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

[sled483]

I love this thread and hate it at the same time. I am in the process of finishing my coop. I feel pretty confident it's secure. I used 1/2 hardware cloth everywhere. Over the two windows, two vents, the screen door and I made an 18-20 inch apron all along the bottom. I am covering that with a few inches of dirt and then 12x12 patio blocks. I haven't started the run yet. That is where my safety concerns are.

I'm buying a 10x10x6 dog kennel and the top that goes with it. My coop and run are inside my fenced in yard. I plan on putting the hardware cloth along the bottom and creating an apron as well. I have 3 dogs 2 chihuahua's and a pug. The fenced in yard is their area. We have a dog door so they go in an out all day. I plan on putting up a welded wire fence to section off that part of the yard from the dogs. Am I doing enough to protect the run? I know I should enclose the entire kennel in hardware cloth. I don't know if I can afford it at the moment. Is 3 feet up enough for the time being?

 

[bruceha2000]

Am I doing enough to protect the run? I know I should enclose the entire kennel in hardware cloth. I don't know if I can afford it at the moment. Is 3 feet up enough for the time being?

I would say yes it is! No arial predators can get in, nor things like raccoons and they can't grab the birds from the outside because of the hardware cloth along the bottom. The only things I can think of that could get in are snakes and weasels. Weasels are a night problem AFAIK and the girls will be in the coop then. Don't know how well a snake could climb the hardware cloth or if you even have egg eating size snakes where you live but other than small chicks, I do not think they are a threat to the birds.

Bruce

 

[klbishop611]

I just lost half my flock in two days! We bought a house that had several chickens already on the property. They are completely free range, letting themselves in and out of the coop. We got a dozen new chicks, built a new coop, and they've been in the new coop for about a month now. We've treated them the same as the older chickens, giving them free range. Well, last night, I noticed three chickens were missing. Then, when I woke up today, three more were missing! And one was injured, having most of the feathers ripped from her neck!

There was no evidence, no feathers all over the place, no chicken remains anywhere! The only thing we can think is that it's a fox. The former owners of our house said they've never had a predator issue before, but clearly there's one now! We've locked all the rest of the flock up now, and hope to catch the thing that's done this. My advice, no matter how safe you think your chickens are, lock them up at night! I learned the hard way!

 

[ochochicas]

I just lost half my flock in two days! We bought a house that had several chickens already on the property. They are completely free range, letting themselves in and out of the coop. We got a dozen new chicks, built a new coop, and they've been in the new coop for about a month now. We've treated them the same as the older chickens, giving them free range. Well, last night, I noticed three chickens were missing. Then, when I woke up today, three more were missing! And one was injured, having most of the feathers ripped from her neck!

There was no evidence, no feathers all over the place, no chicken remains anywhere! The only thing we can think is that it's a fox. The former owners of our house said they've never had a predator issue before, but clearly there's one now! We've locked all the rest of the flock up now, and hope to catch the thing that's done this. My advice, no matter how safe you think your chickens are, lock them up at night! I learned the hard way!

Good advice! I'm sorry you had to loose your babies to a predator. Now that it knows the chickens are there, it will be back. You might have to set up a trap or something. We shot at raccoons when we first moved into our place. The former owners had been feeding them on the back patio so we had a whole mob of then thinking they were entitled. Since we shot at them five years ago we've only seen one raccoon in our yard. I'm not sure if that would for a fox.

 

[sled483]

I just received my 4 camera security system today. I think I'll be moving my 6.5 week babies out to their coop tonight. They have been visiting it all week. I'm a nervous wreck about not having them in the house but they keep flying into the screen I have on top of their brooder. The coop is as secure as I can make it. Fingers crossed I make it thru the night!

 

[bruceha2000]

I just received my 4 camera security system today. I think I'll be moving my 6.5 week babies out to their coop tonight. They have been visiting it all week. I'm a nervous wreck about not having them in the house but they keep flying into the screen I have on top of their brooder. The coop is as secure as I can make it. Fingers crossed I make it thru the night!

