35 dead chickens. Coons, maybe weasels : Update Post #45

[JJMR794]

JESSA CAN YOU POST PICS OF THE PENS IN QUESTION? OR PM THEM TO ME?... MAYBE I CAN MAKE SUGGESTIONS TO THEM- I DUNNO BUT WILLIN TO GIVE IT A SHOT.

TRACTORS ARE "THE WEAKEST LINK" FOR PREDATOR SECURITY. NOT SAYING THEY ARENT GOOD OR ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT THEM, JUST SAYING IF ITS MOBILE ITS MORE LIKELY FOR A PREDATOR TO DEFEAT IT... PLAIN AND SIMPLE TRUTH THERE

FOR YOUR ELEVATED PENS "SKIRTING" IS OFTEN THE BEST NECESSITY FOR SECURITY AND IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU'VE ALREADY DEPLOYED THAT.

1 FACT NEVER CHANGES WITH SECURITY NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, BE IT A CHICKEN COOP, OR FORT KNOX- PERMANENT STRUCTURES ARE STRONGER AND CAN BE DEFENDED BETTER EVERY TIME. ADDITIONAL SECURITY MEASURES CAN BE MORE READILY AND MORE EFFECTIVELY DEPLOYED ON PERMANENT STRUCTURES. ITS ALSO MUCH EASIER TO SSS PREDATOR PROBLEMS IF YOU CAN SEE THE PREDATOR OR KEEP IT IN THE AREA... LIVE TRAPS ARE SO-SO, BUT STEEL JAWED LEG HOLDS KEEP THEM THERE UNTIL YOU CAN DISPATCH THE THREAT IN A MORE PERMANENT MANNER, SNARES DEPLOYED CORRECTLY WILL KEEP THEM THERE UNTIL YOU CAN GET THE SHOVEL... MANY SECURITY OPTIONS AVAILABLE, BUT ALMOST ALL HINGE ON PERMANENT STRUCTURES TO BE PROTECTED TO REACH MAXIMUM EFFICACY. ALSO REDUNANT HARWARE HELPS... MULTIPLE HEAVY HINGES (THROUGH BOLTED) AND BARREL BOLT SLIDE LATCHES ACCOMPANIED BY LOCK AND HASPS FOR SEVERE PROBLEMS AS YOU LIST HERE (THROUGHBOLT THESE AS WELL)

I HAVE TO WONDER IF COONS ARE YOUR ONLY PREDATOR. I SEE LOTS OF PREDATION THINGS THAT STICK OUT HERE... SOME COON, SOME OTHERS- WHICH MAY COMPLICATE SAFETY DESIGNS. IF SCREWS ARE BEING DEFEATED TELL HUBBY "THROUGH BOLTS WITH OVERSIZED WASHERS ON BOTH SIDES AND DOUBLE NUTS" (LETS SEE 'EM DEFEAT THAT

) ANOTHER THING THAT HELPS GREATLY IS TO KNOW OR HAVE A REAL GOOD IDEA JUST EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT TERRORIZING YOUR STOCK... MANY CRITTERS ARE WIRED DIFFERENTLY, KNOWING WHAT IT IS HELPS YOU TRY TO SECOND GUESS THE CRITTER AND FIGURE OUT WAYS TO BE PROACTIVE WITH YOUR SECURITY... TRACKS OFFER GOOD CLUES, TIME OF ATTACKS HELPS AS WELL. I HAVE HAD JUST AS MUCH DIFFICULTY WITH RAPTORS AS I HAVE EVER HAD WITH COONS... THE DIFFERENCE THAT HELPS DIFFERENTIATE? WHEN WAS THE ATTACK? DAYTIME? OR AFTER DARK (THIS CAN VARY IF YOUR GETTING FREQUENTED BY MULTIPLE SPECES OF PREDS) BIG TRACKS OR SMALL MAY MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COON OR MINK, OR BOBCAT. COYOTE, BEAR, ETC. IF YOU'RE USING A TRACTOR TRACKS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE IF THE TRACTOR IS IN A GRASSY AREA... TRY THIS- BEFORE DARK DUST THE AREA DOWN HEAVILY WITH LIME... ITS ULTRA FINE AND COVERS THICK GRASS WITH EASE AND READILY AVAILABLE AS WELL AS CHEAP... OR DRYWALL DUST (PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING AS LIME) IN THE MORNING YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE (MAYBE NOT ULTRA CLEARLY, BUT THEY WILL BE VISIBLE) TRACKS OF THE OFFENDING PARTY/ PARTIES INVOLVED

