so much - it's really FUN! The simple pleasures in life.

[@sophia_429]

I ADORE your videos. I am preparing for hens and learning so much and your videos have inspired me in so many new ways I wasn’t expecting!!!! Thank you!!!

[@antoniomartins3280]

I live in India,Goa to be precise,I have raised black hens,so they think,these are some kind of crows and stay away from them.

[@bennywalsh2038]

This is great. I'm doing SO MUCH research before building a coop and run area and thinking about free ranging in a bigger area during the day. I think I have ground predator defense sorted but locals blow off the idea due to so many hawks. Nobody has talked on KZbin about growing ground cover, quick growing bushy trees. I want to incorporate trellis grown veg etc using cattle fence panels as tunnels and even consider grouping 'clumping' bamboo as hawk flight path defense. My thinking exactly when you talked about a hawk needing a path out, never mind in. Thanks for helping my reasoning get confirmed.

[@edibleacres]

Wish you the best of luck, glad you are thinking about it all in advance!

[@doomsdaycrochet4873]

The hawks who ate my chickens yesterday didn't care about a path out. They killed and were in the process of eating 4 of my 9 week old chickens under a large apple tree in the presence of the other chickens who survived the attack. I am livid...

[@Mandy-cn5cl]

Our buzzards sit in the big trees & drop out on to their prey but we have smaller trees & bushes that confuse the issue so no easy option for them I hope . Lots of good things in your video thanks

[@Ariel-xz8lg]

Thank you, this is one of the best if not the best commentaries I have seen yet. Great ideas. Excellent set up.

[@politicalpartyagnostic268]

That is such a lovely chicken yard. When I was a kid we had chickens. The hens were sweet but the rooster would chase me and peck at my bare legs. I guess he was protecting the hens space. 😂 Great fun in our yard with lots of nature. So nice for childhood.

[@colleenhoward9590]

Love it and thanks for sharing. I have a Hawk and an Eagle that sit on a fir tree in my chickens field. When I see them I close up the chickens from the field and they have under their netted area and in the back yard with all the trees and bushes. The other day though an owl came to visit big owl. The girls were making alot of noise I came out they were all hiding and yelling. I moved towards them and the owl that was sitting on the arch flew to the coop roof. My dog and I were barking and I was waving my arms but the owl was not paying any attention to us. It did fly to the top of the garage I followed it and started to throw rocks at it not at it but right under it. It just ignored me and gave me that look as if I am crazy with those beautiful eyes. My dog made her way to where I was and we barked again until it flew to the neighbors roof. We went over there and started to bark at it and I was waving my arms again it must have got tired of us and flew off. I am now closing up their patio coop so when I have to leave I know they have enough space and are safe. They have a very large netted area plus two coops and their hang out patio coop to be in while I can't be there. I have to say the Eagle and the Hawk have not tried to come for the girls but the owl was right down with the girls so scary. I am going to try and turn my field into a hiding area too. Thanks for sharing again

[@dawnhughes9942]

Our dogs are big helpers and guardians of the chickens. Puppies raised with hens from the beginning have never given us a problem. I love all the advice you mentioned in your video and use these practices myself. Hawks are present but not a problem for our free ranging urban forest hens who also have a similar coop under an oak!.

[@tcotroneo]

I agree.. chickens roots are in forests.. I built their extended run into the woods.. 5 trees for cover.. My intention is to plant a few evergreen trees for year round hawk protection.. Unfortunately, once the leaves fall and the winter comes, the hawks take advantage.. And I’ve seen them just wait on high tree limbs, so overhead netting is a must in colder seasons..

[@america1st964]

I'm currently working on one myself. How you have done yours is how I want mine. So natural and healthy!! Thank you for being my inspiration!! And....you have actually taught me a few things👍😁

[@hilaryboyd8594]

Wow! The living wall has grown so much. It looks great.

[@pantherzrule1]

Our system design is a few years behind you, and we just lost a bird to hawks. This was really timely as I'm thinking about what plants to get for the spring. Also, encouraging to know I won't have to keep them cooped up in order to protect them! I really didn't want to have to do that.

