all chickens killed by unknown predator.

[chiques chicks]

They should work. Search for electric fence on here for ideas on how to install it.

I don't know where you are, so picking a predator can be tough. Where I I've. Reason eat heads, dogs kill for fun. Yes, predators will room a neighbourhood.

Electric fence does not kill, it only shocks. Your cats will touch it once or twice and learn to stay away. Children can be taught not to touch it. Where I grew up there were a lot of them and I hit them often from about the age of 6. They were much stronger than that unit. It hurts, but doesn't cause harm. It is a deterrent for predators. Not a killer. There is always the option of using a live tsp to catch a predator and dispose of it. If you go that route, there will always be more.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I once had about 100 pens each one from 4x6 up to 8x16 feet and 4 large runs, the smallest of which was 12x40. All of them were constructed with either 1 or 2 inch chicken wire. I seldom had a loss in any of my pens or runs from a ground based predator, from none to maybe one or at most three birds a year. Any predator that hung around ultimately found its hide hanging on a fur drying board. Most of the time I didn't have an electric fence because there was no electric service at this location and reliable 12v fence chargers were unknown in the 60s. Steel traps, .22 rifle cartridges, 12 gauge shot shells, and Red Bone Coon Hounds however were plentiful. Combine the last 3 with a powerful spot light used to shine into the trees to reflect the vermin's eyes after the hounds treed of bayed it at night and presto, instant predator removal is only a trigger pull away. Do realize this, there are fewer chicken killing wildlife like coons, foxes, and coyotes living in a pristine wilderness than resides in today's resource rich world of suburbia.

 

[lukemower]

we have set out some traps, hopefully we will catch the culprit, we are hoping to get new chicks soon, I am looking into electric fencing.

 

[lukemower]

Thanks for the idea, though watch out because I have heard that the raccoons will get used to them and they won't work anymore, depends on the raccoon. does anyone know where to get good electric fencing with charger and wire for not to expensive that will keep raccoons out? we didn't catch anything this morning, so they either haven't come or they're not going to try.

 

[lukemower]

we live in layton utah, lots of our neighbors have offered to set up traps as well, we are worried about our cats, we are busy reinforcing the fences, we may get new chickens soon, hopefully chicks so we can get to know them and we will have time to predator proof the run.

 

[chiques chicks]

Thanks for the idea, though watch out because I have heard that the raccoons will get used to them and they won't work anymore, depends on the raccoon. does anyone know where to get good electric fencing with charger and wire for not to expensive that will keep raccoons out? we didn't catch anything this morning, so they either haven't come or they're not going to try.

Most predators are looking for an easy meal. An electric fence gives a decent jolt. Most things, raccoons included, will move on to an easier target.

Case in point: there is a feral cat around my property. We see it often hunting mice and voles in the fields. I have multiple game can pictures of it passing my coop. It had never been a problem in two years, scaling my wobbly fence isn't worth the effort with so many easy creatures to hunt. My chop and run are by most standards very insecure. 2x4 welded wire on t- posts, open pop door, no electric. Only good thing is I was too cheap to buy long posts so the top of the wire is floppy. Turns out that is a good thing!

 

[lukemower]

we didn't catch anything last night, but we will try again tonight, we are trying to find a place that has chicks, we are looking for a white leghorn, rhode island red, amerecauna, and a bard rock, does anyone have ideas, to get them as chicks?

 

[junebuggena]

No such thing as amerecauna. There is a breed called Ameraucana, but most hatcheries do not sell them. They sell Easter Eggers that they try to pass off as pure bred. They lay better than pure Ameraucana, but you aren't guaranteed blue eggs. Most hatcheries have those breeds. Ideal Poultry, Cackle, Meyer, and Murray McMurray are some hatcheries that should have what you are looking for.

 

[lukemower]

we found out that another group of chickens was attacked at the same time, 1 was killed and dragged off and one was injured, that is now three flocks that were attacked on the same day/night. it couldn't be coincidence right, how likely is it that that would happen, could it be the same predator?

 

[KurtG]

ime, most times it is a neighbor's dog, raccoons have been number two on the list, but multiple kills usually have involved dogs (usually labs).