# Need help with chicken pen



## I_like_to_hunt (Dec 20, 2009)

well i got some chickens and i have netting over the top of the pen and i want to know how to keep hawks away cause one of my babys got his head riped off and this is the third tim in two weeks that one of my babys have goten killed. is there anything to keep them away?
thanx, corey


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## SneekEE (Dec 20, 2009)

I think I have heared of putting up a owl decoy to keep them away, not sure. But if a hawk has found them, he will most likly keep hunting them.You may want to look into setting up a trap for him.


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## I_like_to_hunt (Dec 20, 2009)

i might try the owl decoy but idk how i would trap him 





SneekEE said:


> I think I have heared of putting up a owl decoy to keep them away, not sure. But if a hawk has found them, he will most likly keep hunting them.You may want to look into setting up a trap for him.


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## dawg2 (Dec 20, 2009)

Is it coming through the netting?  I covered mine with black plastic netting and never lost one.


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## deerehauler (Dec 20, 2009)

you sure its a hawk and not something else getting in there?


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## Nicodemus (Dec 20, 2009)

Don`t trap the hawk. The fine will be a lot more than your chickens are worth, if you get caught. Put your biddies in a predator proof are, until they get big enough to discourage attack from hawks.


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## SneekEE (Dec 20, 2009)

Nicodemus said:


> Don`t trap the hawk. The fine will be a lot more than your chickens are worth, if you get caught. Put your biddies in a predator proof are, until they get big enough to discourage attack from hawks.



I didnt know it was illigal to protect your animals from predators, thanks for the info.


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## thomas gose (Dec 20, 2009)

SneekEE said:


> I didnt know it was illigal to protect your animals from predators, thanks for the info.



I didnt think it was, but I would sure enough check before wackin one and talkin of it!


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## Longstreet1 (Dec 20, 2009)

It is probably a coon a hawk will take the bird. I have lost all my birds. What do you have them in? Make sure they are kept locked up some where at night that a coon can not get in. Also owls will get them caught one in my pen one night I left the door open. If you only have a few birds get a dog kennel cover the top and bottom and put a house in it.


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## shakey gizzard (Dec 20, 2009)

Fortify your coop! If a hawk can get them so can everything else! gOOD LUCK!


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## repoman34 (Dec 21, 2009)

SneekEE said:


> if a hawk has found them, he will most likly keep hunting them.You may want to look into setting up a trap for him.



Disturbing a Hawk in any way, shape, form, or fashion is a felony. You can actually go to prison for it. You can also be fined quite a bit of money. Don't know how much it is now, but they used to be able to fine you up to $10,000. I wouldn't do that.

As for the simple solution; I don't know what kind of netting you've got over your pen. I always used the small-square chicken wire for mine. Nothing is getting to them through that. Including snakes, which is what I had been having my problem with, and the reason I changed to this type of wire. Don't remember what they call it, but it's the type of wire you see in the pic below. 






hope this helps


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## I_like_to_hunt (Dec 21, 2009)

im not gana trap that thing thats stupid and yes it is a hawk i saw it fly off my coop with one of my chicks. thanks for the info andim not gana messs with the hawk


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## chilidog (Dec 21, 2009)

that type of wire is called hardware cloth, for baby chicks what do is i have 4 "brood pens". They are about 3 feet off of the ground on legs. The bottom is a pallet, slat (whatever you wanna call it) with hardware cloth over it. 3 sides are enclosed with plywood. One side has the door in it. It is 30" tall. The back is hardware cloth. There is a roost pole running across the very middle of it about 6-8" off the bottom. I have never had a problem with anything getting in it and bothering them and they are plenty big enough to allow for lots of excercise and growing. All of my baby chicks do very well in these things. I normally never have more than 3 or 4 hatchings around the same time so I just put the biddies from each hatching in the same one all together.


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## Canebrake (Dec 23, 2009)

it could be a hawk but I bet its a coon you are after.  Just because you saw the hawk on top doesn't mean its the one doing the killing.  Coons will come back night after night and stir the birds up enough that they run their heads out of the wire and thats when they kill them.  Them jokers work in teams!!!

Trying baiting up a live trap or some leg hold traps with sardines at night and see if you don't get a coon or two.  In the mean time...if youre birds are getting whacked in the pens then you first need to fix those coops!  But don't give up on your predator control...the stress alone from being messed with everynight can kill a young bird.


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## Bkeepr (Dec 24, 2009)

Yep use the hardware cloth, coons will reach through the netting or chicken wire and grab the birds. Coons will eat the heads, crop and gizzard so you are left with a neckless body.  Hawks will eat just the head.
You can find these programmable chicken coop doors that will shut them in but they cost a lot.  But you can be out hunting and not have to worry about getting home in time to lock up the chickens!


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## hunter_58 (Dec 26, 2009)

I also think it's a coon !


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## geronimo1969 (Dec 28, 2009)

This is what I was thinking when I first read the post... Coons  do that too..Lost a few this year..Set a trap and caught the the sneek..Biggest one I ever seen.




Longstreet1 said:


> It is probably a coon a hawk will take the bird. I have lost all my birds. What do you have them in? Make sure they are kept locked up some where at night that a coon can not get in. Also owls will get them caught one in my pen one night I left the door open. If you only have a few birds get a dog kennel cover the top and bottom and put a house in it.


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## redneckcamo (Dec 28, 2009)

I know Im  repeating advice here but ......you have got too make the wire where nothing can get thru around the outside and the top !!

chicken pens aint just for keepin something in ;p)


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## GAcooner94 (Dec 30, 2009)

just put some plwood over the pin thats cheap and easy


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## StikR (Jan 3, 2010)

#6s


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## houndsman (Jan 7, 2010)

Usually a varmint will carry its prey away from an open area ,the only one i know of that pulls just a head off is a WEASEL and he sucks the blood out .But if all the hawk can get threw the wire is the head thats what he will take . I would look at a solid top of some kind .the owl will work till they get use to it . Some thing else you might try is tie a dog next to them he will gaurd them and not even know what he's doing .


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