[@yavin99]

I have full size chickens and they seem to big for a hawk to kill in fact I had to free a hawk that was being killed by my largest hen which I ended up regretting later on because the only chickens I've lost were chicks. I heard a great deterrent for hawks is to have black chickens and that can fool a hawk into thinking there are crows.

[@summerhill_homestead]

This was so informative and helpful. Thank you. I’m loving your channel and learning so much from what you share.I see so much creativity and thoughtfulness in the planning of your permaculture garden and it inspires me.

[@farnorthhomested844]

I have been feeding the birds every day for years. Ive seen numerous hawk attacks and I have lots of trees in the yard. you can not believe how good they can navigate. when they catch something, they just eat it right there. they don't fly away with it. my neighbor has a fish pond in her back yard and you would not believe how well a stork can navigate and fly thru trees.

[@edibleacres]

Looks like you get to experience some interesting wild life observation!

[@richardw4132]

I live in a zone 5b north of Barrie Ontario. Your chicken coop setup is awesome. I have blueberries, black/red currant and an assorted fruit trees which I will graft and plant in my chicken coop enclosure together with a compost pile. I will be expanding my chicken coop to incorporate many of your good ideas. Thank you!!

[@MasterKenfucius]

Your chickens look very healthy and happy. Good job.

[@Gandalf-The-Green]

Roosters help a lot with looking out for birds of prey. I keep a father/son team with every breeding group. Older hens are great at this too, so keep them around if you can afford. My chickens are Seramas and tiny as far as chickens go, they love to hide under sage bushes.

[@edibleacres]

We'd love to have roosters to protect, but have had some real issues with neighbors when we've had them and for now we're not going to...

[@johnrobholmes]

Once again, your encouragement is what i needed!! My chickens are almost fully feathered and this was my next worry to address as they enter the yard. Such great information, and KZbin seems to always be timely in the delivery from your channel :) Maybe one day I can come visit your amazing sites and lend a hand. In the mean time, ill keep watching

[@gelwood99]

Great things to think about when setting up a static coop or making adjustments to an existing one. Thanks

[@Doktracy]

Love your hoop house and your coop. I’m going to try adding the hardware cloth to my coop. I have a couple of sides where the siding needs replacing so I’ll adopt that idea. Thanks!

[@edibleacres]

Good luck!

[@HansQuistorff]

The original design of the farm was to keep the chicken yard under the grape arbor. Worked well for areal predators but a raccoon worked it's way in through the vines and carried the chicken up into the canopy. Because the areas I want them to cultivate are more open I keep them in chicken tractors and move them daily. When I have let them free range for the afternoon and they failed to return to the perch inside I have lost them to owels at night.

[@edibleacres]

So many moving parts there!

[@MyQuaintCottage]

Great tips. Love your garden! 🤗

[@harmonysalem9377]

Merci from Montreal, Canada.

[@joydavis4087]

That’s great info. Thanks for the vid. I was wondering if you had any predator pressure.

[@eecforeststewardship640]

When I see hawks and eagles, I cry out in a mimic of their own calls (you can use ibird on your phone if you don't have the mimic talent). Hearing the call tells the bird it's in another bird's territory and they go away quick. I am not always there to call, but the message seems stick and I don't ever see hawks or eagles hanging out near the chickens. Owls have been the greatest challenge. Though I put the birds away, sometimes one will roost up in a tree and is often predated by owls when they do.

[@TheRainHarvester]

Bird netting works great too, but not renewable. It's mostly invisible to humans too. Recently, I read birds are a good look out for other creatures too - nice observation! I built an arbor out of cedar tree trunks that I cut for my garden (they suck the nutrients out of soil). You can see it in some of my videos. Keeps the garden shaded in Texas which is an additional benefit.

[@permiebird937]

Careful with bird netting. It will stop.hawks, but raccoons and other 4 footed predators can and will tear it open and kill your birds if they get the chance. I even had a raccoon tear through chicken wire on a coop, just enough to pull one of my hens into the hole to eat about half of her, around 15 years ago.

[@TheRainHarvester]

@@permiebird937 yes for sure. I just meant for overhead attacks from hawks.

[@edibleacres]

I should have addressed this in the video... I really want to commit to not using bird netting as birds can get tangled in it and suffer/die and it ultimately just gets dumped, so I want to skip it altogether...

