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

[cuisinista]

Went to this site and a lot of people said nite guard was not effective. Examples of viewing predators walking right by them etc.

 

[faithsstuff]

We live in downtown Atlanta and had to build a fully enclosed coop/run due to hawks. We thought we had things taken care of until there was a spat of backyard chickens killed by 'wild' dogs. I heard sounds at night, hubby ran out and one dog had killed 8 of our 10 pullets. The dog ran off. We spent many days reinforcing the area. Now that b@#$@rd is gonna need a blow torch and wire cutters to get to our two remaining girls. I wish we hadn't had to learn the lesson this way.

 

[hiker125]

I am so sorry. I think that dogs can be the worst predators. Despite having a coop and run wrapped in hard ware cloth AND an electric fence my basset hound got two of my girls today. They aren't dead, but very injured.

I hope your coop keeps the bad dogs at bay.

 

[jeancordelia]

Just read your post. I have recently moved with my chickens to Ogden Utah, Listening to the neighbors it seems coons are the premier predator. I have chain link panels and was going to cover the run with chicken wire. I do have an electric fence charger and wire, with insulators. Do I need to add that to the top of the chain link panels? I have a nice shed that I put them in at night. I was going to get one of those automatic doors that opens up. Can a coon get into that? I am from Arizona and we had coyotes, javalenas and some coons, snakes, hawks etc. I did cut a hole about 2'x2' up high in each end. I put hardware cloth over it on the inside. Will that do the job or should I put another layer on the outside? Are they ok in the daytime? I have been letting them out during the day and they do enjoy it. (That's outside the run as I haven't put up the run yet. I would appreciate your opinion. Thanks much

 

[EeyoreD]

Just read your post. I have recently moved with my chickens to Ogden Utah, Listening to the neighbors it seems coons are the premier predator. I have chain link panels and was going to cover the run with chicken wire. I do have an electric fence charger and wire, with insulators. Do I need to add that to the top of the chain link panels? I have a nice shed that I put them in at night. I was going to get one of those automatic doors that opens up. Can a coon get into that? I am from Arizona and we had coyotes, javalenas and some coons, snakes, hawks etc. I did cut a hole about 2'x2' up high in each end. I put hardware cloth over it on the inside. Will that do the job or should I put another layer on the outside? Are they ok in the daytime? I have been letting them out during the day and they do enjoy it. (That's outside the run as I haven't put up the run yet. I would appreciate your opinion. Thanks much

Sounds like you have a good start.

For the hardware cloth windows - personally I like to affix my HC so that it counters any intrusion from the outside (so I would have put it on the outside so pushing in wouldn't have a chance of causing gaps - just my way). I guess it also depends on what it's fixed to and what with.

Not sure how automatic doors work with coons as I don't have one, but until you get that set up you're going to want to make sure you have a slightly more complicated door fastener (in other words, not a hook latch or even a hasp with a spike. I prefer hasps on the night quarters with the added safety of a spring latch or carabiner slipped through. Or if nothing else some electric fence wire slipped through and twisted a few times).

Does your shed that they're in at night have a solid floor or is it just dirt?

Not sure what you have around in the daytime - in many cases coons aren't around then but obviously dogs and hawks are. If you get the chain link up that solves your dog problem. Hawks I don't have much experience with. Well let me say not in a run. My birds fully free range during the day and hang out in the woods and underbrush there. I do have hawks but by and large my birds hide themselves. If your area is less sheltered then you're probably going to want to put a roof over the run. I've heard of people who had an uncovered run and had the hawk actually swoop down into the run and then walk into the coop from there during the day.

I realize this is a bit back and forth but I hope it helps you some.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Check the pulletshut door, it is good. When I used electric I like to put it at wet nose height..

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Seems dogs are the chickens top predator this month. Bet coons take back the title in the winter when food gets scarce.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Check the pulletshut door, it is good. When I used electric I like to put it at wet nose height..

Wet nose height to what? A rat or a coyote? lol I bet they know better than to fool around your place. You will come out shootin

 

[okallthis4eggs]

The best way to apply hardware cloth IMO is to cut it larger than the opening so it laps several inches all the way around. Staple it to the opening first allowing it to lap evenly all the way around the opening. Then take strips of wood and screw the strips over the edges of the hardware cloth all the way around the opening with drywall screws. Make sure the screws go thru the squares in the hardware cloth after they pass thru the wood strips. You have a secure opening that no predator with the exception of a bear will get thru.

 

[cherylkanuck]

well we ran two lines of elecctric wire along the bottom of the coop run after one of our dogs killed two chickens and that seems to work like a charm. The dogs got popped a couple of times and that is all it took. They don't go anywhere near the coop now. We set the wire a couple of inches off of the run so the chicken wire isn't electrified but secure. Now I can rest easy knowing they are safe.