ALSO DONT FORGET LAWS AND ORDINANCES AS WELL AS PERSONAL PET SAFETY WHEN PLANNING SECURITY. SOME STATES HAVE SUPER LAWS ON THE BOOKS FOR LIVESTOCK PROTECTION, SOME DONT. SOME THE SKY IS THE LIMIT WHILE OTHERS MAY RESTRICT THE ITEMS YOU CAN LEGALLY USE. DONT BE AFFRAID TO CONTACT FISH AND GAME AND YOUR COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT FOR HELP OR IDEAS AS WELL AS LEGAL GUIDANCE OR EVEN ASSISTANCE IN DEALING WITH PREDATORS (FL FWC HAS RELOCATED SEVERAL HAWKS AND 2 OWLS FOR ME... THEY ARE PROTECTED SO I CANNOT DEAL WITH THEM IN MY USUAL MANNER) IF THE NIGHBOR'S CAT MR BOJANGLES ENDS UP UNDER MY QUAIL PENS ALL JACKED UP WITH 3 OF HIS 4 FEET IN LEG HOLD TRAPS HE GETS THE RACOON TREATMENT... HOWEVER I PREFER NOT TO DO THAT TO MY 2 LABS... SO PLANNING AND ACTIVITY MODIFICATION MAY BE NECESSARY. KNOW THE LAWS AFFECTING YOU, THEY CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR EFFORTS... HERE I CAN SHOOT ANYTHING (EXCEPT RAPTORS) THAT ATTEMPTS TO MOLEST LIVESTOCK SO LONG AS I DONT ENDANGER HUMAN LIFE OR CAUSE DAMAGE TO PROPERTY THAT ISNT MINE... THIS MEANS IF THE NEIGHBOR'S PIT BULL COMES OVER MY FENCE AND TRIES TO GET IN MY PENS I CAN DISPATCH IT (DONT LIKE TOO, BUT WILL IF NECESSARY) SO LONG AS I DONT DAMAGE THEIR PROPERTY OF POSE HARM TO THEM (FANCY LEGAL JARGON FOR THE FACT THAT I CAN SHOOT IT, BUT NOT IF ITS ON THEIR PORCH WITH THEM...HOWEVER ONCE THEY GO INSIDE AND I HAVE A CLEAR SHOT WITHOUT HARMING THEIR PROPERTY ITS GAME ON) MANY STATES ARE LIKE THIS--- MANY ARE NOT! SO KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO IF THE OPORTUNITY/ NEED PRESENTS ITSELF

 

[xke4]

Quote:
I thought the same thing. Have had coons visit for years and have never experienced anything like this. Do you know of someone with an outdoor camera that you could borrow for a couple of nights?

 

[bobbi-j]

Hmm... I don't know about tractors. An earlier poster suggested that they're for daytime use only. With that thought, is there any way you can build more of a shed-like building to keep them in at night? My current coop is an 8x12 shed that DH built for me. My chickens free range during the day (unless we'll be gone overnight - then they're in the run that's attached to the coop). Whether you go with a shed or keep using your tractor, I think that electric fencing can be your friend, whether you have coons, bears or a yeti after your birds. I'd also run at least 3 strands of it - about 4" off the ground, 8-10", and maybe 24". Those who run electric fence around their coops can better advise you on the placement of it.

 

[Jschaaff]

Hi JJMR794 thank you for viewing my post at my request, I really appreciate it.

We are dusting with lime for the first time tonight, and will continue to each night until we have a better idea of what is going on. I found a chart on our fish and game site, that should help me identify the culprit/s. I know coon for sure, simply because we've caught 'em...but I am pretty darn sure we've got something else going on too.

We are also reinforcing the existing hinges, drilling new holes and moving them over, plus adding the washers and bolts to ALL screws pertaining to the door (including the new locks we are adding tonight).

I will post pictures of my tractor tomorrow, but to give a written visual, as best I can...

