Tell How Predators Got Your Chickens. Save Somebody Else From The Bad Experience

[okallthis4eggs]

Everybody just starting out should make a "predator list" of every kind of predator in your area. Build the coop and run with these predators in mind. Remember your chickens are only as safe as you make them. Take pictures of your coop and run and post them here and get advice from the many good folks right here on BYC.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Thanks for the hook and eye stories, inside the coop my brood pens are fastenened with them, I'm changing them now, this way if something gets in the 'bank' they won't get into the 'vault'

 

[okallthis4eggs]

In my area the list includes:

Coons
Dogs
Hawks/ Owls
Possoms
Snakes
Foxes
Coyotes
Cats/ Bobcats
Skunks
Mink/Weasel
Rats
(Bears depending on where you live in Kentucky) Not yet a problem for me

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Thanks for the hook and eye stories, inside the coop my brood pens are fastenened with them, I'm changing them now, this way if something gets in the 'bank' they won't get into the 'vault'

Can't believe you missed that. Your one of my "chicken experts" that I rely on. Thanks for all your help. Guess we never stop learning with these critters.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

No matter how good you may be at something you can always improve! I'm not an expert...more a jack of trades. It helps to learn from others don't cha think? Besides the inside is just to keep the chickens apart, ...but you never know...gotta stay one step ahead of the pedators...and pepper is getting ready to hatch out some chicks any day now!!

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Snake proofing broody pen inside the coop

 

[hennyandpenny]

neighbors dogs..i dont care how many times they tell ya that they dont get loose. they get loose. dog proof it nothing is worse than seeing over half your flock ripped to shredds raccoons pic them off one by one. dogs kill then move to the next one. all of the surviving birds were in shock and terrified of leaving the coop from that day forward.

 

[write2caroline]

My neighbor spotted three foxes in a field not far from my chicken run and sure enough I think it is a Momma fox with growing kits. I have been losing chickens one by one and no evidence but I have coops high up and I was not bothering to lock my girls in the coops since I forgot to let them out a couple times.....That fox in the wee hours of the am went right into the coop and took her choice of my girls - she got both my barred rocks while they were on the roost.I saw her do it and could not get out of the house in time to stop her. So I lock up my girls and I do not let the, out until 8 or so in the am. So far, we have been lucky about raccoons - my neighbors have been trapping and catching them. I set up the sand around my coop and run to be smooth so I can see any prints and I have not found raccoon prints but that sly fox......hopefully she will move on. We are also running a paintball camp with about 25 kids so I am hoping all those kids running through my woods will convince them to leave.

 

[featherz]

My neighbor spotted three foxes in a field not far from my chicken run and sure enough I think it is a Momma fox with growing kits. I have been losing chickens one by one and no evidence but I have coops high up and I was not bothering to lock my girls in the coops since I forgot to let them out a couple times.....That fox in the wee hours of the am went right into the coop and took her choice of my girls - she got both my barred rocks while they were on the roost.I saw her do it and could not get out of the house in time to stop her. So I lock up my girls and I do not let the, out until 8 or so in the am. So far, we have been lucky about raccoons - my neighbors have been trapping and catching them. I set up the sand around my coop and run to be smooth so I can see any prints and I have not found raccoon prints but that sly fox......hopefully she will move on. We are also running a paintball camp with about 25 kids so I am hoping all those kids running through my woods will convince them to leave.

Be watchful, a momma fox with kits will hunt at any time of the day. Mine were taken about 11AM. My birds are on lockdown until the evening when they get an hour or two out while I sit out there glaring at the bushes, daring that fox to come out.

 

[mystic0222]

Has anybody had any predators dig far under hardware cloth? We have ours dug down 13 inches for their enclosure during the day and at night they are completely closed up inside their coop, with every opening covered with the hardware cloth. I was just worried that maybe 13 inches wasn't enough. I check it every day to make sure nothing has been messing around out there. So far so good, but we have only had them out there for 4 weeks. We have foxes, coyotes, racoons and opossum around. Oh, and the neighbors have a bird dog and a couple of labs. Thanks!