tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587634783902486718.post3153766233226500168..comments2023-04-29T09:45:12.248-04:00Comments on Bear Swamp Reflections: The Party's OverSusanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201860227400017841noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587634783902486718.post-51073257315470697472008-08-22T08:29:00.000-04:002008-08-22T08:29:00.000-04:00Hello Susan- I came over here from Amy's blog!I'm ...Hello Susan- I came over here from Amy's blog!<BR/>I'm sorry about your scare, but glad everybody is okay...<BR/>Unfortunately, there is no perfect place to free range your flock- my Dad had a coop like yours underneath some trees, and he started noticing his hens disappearing one by one... one morning before daybreak he snuck out to the henhouse and caught the culprit- a hawk was perched on a branch waiting for the chickens to come outside in the morning! I think your netting is a smart move- I keep my coop tops covered, too.<BR/>You have a great blog!Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02693565002250035794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587634783902486718.post-15311130752366632822008-07-18T23:30:00.000-04:002008-07-18T23:30:00.000-04:00I've counted 6 raptor species in our back yard and...I've counted 6 raptor species in our back yard and I know I'm going to have to place netting over their run come fall. I have a roll of it waiting, I'm just putting it off until later in the season when I can see raptors regularly. Right now, they are busy finishing raising their young. Come fall it will be a different story when it's each hawk to himself!<BR/><BR/>Spruce trees are wonderful cover for chickens. Their dense, prickly branches give them an advantage when a hawk comes after them.<BR/><BR/>It seems that every creature on the planet loves chicken. I've come to accept that I may lose some of my birds to raptors. It's the risk I take by letting my birds free range most of the day.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587634783902486718.post-13607175934126022542008-07-14T15:03:00.000-04:002008-07-14T15:03:00.000-04:00Laurie, I definitely feel safer with them penned u...Laurie, I definitely feel safer with them penned up most of the time. I figure if I let them out right before roosting time, it will be easy to get them back into the run with a little cracked corn and a "Here, chick, chick" as that is what they're used to at that time anyway. And anyway, since I'm the boss of this here outfit, what I say goes! They don't get any "chooses" as my niece used to say!Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14201860227400017841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587634783902486718.post-35824953049850735422008-07-14T12:56:00.000-04:002008-07-14T12:56:00.000-04:00WOW close call! That would flip me out, for sure!...WOW close call! That would flip me out, for sure! I'm glad you got the deer netting for them. They may not be so upset about not free ranging, as they may feel safer now, you never know.<BR/><BR/>Where I live, we have LOTS of red-tailed hawks, golden and bald eagles, owls, coyotes, snakes, racoons, skunks, wild dogs, etc. I have always enclosed them in runs because of it. Luckily they don't know any different, and when they accidently get out of the coop, they turn around and jump right back in! <BR/><BR/>I hope you have piece of mind knowing they are a little safer. Sounds like a really scary time for them and for you.Laurie Chase Kruczekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15517846044382639311noreply@blogger.com