It is 5 x5' and 2 feet high. There is no bottom. the entire frame is 2 x 4's, making it EXTREMEMLY heavy. It takes at least two of us (adults) to move it. 3 sides have poultry wire over them, and then 1/4" hardware cloth over that. The top is plywood and covered with a tarp. The fourth side, is plywood, and is also where the wooden, drop down door is located.

After tonight, we will be dead bolting (six inch dealbolt) and padlocking, the door, from the INSIDE of the tractor. The top opens up to prop open for ventalation, and so I can do food and water at night, so I will be reaching in from the top to deadbolt and padlock. We've never had a problem with coons coming in the top as the only hinged section is so heavy and awkward (5' x3' maybe, 1" plywood...) that I have a hard time opening it by myself, just to give the chickens food and water. we have a tarp stretched over the entire top (when not feeding the chicks), and held taut thru the metal rings (the ones that come in the tarp) with nails.


As for laws, I can not shoot on my property. My property line, though 200' plus from my own home is only 50' feet away from a neighbor. BUT I can shoot cab pellets from my 22... supposedly those will take a coon down no problem. I still haven't gotten any yet, nearest place is over an hour drive. After talking to fish and game, what we've done, is trap them, bring them across the street (state or town owned property, over 100 acres, no dwellings..) and dispatch them. All that said, if I have my little .22 on me and I see a darn raccoon near my chickens, I'm not going to wait for it to go into the trap, I'm going to kill the darn thing...I doubt too many neighbors, as they clean up the garbage from their cans that the coons have strewn everywhere...will complain.

I did price electric fencing today, and it is investment I am going to have to make, but it will take a little time. About 250, all said, for the 165 feet of 42" netting, with the charger. Worth the money, hell yes...but, it'll take me a bit to "find" that much money.

In the mean time, longer screws...washers and bolts, extra locks from the inside, inforced wood where the hinges are, AND we are putting the baby monitor out there. Yep, I'll hear every last peep BUT, I'll certainly know when something is hurting my chickens.


Hubby has camera at work today, but I will get pictures up tomorrow and any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you again JJ.
Truly,
Jessa

Thank you also, to everyone for their help, and encouragement. I plan to see the next 25 through to slaughter day...healthy and happy right up till the second they end up in that cone. Even if it means I sleep outside with them lol.

Thank you for the suggestions on the motion lights-I have those already and they are going right by the coop as soon as the babies are outside.
Thanks all, am definitely feeling better.
Jessa

 

[halo]

I think you can get by a lot cheaper than $250 for electric. Check Tractor Supply, a charger is around $40, 200 feet of wire for $10, insulators and some easy step in posts for $15 or so, and you're in business. You just need it for the nighttime, just run 4 or 5 strands around your tractor, and I think you'll be good to go. Doesnt have to be permanent, just a deterrent at night. Once they can't get to your birds, they'll look for some more food; set up that trap. You might PM kathyfrommo to see how she baited hers. She's single handedly wiping out the population in her area.

 

[My11BabyChicks]

Why not put up a Solar Powered Electric Fence around coop ...ZAREBA is a good unit, in which I have. The unit runs on a 6 volt battery charged by the sun. I ran three wires around coop at different levels. When the coons touch it... BAM... they get a nice jolt. hahahahaha.

 

[suki'smom]

My goodness! I was going to suggest bolts instead of screws but you have already got that down. I am anxious to see if your new set up will work, which I'm quite sure it will. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[JJMR794]

post removed as it made no sense after the pst above was removed.

 

[violetsky]

Hi, I went through something very similar and gave up for a year. My event was an overnight slaughter of geese, chickens, and ducks. Not a single bird was left alive. The next time I tried hatching eggs I got a couple emu eggs on a whim. One emu hatched and was raised with the chicks that hatched around the same time. I had very little problem with predators after that. Later I sold the emu to a man that had a single emu as well. Now I tie all gates with rope as well as latches and keep the birds tightly confined but wish I could give my birds a little freedom. I don't know if it was coincidental or not, but I suspect the emu kept smaller predators away..The next time I want to keep more than a few birds I'm going to try hatching an emu again. Emu eggs are enormous and actually bounce around a day or two before hatching. They also take forever to hatch, but seemed pretty easy to do. My emu chick was gentle and even seemed to like being handled. I would even consider getting a mini donkey or mini mule. I understand they do a good job chasing away animals as big as dogs.

 

[Jschaaff]

Thank you.