run predator test...

[Brooklinechicks]

Three of our seven chickens were killed last week by a predator, probably a raccoon. I know we have them around here. I've patched the one narrow opening that seemed a likely entry point, but I'm still too anxious to sleep when the girls are not in their house as I'm not totally confident the run is safe and I'd prefer to be able to not lock them in every night. I'm wondering about testing out the security of their run by leaving them locked safely in their house for a few nights and putting out bait in their run....like a can of tuna fish. Is this advisable? or am I courting further danger.

thanks so much for your help.

 

[Miltonchix]

I think you'd be asking for trouble.

 

[keljonma]

Quote:
Is there any reason why you wouldn't want to lock them in every night? We lock our entire flock up every night. It not only protects them from 4 legged or flying predators but also from 2 legged predators.

Quote:
I agree that this is a REALLY bad idea. It will only lure predators to an area where you don't want them. Instead look at every inch of the run as if you were a predator. If there is a space more than 1/4 inch.... fix it. Make sure there is at least 6 inches of hardware cloth buried under ground. Make sure it is covered.

Then you and your flock will be able to sleep...

 

[Brooklinechicks]

Thanks for the feedback so far. I think I might not have been clear. The chickens are locked in their run all the time. We live in the city and the way the house and run were set up, it's very awkward to be rounding them up to get them to go into their house. If it is possible for them to be in and out of the house (and into the run) safely day and night, that would be ideal. So I"m wondering if there is a way of testing if the run and house are secure so that I don't have to go through the daily inconvenience of catching them or luring them, somehow, into their house. Thanks for your help.

 

[panner123]

If the run is attached to the coop, they will go in by themselves. Just watch them at dusk, they will head for their roost. As for beng predator proof, there is no such animal. DO NOT LURE ANY PREDATOR TO THE RUN. If you do you WILL be sorry.

 

[pkeeler]

You already have a predator that knows their is bait in your run/coop (your chickens). I doubt putting bait in a trap in your run would change the behavior of that predator. Sounds like people here think you might attract different or more predators doing it.

Your chickens should go in at dark on their own. Next time, leave them be and see if they do it. You might have to teach them where the door/ramp to the coop is once. If you are catching them in the run, don't place them in the coop. Put them down in front of your ramp, place your hands on either side. That way, the chicken can only run straight up the ramp to get away. The lightbulb will go off and they will figure out how to get in.

I would definitely make it so the coop is completely closed off from the run at night. The chickens do not need to go outside at night. They probably never want to. Daytime predation should be much easier to deal with if you have a decently protected run than nightime predation.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Chickens do not see very well in the dark and prefer to be on a roost at night. You should lock them up via a pophole door at night. In the coop construction section of BYC, there are lots of ideas for secure pophole doors (you wouldn't believe what coons are capable of opening!).

As for the run, what type of wire surrounds your run? Is there a roof over it? Is the wire buried or is there cement under the run to prevent digging? Is there space under any human access door where predators might enter?

Asking yourself these questions may help you to "test" your run for predator-proofness.

 

[annika]

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[dftkarin]

I have had this same thought - testing out my run with a non-chicken bait to see if the run is secure against whatever predators might show up and hurt my chickens. I also have thoughts of leaving a can of tuna or some other lure to see if my run is secure. Right now my 5 week old chicks (4 of them) are still spending the nights in a guinea pig cage in my living room - instead of sleeping out in the tractor/run.