[@TheRainHarvester]

@@edibleacres , good point. I use it on tomato cages and I've never seen a bird get tangled (but I'm not saying it can't happen). I have caught lots of snakes in it (poisonous, and beneficial ones).

[@happygardener28]

If wild snow out west is a sign of the winter we may get, you may want to put the compost tunnel repair near the top of your list. I've had to shift few of my projects around out here in Ohio.

[@nancycampbell7792]

Love listening to you!

[@deannajohnston3585]

Awesome habitat! I have lost some chickens to hawks even though the chickens have lots of places to hide and take cover. I have seen hawks perching on fence posts in places where they can take a chicken by surprise. I have had them swoop down right in front of me and zing low down through the yard where the chickens hang out. Apparently some hawks can easily navigate through trees and other obstacles. They can't always carry off a chicken but they will sure try. I have seen them up in the woods eating a neighbor chicken on the ground where it was caught. This summer I have been caught by surprise by a falcon a couple of times zinging right past me. It's exciting but upsetting at the same time as I know what they are after and it's not the Swiss Chard!! The Red Tailed Hawks that nest in a tree on the ridge will also circle above the area in the early afternoon when the sun is behind them and they are very hard to see. As far as what I do about it. I started out with Bantam chickens and they seem more at risk due to their small size, so I have been converting the flock to large chickens by removing small eggs from the broody hens and putting in extra large ones I get from a friend. The chickens I have now are extremely predator aware. They have been eye witnesses to raptor attacks and know what to watch out for and what areas to avoid at what times of day. The main rooster keeps a close watch on what's happening but the hens keep an eye out as well. They have different levels of warning sounds to let each other know what's going on. Since I have about 20 chickens chances are good that at least one of them will notice a predator. When there is a raptor nearby they make a sort of loud growling noise. The chicks and moms instinctively stay near bushes where they can take cover quickly and the moms teach them to be aware and what to watch for. When one chicken starts to run they all run even if there's no danger. Well no danger that I saw anyway. They also have places where they can rest in safety. And they follow me out into the open areas seeming to know they are safe if they stay close to me. I thought it was interesting about your wild birds calling out warning. I have a lot of wild sparrows that hang out in my yard. They come to drink from the water fountain and eat seeds and such. They also spend a lot of time in the coop in winter. I find this to be very annoying as when in the coop they pounce on the chickens backs while the chickens are just minding their own business. They will fly from one chicken to another repeatedly. The chickens just get to where they ignore it but I'm sure it must annoy them as well but it doesn't seem to hurt them. The interesting thing about that is I have seen the wild birds also pouncing on raptors and black birds while they are flying. The smaller bird will stay up above and behind the predator where it is safe from talons and keep pouncing on it's back until the predator leaves the area. So even though it's annoying behavior in the coop they are also driving off predators in the sky.

[@AnneluvsKatz]

Getting my first chickens tmrw. You’ve really got me thinking. I’ve been seriously worried about free ranging since I have no rooster 😬

[@Tinaejs]

We have Coopers Beard Hawks that sit up in the pines, we lost 2 of our smaller birds before we had to move the entire run. No issues since.

[@kahae9858]

I've seen magpies chase away hawks that strayed into their territory. Guinea fowl can be a deterrent too. Their alarm calls sound like a loud machine gun and I've seen a guinea fowl chase off a hawk that was trying to attack.

[@edibleacres]

Good info here!

[@danielallouche2493]

I'm sure crows would also sound the alarm if a raccoon shows up especially during their nesting season.The question... What would entice a colony of crows to settle in or near your property?

[@edibleacres]

Shiny things :)

[@edithwortman32]

Me encanta toda la información que nos das, muchas gracias y felicidades por tu lindo video!!😊

[@tagladyify]

Great stuff! We have a lot of blackbirds nesting on the summer and they will mob the hawks if the come near while the blackbirds are nesting.

[@edibleacres]

The wild birds really are allies I think.

[@mikepoddar]

Greetings from Africa. Please upload more videos about Chicken / Quail. I am a regular follower inspired by you and some others to start a Homestead. Construction half way through.

[@edibleacres]

Can do!

