Am I a crazy man with a gun?

[merrymax]

i do guard my hens, but not with a gun. my presence is enough to deter the critters...so far!
it goes something like this: in the mornings when i feed my chickens their bucket of kitchen scraps i sit in the hen's yard with them to keep the ravens from coming down and eating the goodies. Usually for about 10-15 minutes, till the best scraps are gone.

Then in the afternoons, if i get home early enough, i let the chickens out to to free range for an hour or so and i sit in a folding chair and read a book or a newspaper while they forage.

Their fenced yard is very big, so being in it all day ( topped with a hot wire and buried at the bottom) is okay, but they love to roam free, and there are foxes in the area which i see regularly crossing the driveway at all hours, so i don't dare let them have unsupervised free range this year.

i used to let them out all day but started losing one a week and when i saw the fox i knew why. so confinement was the best remedy.

5 years ago i lost chickens to a bear (9 in one night) but a second hotwire at nose height along the back fence (the forest side) seems to have deterred that predator, who tore through the hardware cloth and ripped the door off its hinges.

i would not use a gun because the wild things are just hungry, and i feel it's my responsibility to keep them out, not to kill them. i live next to a 2000 acre state park (forest) and there's another 9000 acre state forest across the road, so it's their home too. i'm grateful for the existence of the wild critters.

 

[jsr5]

I do everything I can to keep the girls safe. And have and will sit out with them with my 22 over 20ga. especially after numerous attacks. recently we had many attacks outside of the normal early morning and evening losses. Figuring yearling predators are being kicked out of the dens and finding their own places in the world. I am feeling poorly as I oftem am so sitting out was not a option so the girls didn't get to free range this week they were stuck on the coop and runs They sure hate it anbd I hate it for them but it is needed to break a repeat ofender. But I am getting snowed under with predators low fur prices have resulted in too many trappers anbd hunters not keeping their numbers down and they fear up. So I plan to work my area hard this fall and winter maybe even sell a few hides (kgonna kill the critters anyway might as well not waste it) Of course me working it hard is not all it used to be. I can imagine my sets will be active about half the time. and pulledalot as I don't feel up to checking them.

So short answer no you aren't crazy. Yes a shotgun is a better choice Half the time. the other half a rifle is better. which is why I like my old savage combo gun. And if nothinbg else I cannot think of a better way to get to know your flock and wind down after work.

 

[ajackalope]

You are not alone. I used to board my horse at a farm that had a large mixed flock of chickens, Guinea fowl and pea fowl. After a fox got a few birds the farm owner started sitting up on the porch roof of the barn with a gun. She got him. I have to mention she was under 5 feet tall and weighed less than 100lbs. After that anyone who wanted to hunt deer an the property had to get a fox if they saw one.

 

[equustears]

I don’t think you’re unbalanced at all. I’m terrified daily that something will get to my birds . I have pet geese , ducks, and chickens. I love them dearly.
I lost 2 the first year I moved to country, fox and coyote came right to the back door. I sat all afternoon with a 6 month old lab watching . My birds even knew my panicked voice and all came running . But... dog got grown and a second dog ( border collie) has made our 4 th summer uneventful.
The Border collie actually runs under the circling hawk, eagle, buzzard, runs under them until they’re off property .
My advice - get your dog going.
Dusk comes my birds come to coops on their own , dogs round up my cats . Motion lights are set. I have coyotes right up on deck and at sliders at night but don’t send dogs out after dark , they’ll be killed

 

[greenlydia]

I live about 5 miles "back of beyond" and understand that I am essentially the intruder here.....I am the one living in the predators hunting grounds. Accepting that FACT, I have taken as many precautions to safeguard my livestock as possible with electric fencing, motion sensor lights and specific breeds of dogs known for their livestock protection traits. I have, in 10 years, lost ZERO cows/calves and goats. My chickens have a very safe coop and run which is protected from both ground and aerial predators. I let my chickens out to free range when I am outside, but before I let them out, I walk around the area making my presence known as loudly as possible. I also carry a .22 rifle and fire it several times into an old stump which I hope will scare off any predator lurking in the shrubbery. My "house" dogs are always out with me and while they don't have the same instincts as the livestock dogs, they instinctively know coyotes are not welcome. I have two excellent roosters who also stand guard while the hens peck for treats...….the watch for both coyotes and hawks/eagles/owls. I have, over the years, lost several chickens to predators, I take full responsibility for my decision to allow them to free range. I feel horrible when it happens, but accept that the animals who take my chickens don't understand these are my "pets" and therefore off limits to them hunting food to feed their families. I think I got a bit "off topic." I think what you are doing is just a wee bit on the nutty side and if you want your chickens to free range, why don't you look into building movable, covered runs on wheels? They can be any size as long as your flock has plenty of room inside, (I'd suggest you Google "chicken tractors") access to lots of fresh water, is easily moved even with the flock inside and of course, is predator safe. I admire your diligence in guarding your girls, but putting yourself on sentry duty every day, all day long just isn't necessary. I have include some YouTube videos on building some different chicken tractors. https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/...YwNzYw--?p=how+to+build+a+great+chicken+tract

 

[doublecrossranch]

Am I the only person in the world that sits outside every day with my AR-22. And my border collie, And babysits my chickens and ducks? I've seen coons, possum, hawks, even a few coyote in the woods behind my house. I see people posting here all the time about attacks and death. I couldn't handle it. From about 2:00 after work until dusk they get range time, if I dont do it I feel too guilty.

I feel the same way.

 

[ariri30]

I probably should say I would hate to harm another animal. Even a raccoon. I did have a hawk land on my ducks back once. But it dove wierd into it and put its head thru my basement window. It was still on my duck but stunned. My border collie grabbed it by its tail feathers and pulled it off. That's when my staying craziness began.

Wish I have some type of gun this morning when I found a possum on the tree and my chickens attacked and one missing. Feathers are falling from the roof of the building behind my property. That’s where it took her. I’m so sick with this experience that I can’t get up from my bed with a huge headache

 

[dirkandlorie]

Am I the only person in the world that sits outside every day with my AR-22. And my border collie, And babysits my chickens and ducks? I've seen coons, possum, hawks, even a few coyote in the woods behind my house. I see people posting here all the time about attacks and death. I couldn't handle it. From about 2:00 after work until dusk they get range time, if I dont do it I feel too guilty.

No, you are not the only one! My husband and I have an afternoon "date" everyday on the deck watching out for our chickens and enjoying each other's company. No matter how busy, no matter what else is going on, we stop everything, let the girls out of their run to free range, and meet each other on the deck. Yes, the shotgun is ever present! Have taken out a few coons and possums, but biggest threat is neighbors dogs. It's nice knowing they can be out playing and still be safe. It's also nice after 20 years of marriage, we both look forward to that deck time.

 

[ariri30]

No, you are not the only one! My husband and I have an afternoon "date" everyday on the deck watching out for our chickens and enjoying each other's company. No matter how busy, no matter what else is going on, we stop everything, let the girls out of their run to free range, and meet each other on the deck. Yes, the shotgun is ever present! Have taken out a few coons and possums, but biggest threat is neighbors dogs. It's nice knowing they can be out playing and still be safe. It's also nice after 20 years of marriage, we both look forward to that deck time.

Cute!

 

[archeryrob]

Yes, I think you're crazy, ... for using too small a caliber! Upgrade that upper to 223/556 as that 22 is just going to wound coyotes.