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Am I too paranoid??

post #1 of 10
6/15/12 at 10:08am
Thread Starter 

Ok, I've built my automatic chicken door to keep them safe at night but Im really worried about weasels getting in from up top. I've got chicken wire stapled around the roof but my husband says they can squeeze through it, so I've stuck a baby monitor in their house so I am alerted of any commotion that could happen. I don't want to lose a single bird. baby monitor too much 023.JPG Toooooooo much?????lau.gif The Yukon is full of all kinds of predators.

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post #2 of 10
6/15/12 at 10:24am

I don't know anything about the Yukon (except that it's cold & beautiful) but the Colorado prairie has coyotes, fox, & raccoons. My wood coop is completely enclosed, roof and all, with a door for us two-leggeds and a chicken door for the ladies and gents that gets closed, from the inside, at night. Surrounding the coop is a fenced enclosure, sides and top. It's a pain in the butt, but I haven't lost a chicken yet. I can free range them when I'm outdoors and keep an eye on them, too, since wild life doesn't come around until the evening. We don't kill any of the predators, so this is the best plan for us. You can also set live traps to catch the weasels and let them loose somewhere far, far away. Or sell them for pelts.

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post #3 of 10
6/15/12 at 10:36am
Thread Starter 

Well, lets see, we don't have racoons or skunks up here but racoons got my chickens when I live in southern BC. Here we got coyotes, foxes lynx grizzly and black bear, wolverine, mink, marten, weasels wolves and a whole variety of birds of prey. Our community is a population of only about 400 people so many of the animal tend to move in close. We got a cow moose and calf that hangs out in our subdivision every winter. I think she feels safer from the wolves being closer to humans but we do see wolves come through once in awhile. They kill peoples dogs even when they're on their chains expecially up in the Ross river area.hmm.png They only kill peoples dogs when the winters get brutal and food for them gets scarce usually late winter.

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post #4 of 10
6/15/12 at 10:40am

"You're not paranoid is they really are out to get you."  (sorry, someone had to say it)

 

 

I'd say, get some rat wire (hardware cloth) over the holes that are worrying you.  Then you can rest easy and enjoy your birds.

 

 

edited to add - By the way, that is GORGEOUS scenery!  What a lovely place to live.


Edited by canesisters - 6/15/12 at 10:42am

Member of the Derperella Club-- We're just all goin' round' the rooster, here

Single Mom to The Cane Sisters: Candy & Benzo (EE), Nova & Sola (S.Sussex), Raisin & Citizen (SLW), Hurra (FBCM), Ameri & Ineeda (JGx), Lido (BLRW) + 1 horse, 3 dogs and 4 dumpcats

My Coop Building Page http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/670830/the-shed-is-here-omg-now-what#post_9055853

GREAT article on...

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Member of the Derperella Club-- We're just all goin' round' the rooster, here

Single Mom to The Cane Sisters: Candy & Benzo (EE), Nova & Sola (S.Sussex), Raisin & Citizen (SLW), Hurra (FBCM), Ameri & Ineeda (JGx), Lido (BLRW) + 1 horse, 3 dogs and 4 dumpcats

My Coop Building Page http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/670830/the-shed-is-here-omg-now-what#post_9055853

GREAT article on...

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post #5 of 10
6/15/12 at 10:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by canesisters View Post

"You're not paranoid is they really are out to get you."  (sorry, someone had to say it)

 

 

I'd say, get some rat wire (hardware cloth) over the holes that are worrying you.  Then you can rest easy and enjoy your birds.

 

 

edited to add - By the way, that is GORGEOUS scenery!  What a lovely place to live.

Exactly.  Chicken wire is pretty much useless except for keeping chickens in.  It won't keep out any detemined predator and well, they are all deteremined to eat aren't they!  1/4 inch hardware cloth will keep out all those nasty critters and you can sleep better at night!

wife to long suffering husband who has built more miles of fence, barns, coops and enclosures then one man should have to, two teenage boys, current flock of 13 assorted hens and 1 big red roo, 2 goats, 2 dogs, 4 cats, 2 bunnies and 1 cockatiel. 

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wife to long suffering husband who has built more miles of fence, barns, coops and enclosures then one man should have to, two teenage boys, current flock of 13 assorted hens and 1 big red roo, 2 goats, 2 dogs, 4 cats, 2 bunnies and 1 cockatiel. 

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post #6 of 10
6/15/12 at 10:52am
Thread Starter 

baby monitor too much 020.JPGWell I've been socializing my pup Maddie with the chickens ever since we got them and I'm going to socialize her more by bringing her into the chicken run when they can go outside so hopefully she'll help in being their protector too. big_smile.png I know, EVERYBODY IS OUT TO GET MY FLOCK, AAAAAAAAAAH, LOL!barnie.gifbaby monitor too much 022.JPG


Edited by Yukonchick - 6/15/12 at 10:56am
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post #7 of 10
6/15/12 at 11:35am
What a beautiful dog...i allow my dog in the yard with the chickens during the day to keep luding salesmen!the pitbulls away...i live intown in central illinois and a dog goes along long way for keeping everything away...inc
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post #8 of 10
6/15/12 at 12:26pm
Thread Starter 

Ya thats my Maddie. I never liked Rottweillers but she's only one quarter. The rest is collie, Belgion shepard and Mallanois. We got her brother who looks and has the coloring of a rotty. Short hair. Heres a pic of him. 008.JPG

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post #9 of 10
6/15/12 at 5:22pm
use hardware cloth in place of the chicken wire,it will keep snakes out too...you know up there you can kill one predator and another steps in it's place, best to fortify the coop and you won't be jumping up in the middle of the night to chickens screaming.
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post #10 of 10
6/15/12 at 6:57pm
Thread Starter 

At least theres no snakes in the Yukon, LOL. My husband hates snakes and thats one of the reasons he moved up here. I was also surprised to find there are no Deworms in the Yukon either. Can't use those for fishing bait up here.I should try to raise deworms up here. I'd make a killing during the tourist season, big_smile.png

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