[@beefandpork]

Have you successfully prevented hawk attacks since this video? What about other predators?

[@jasonhatfield4747]

Hawks are incredible predators and capable of some amazing feats of flight when hunting. However, in a yard like yours with so much complexity and places for chickens to hide, I think the hawks will skip over it and look for an open field. The only downside is it takes so much time and know-how to create a landscape like yours. I was planning on rotating our chickens around some horse pastures this summer, but after a lot of hawk activity already this year, I'm not sure it's such a great option.

[@shaanz2.087]

So much thought for chicken breeding. Thanks a lot. Amazing content. Best regards from Mumbai

[@ronsmith1364]

Has the flock become self sustaining ? Do you allow broody hens to raise chicks? How much mortality from age have you had? Neat that the wrens & chickadees provide the early alarms from having the birdhouses on the chicken yard. One other question, are the japanese beetles worse or variable year to year? thanks for sharing

[@edibleacres]

We don't have roosters in our flock right now so we don't get renewal. Our older hens may be retired this fall, and we may give our area a rest for the winter. We'll have to see. We lost 2 birds this year to what seems like old age issues...

[@ronsmith1364]

@@edibleacres I wondered, thanks for replying. Going to be informative to see you working through this & learning how you resolve it.

[@rochrich1223]

You did a good video on cover. You don't seem to need the active guard animals, roosters, geese and dogs nor the passive intimidating ones like turkeys.(I wonder if turkeys become active defending a roost against ground threats?)

[@Rosethatwantstomove]

I had to watch a hawk drown 1 of my hens. He swooped down from a neighbor's tree. All but her went under cover. My hens are mad at me for not allowing them out of the run. I took out all my low branches & he waited till they visited neighbors property

[@edibleacres]

Sorry that happened.

[@mrteddobek]

Just lost a few hens to a hawk attack this afternoon. With all the overstory foliage down for the winter, plus fresh snow yesterday, it must have been open season for those hawks. I read somewhere that getting black australorps help scare away hawks as they look like crows. I saw you have some black hens. Maybe that is also why you haven’t had much hawk aggression to your flock?

[@edibleacres]

I'm really sorry that happened with your flock so frightening. It seems like maybe the black hens I have some positive effect to that end but I can't say for sure. It does seem like the ideas in this video have been helpful to us. Complex dance, overstory, habitat for wild birds, and a relatively tall fence around the area so the Hawks can't dive bomb as easily seems all to have been pretty helpful. I wish you luck.

[@grow.nurture.nourish]

I always love following your updates! I live in New Zealand and am about to get backyard chickens - no way in the scale you have them but can definitely still learn from you. Luckily Hawks won't be an issue for me, and we have very few predators - Hedgehogs will probably be what I'm most concerned about. Ka Pai! (Great work)

[@Hisloyalservantslistenlove613c]

Thank you

[@JacquelineJaroffaith]

I am going to try doing this.

[@CroakyMacGregor]

5.5 years, 60+ hens, 0.1 acre. Every time I see this lot I'm always wishing I knew these three pieces of information. Just so I can compare it to my own situation and temper my expectations.

[@michellebarbour5777]

Great film about overhead problems. I really can't help but wonder about rats in your set up? You have raw meat available (great for the chickens) but what happens at night? Compost heaps where I come from...U.K with rat averse neighbours, preclude meat and cooked scraps? How do you cope with rats?

[@melanieallen3655]

Lots if great information, thankyou..

[@edibleacres]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ThedawnchorusPlot]

Excellent update you’re doing a fantastic job with your hens learnt so much from this video many thanks for sharing kind regards alan🌿.......... THE DAWN CHORUS PLOT

[@darlenemcswine6418]

Those are very helpful tips. Do you have any trouble with fox? I think I’ve been having more trouble with fox than I have with hawks on my property. We have some crows that I think have gotten a chick before (and I think find some eggs when we have a hen who lays one outside) but overall the crows seem to keep the hawks and eagles away(for the most part)

[@letsgovegan4491]

This is beautiful😍

[@trashdog88]

Thank you great information

[@curiosidadesextrano]

Wonderful design!

[@TheNiteczka]

I am so happy to see and try your solutions. wish to keep my chickens but i also respect hawks and hope they can feed on overpopulated species instead. Bird on!