If you made it properly secure, they will be fine. Secure isn't REAL hard as long as people remember they need 1/2" hardware cloth fixed with poultry staples or screws and washers instead of chicken wire on openings. Doors (chicken, people, nest box if accessible from outside) must have catches that can't be opened be predators - I have a slide bolt on the people door that has a hole on the side of the frame for a lock, I put a carabiner through it. It is also mounted with self closing hinges but I wouldn't trust that as far as predators are concerned. No problem for them to grab the edge of the door and pull. The chickens' door is a PulletShut so it doesn't need a lock. The nest box has 2 top hinged doors with a regular window sash latch where they meet and hasps on the ends that connect to the outside front wall of the box. I have carabiners through both of them.

Most people's coops are wood framed and stand above ground so digging is only a concern in the run. Any predator that did manage to dig under (if there is no buried skirt, or they are just dead set to get in and manage to dig a longer tunnel), still won't be able to get into the locked coop.

Bruce

 

[sled483]

If you made it properly secure, they will be fine. Secure isn't REAL hard as long as people remember they need 1/2" hardware cloth fixed with poultry staples or screws and washers instead of chicken wire on openings. Doors (chicken, people, nest box if accessible from outside) must have catches that can't be opened be predators - I have a slide bolt on the people door that has a hole on the side of the frame for a lock, I put a carabiner through it. It is also mounted with self closing hinges but I wouldn't trust that as far as predators are concerned. No problem for them to grab the edge of the door and pull. The chickens' door is a PulletShut so it doesn't need a lock. The nest box has 2 top hinged doors with a regular window sash latch where they meet and hasps on the ends that connect to the outside front wall of the box. I have carabiners through both of them.

Most people's coops are wood framed and stand above ground so digging is only a concern in the run. Any predator that did manage to dig under (if there is no buried skirt, or they are just dead set to get in and manage to dig a longer tunnel), still won't be able to get into the locked coop.

Bruce

Thank you Bruce. Yes I listened to all the advice from this site. I have every opening covered in 1/2 hardware cloth, 18 inch apron covered with 3-4 inches of dirt, the ador automatic door, the screen door has three slide bolt latches and the wood door has a keyed lock. My property has an acre of woods. I know we have fisher cats, coyotes, fox, raccoons, possums..... You name it we have it. I'm just a crazy worried first time chicken keeper.

 

[bruceha2000]

I'm just a crazy worried first time chicken keeper.

You don't sound crazy to me, not with all those know predators about!! But, yeah, I understand the "just got the chickens, don't want anything to happen to them" thing. I think we are all like that.

Bruce

 

[ochochicas]

Thank you Bruce. Yes I listened to all the advice from this site. I have every opening covered in 1/2 hardware cloth, 18 inch apron covered with 3-4 inches of dirt, the ador automatic door, the screen door has three slide bolt latches and the wood door has a keyed lock. My property has an acre of woods. I know we have fisher cats, coyotes, fox, raccoons, possums..... You name it we have it. I'm just a crazy worried first time chicken keeper.

My "chicks" are almost 9 weeks ofl and are still sleeping in the house at night... because:
1. It is too cold outside at night
2. The big hens will beat them up
3. They are too small to fend for themselves
4. I'm a worrier, too

P.S. Reasons #1 and 4 are the only valid reasons. Mostly I like having them in the house and they look so cute sleeping in their pool

 

[bruceha2000]

My "chicks" are almost 9 weeks ofd and are still sleeping in the house at night... because:
1. It is too cold outside at night
2. The big hens will beat them up
3. They are too small to fend for themselves
4. I'm a worrier, too

P.S. Reasons #1 and 4 are the only valid reasons. Mostly I like having them in the house and they look so cute sleeping in their pool

At 9 weeks, I do not think that #1 is valid. They can go out when they are fully feathered. That would have been about 3 weeks ago.
I would say #2 might be valid. Adult chickens apparently aren't real keen on newcomers.

And, of course, the second sentence of you P.S. is valid

Bruce