Recent content by Naiku

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    Need to add another layer of security

    That's what I thought, but I have walked around the run, both inside and out, several times looking for an opening but cannot find anything. I know that chickens can fit through a fairly small gap, so maybe they were just pulled through. Mowing over would be my main concern, I never cut the...
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    Need to add another layer of security

    Sort of. So the netting is on top and forms a sort of pitched roof up to about 8' in height. It's attached to the top of the welded wire fencing and then goes up at an angle. If a raccoon had climbed up there, then it would have ripped through it and either gotten tangled up and made a heck of a...
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    Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

    I can try to get a picture of mine, but it's pretty straight forward to describe. It's using T-posts, welded wire to just under 6' tall and buried a few inches at the bottom (from researching, not buried enough). On top of that I have bird netting that goes in diagonally (picture a roof, just...
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    Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

    We lost our last remaining hen yesterday, likely to the same thing that got the others. No sign of entry into the run, either over or under it, but something got her. I had checked on them around 2:45pm, by 8pm when we closed them all the way in the coop the hen was gone. For now temporarily...
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    Need to add another layer of security

    Yesterday morning I had 11 chickens, yesterday by 5pm I had 3. A raccoon (I assume) somehow found its way in and took 5 x month old chicks, 2 x hens and a rooster. Sucks. Gutted. I am not sure how the raccoon got in, it looked to have tried digging beneath the fence at one point but as far as I...
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    Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

    I see you are in Virginia, as a fellow Virginia resident, can confirm raccoons will take as many as they can. Case in point, yesterday morning I had: 6 chicks (just got feathers, started to look like mini chickens) 3 hens 2 roosters Went out to feed them around 5pm yesterday and discovered...
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    How to check if eggs are fertile / developing?

    We have had a pair of broody hens for a few weeks now, had one chick hatch out of about a dozen eggs (The hen was being a great mother, leading the chick around, it was eating well etc. sadly though the chick died after about a week, not sure what happened, but we had heavy rain overnight so am...
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    Would a fox take more than one at a time?

    Quick update, the rooster is doing great. Looks to be healing very well, back to his usual mean spirited self! We also had one egg hatch yesterday, so now have a little chick running around. There are 2 broody hens taking care of it, but they also have about 10 other eggs they have been sitting...
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    Would a fox take more than one at a time?

    Thanks, is there anything particular we should get?
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    Would a fox take more than one at a time?

    Some good news, last night while in the kitchen I noticed our little rooster walking slowly across the yard, almost could not believe what I was seeing. Went out and got him back up to the run, he's injured... limping and missing a number of feathers, looks like he has what I suspect are some...
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    Would a fox take more than one at a time?

    Electric fencing or electric poultry netting is not really a feasible option, we have 5 acres that there could free range on, so it would be too cost prohibitive. The run is pretty secure, the fence is almost 6 feet tall and buried a little into the ground to stop anything from digging...
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    Would a fox take more than one at a time?

    Thanks, figured it would be quick enough to get more than one if it wanted. Sadly, our Guinea did not make it either, just buried her. We have a dog as well, but she's gone blind so does not even scare the ducks or chickens as she can't see them.
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    Would a fox take more than one at a time?

    Having a rough day here.... Our guinea got caught in the neighbors fence and is so torn up I don't think she will make it. Decided to check on the chickens and right away noticed 2 missing, an Americana hen and a Mille Fleur rooster. After a bit of searching around I found some of the roosters...
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