[@edibleacres]

Hope some ideas here can be helpful

[@memdass747]

In the evening do your hens go back to the coop? Will they all lay eggs there or do you egg hunt? I live on diverse landscape on about 5.3 acres. There is a large population of hawks here. I could plant a few more understory shrubs and trees to provide more protection for my chickens but nervous to free range them due to them taking off into the surrounding (pretty wild dense) properties. Do hens stick near their coop when free ranging?

[@edibleacres]

Our hens are super reliable (thankfully) in gonig in each night, and they lay in reliable places too (thank you thank you!) We have a very different situation I believe...

[@nancyfahey7518]

I've had a hawk dive bombing our bird feeders full of birds. I have several large bonsai in pots that I move around with a dollie. I made it very painful for the hawk to come thru. Haven't seen it in a while.

[@iamthewelcher]

Hawks are cool !

[@karenjones3066]

Thanks for all the good info on keeping chickens. I've seen news stories on people getting sick with Salmonella from backyard chickens. Are you concerned about this? How do you guard against this?

[@tesha199]

You don't eat raw eggs

[@sarahsnadur]

Loved this design! I'm beginning to think about my forthcoming chicken composting design and what the inputs/outputs are and what functions to be incorporating...there were some great seeds here as food for thought. Can I ask about whether you have had issues with the hens laying under the raised henhouse? Hi from Donegal, and thanks, folks! :D

[@edibleacres]

We've had them lay under there once in a while, but not much. Realized so long as we have a good number of nesting boxes in the coop that we (try to) keep clean and private for them that they lay pretty reliably in there.

[@Taking_Back_Thyme]

How do you keep the chickens from digging up and eating your vegetables?

[@edibleacres]

They are not in the main garden

[@Doktracy]

I get a lot of forest dwelling types of hawks. Despite dense bushes,trees and dogs,I still have a high loss to hawks and maybe owls.

[@CorwynGC]

How do you have any berries on your elders?! Our berries are ripe for one day, and then gone, vanished, poofed.

[@edibleacres]

The wild birds strip most off, but these remained, perhaps the chickens are a little territorial in this one area.

[@hakdov6496]

I like the hawk that hangs out in my back yard during the summer. He hunts mice, chipmunks, squirrels and such. My problem is with the damn heron that will occasionally raid my koi pond.

[@edibleacres]

Sounds like a helpful hawk and a tough heron!

[@mehmetkeskin6302]

Maşallah ♥️🐣🐣🐤🐤🐤🐥🐥😍🐓🐔🐔🇹🇷

[@donniecarter3848]

I've been raising chickens for 40 plus years and hawk's will get your chickens if they really want them with the way you have your chicken pen. Yes it will help to an extent but it doesn't stop them. I have seen them catch a chicken and just stand there eating it.

[@enuajsifoto]

same here

[@JenniferLippmann]

What about winter, when so much of the foliage is gone?

[@edibleacres]

So far we have had it still work in the winter, but that may just be luck

[@nynekats]

there are forks and spoons in the fence. i like it.

[@edibleacres]

We find them in the compost we collect sometimes :)

[@stinstosterone1094]

Thank you for your wonderful videos. I would appreciate it if you could explore some of the land loving creatures that like to torment chickens; weasels, skunks, fox and the likes. We have quite a bit of problems with these creatures around us. Thanks again.

[@edibleacres]

I think the critical thing is to make sure you have a really safe coop for them and then you don't have to worry about those evening animals. We have skunks that come each night and we love to see them!

[@raquelapicella3]

Amazing love this so much.

[@rafterL78]

Do you have a problem with hens trying to hide a nest under the cover?

[@edibleacres]

Yep, but we look around :)

[@hemansr3893]

Do paw, paw trees grown in your area? Do you sell them?

[@reidbrown8392]

Have you ever had trouble with groundhogs in your deep much garden? I've had several in my garden this year so I'm curious if you have any permaculture strategies for dealing with them

[@edibleacres]

Groundhogs are tough. We haven't had them in a bit, but in the past I had a dog who was amazing at chasing and sometimes killing them.

[@murphylawson]

Have you lost any hens to hawks? Not the worst thing to support local predators if a few make it through.

