As a new member to BYC, I would like to highly praise the "Predator and Pests" thread. The original post in this thread was extremely well done. And ageless. Well done! As long as there are chickens, there will be "opportunists"?
I am currently designing a "chicken pen" that will please the Architectural Committee Members of our own development. I feel I can build Fort Knox, although we have to "pass inspection" by the A C. But we gotta keep "everything looking good", and match our primary residence. No electric fences. No shotguns....etc, etc. We live within a five-acre development (all lots are 5 acres). Occasionally we have an errant big/loose dog that comes at night.
But our main issue for chicken safety... is the many coyotes that saunter through daily/nightly. We see them on a regular daytime basis, and on our infra-red game camera moved about the perimeter of our house & barn after dark. Our great Varmint Dog Aussie died last November, of old age (he never quit doing a great job). The word is getting out among our bold coyotes, during daytime hours (the "jackals" have always come nightly).
Coyote deterrents? No firearms allowed, and I would never consider poisoning. Our Local Coyotes eat virtually all loose cats, and small dogs (we also have an independent Corgi, backed up by the remaining Aussie).
I/we would just like to send these cunning & bold creatures elsewhere.
Any ideas?
I am currently designing a "chicken pen" that will please the Architectural Committee Members of our own development. I feel I can build Fort Knox, although we have to "pass inspection" by the A C. But we gotta keep "everything looking good", and match our primary residence. No electric fences. No shotguns....etc, etc. We live within a five-acre development (all lots are 5 acres). Occasionally we have an errant big/loose dog that comes at night.
But our main issue for chicken safety... is the many coyotes that saunter through daily/nightly. We see them on a regular daytime basis, and on our infra-red game camera moved about the perimeter of our house & barn after dark. Our great Varmint Dog Aussie died last November, of old age (he never quit doing a great job). The word is getting out among our bold coyotes, during daytime hours (the "jackals" have always come nightly).
Coyote deterrents? No firearms allowed, and I would never consider poisoning. Our Local Coyotes eat virtually all loose cats, and small dogs (we also have an independent Corgi, backed up by the remaining Aussie).
I/we would just like to send these cunning & bold creatures elsewhere.
Any ideas?