I have a new chicken set up. I have 10 mostly wooded acres with 2ish acres of 'lawn' around the house. There are several mature trees in this area and the chickens have a house on wheels so I can move it around and square wire fencing surrounding the house. The wire fence is 3' high because I mistakenly believed that the 'large bodies' chickens wouldnt fly out...they dont exactly fly out, but fly to the top of the fence and hop down...I use the green metal t-posts every 6-8' to support it. Since half of them get out anyway, I often open the gate in the late afternoon to let the dumb ones out and then everyone can get back in easier.
They are in a (hopefully) predator proof house at night. I have a semi at home business and am home a lot. Sometimes I am gone for 4 or so hours. I have 2 german shepherds. We know we have all sorts of predators and have heard the foxes close up and have seen the fox a time or 2 at our woodline. This house was empty for a year or 2 before we bought it and has a pond--fox might have gotten used to hunting on the property. Our neighbor is a goat farmer--he puts his goats up at night in a barn. We know there are coyote in the area. A farm a few miles away lost a bunch of lambs/sheep--I dont think they put them in a barn at night--I have seen run in sheds.
A farm near them lost the whole flock of chickens in one night...not sure what got them or if the house was secure...
So, I am often home and outside, I let my dogs loose with me when I am out. They are well trained and I encourage them to go down in to the woods at times. In the springm when we were hearing the fox, I let the dogs out every time we hear her/him. I walk the dogs around the area a few times in the evening and before bed. I am hoping that my large 'predators' presence will deter some of the other predators. So...Am I kidding myself to think that the dogs will help?
I will probably put in permanent fencing as we get more organized. I am adding chickens and will probably have a go at the pastured eggs market.
Thanks for any experiences--mine are pretty limited to lots of reading lol!!
They are in a (hopefully) predator proof house at night. I have a semi at home business and am home a lot. Sometimes I am gone for 4 or so hours. I have 2 german shepherds. We know we have all sorts of predators and have heard the foxes close up and have seen the fox a time or 2 at our woodline. This house was empty for a year or 2 before we bought it and has a pond--fox might have gotten used to hunting on the property. Our neighbor is a goat farmer--he puts his goats up at night in a barn. We know there are coyote in the area. A farm a few miles away lost a bunch of lambs/sheep--I dont think they put them in a barn at night--I have seen run in sheds.
A farm near them lost the whole flock of chickens in one night...not sure what got them or if the house was secure...
So, I am often home and outside, I let my dogs loose with me when I am out. They are well trained and I encourage them to go down in to the woods at times. In the springm when we were hearing the fox, I let the dogs out every time we hear her/him. I walk the dogs around the area a few times in the evening and before bed. I am hoping that my large 'predators' presence will deter some of the other predators. So...Am I kidding myself to think that the dogs will help?
I will probably put in permanent fencing as we get more organized. I am adding chickens and will probably have a go at the pastured eggs market.
Thanks for any experiences--mine are pretty limited to lots of reading lol!!