[@edibleacres]

So far, luckily we haven't...

[@Jessamineann]

Do you think the darker colored hens make it harder for a hawk to see under the shadows of the foliage?

[@edibleacres]

I bet it can be helpful.

[@gelwood99]

I have heard that dark chickens look like crows and help repel them. Not sure about it but it might.

[@monabale8263]

do you get the four pawed predators?

[@edibleacres]

Sometimes racoons and opossums come into the chicken yard at night, but the coop is secure so we don't worry about them.

[@Rick.Albers]

Do you have any trouble with your hens laying eggs under the chicken coop?

[@edibleacres]

Somehow we've been lucky on that... OR, they do lay them and raccoons come and eat them at night!!

[@Beansie]

GREAT Thumbnail!

[@tundraleonberger9645]

Any issues with predators (raccoons, etc.) getting into the chicken area via the overhanging trees? I am about to have my first chickens, and am trying to think of everything!

[@edibleacres]

Racoons come at night some time but they can't get into the coop because it's super fortified.

[@serenawebster4694]

Gathering eggs must be an adventure in an half, lol.

[@edibleacres]

We've got nesting boxes in the coop and it seems they are pretty reliable about laying them.

[@fordguyfordguy]

yall must not have coopers' hawks up there. They are like ninjas flying through thick vegetation.

[@edibleacres]

I guess we may just be lucky

[@Don-vv8eh]

if the hawk wants a chicken he will get it, or what ever it wants, you have a nice yard,

[@pokeweed10k15]

I let ragweed take over my chickenyard to deter hawks

[@enuajsifoto]

no such luck with my chickens - I have my own incubator and start twice a year with 35 eggs (70 chickens total for the year) and by now i.e by the end of December I'm left with 12... the same scenario year after year - ducks are even more vulnerable - I was once feeding the ducks and stood one yard from them when a hawk just picked one and flew off - hard to believe. Once I smacked one with the branch - it stayed laying on the ground pretending it was dead but when I came close to it it just jumped and flew off. Amazingly beautiful birds but so deadly. My yard is in Connecticut with old trees and bushes so dense that none of my vegetable plots has full day sunlight but it makes no difference: the hawks have learnt to first land on branches near the ground and then attack - I once witnessed a hawk pulling my screaming chicken from underneath rhododendron bush... The hawks are more deadly then foxes which my German Shepard can follow sometimes for an hour and after such a thorough "search" they don't return for a while but how to deter the hawks I don't know:)

[@edibleacres]

Wow, that sounds incredibly challenging. I'm very sorry you are dealing with that. I wonder if there is much more of a 'food desert' for them where you live and so your bounty of little chickens is too much of a draw for them. Where we are there are lots of more wild spaces around and the hawks can most likely meet their needs with those wild contexts first, perhaps.

[@enuajsifoto]

@@edibleacres Thank you for your comment. For the newly hatched chickens the first 4-8 weeks are usually safe as running underneath the leaves of vegetables or corn provides good protection - the feast for the hawks starts when they are 4-6 months old and in their prime. The good news is that they do learn so when crossing any open space they always run and roosters observe the sky and warn the flock and once the presence of hawk is realized they stop all activities and just sit low in the bushes unfortunately they don't learn fast enough so I built a good size all enclosure adjacent to the chicken coop and that is where they have to spend their days except for the last hour of the daylight when I let them out and the hawks are less active apparently following healthy habits of not eating before going to bed:)

[@MrsNewman759]

Most chicken owning people try to avoid wild birds like crazy bc of disease transfer. This is nice to see

[@edibleacres]

So far we haven't had any issues at all, not saying it is perfect by any stretch but it seems beneficial overall

[@ss-kz9ee]

I don't think an eagle would be game to take a chicken. Or it would get dive bombed by 100 chickens

[@coleenburris6816]

Is that red amaranth growing under your sunflowers? Do you feed it to your chickens?

[@edibleacres]

It is red amaranth. It has more or less naturalized actually in this setup! They come up all over every year now! Our chickens and the wild birds enjoy it.

[@glumGlumm]

Chaken wang is uber delicious!

[@English4XYZ]

Just get a rooster