Lace monitor ate my beautiful bantam

[macca3056]

Sad day... A very large 2m lace monitor had been visiting our house and stealing the odd egg. Today it took one of our beautiful bantams and dragged it away to eat. We are deverstated and wondered if others had ever had this issue and if so want did they do. The chickens are safe in the coop at night but we had been letting them out to free range during the day. Would love to keep them free range but don't any more babies to get taken. Any ideas?????

 

[Sutremaine]

How big is your free ranging area?

 

[macca3056]

The free range area is large but unfenced. We have 8 acres of bush with about 1 acre of clearing around the house which the chickens roam during the day and is unfenced. I'm not keen to fence the whole acre and want them to have the freedom to wander. Any ideas on if I can deter the lace monitor?? I'm not sure if it's just the bantams that are at risk or if they Would they eat a standard chicken too or maybe too big??

 

[birds4kids]

Since you don't want to fence and don't seem to want to harm the predator I would probably harass the monitor, guessing a cold jug of water dumped on him ever time you see him combined with generally being loud and driving him off would have him hesitant to return soon. Might be hard if he has been regularly dining on eggs though, your place isn't the sight of one meal but rather a reliable source for him.