Anyone else use a radio in the coop?

[Psittizen Shikkin]

Quote:

I know it deters me

 

[ole-crone]

Don't know about rap music detering predators but at this house it would be right up there with country to deter me from going out for a relaxing sit with the chickens.

 

[thewarriorchild]

Hi,
I just lost a turkey with the lights left on, (by mistake), the radio on, and he was in a 3ft chain fence with contractors fencing over the the top. Now HOW something got my huge turkey out of the coop area with only losing feathers and no one hearing anything has stumped us all. The fence was bent and the bottom attachment to the pole was broken and no where to be found. It doesnt look like it actually left that way or got in that way but who knows. I was up till 3am and up again at 5 for a bit. It also knocked over a cement (hollow) Elephant figure that was on one side of the coop where the only thing there is a cement ledge. They/it must have circled the coop. The contractors fencing was of course when it was done seperated and was mostly expected to keep the hawks away. There was even a part that is more protected that he could have ran to to be more safe...The radio doesnt seem to work so well... talk, classical, Christian, kept switching it. The bear keeps coming through the yard. I keep hearing wierd calling noices. I should try and tape them. I am so close to done again. I am also on Dalek mode...

EXTERMINATE!!!

 

[thewarriorchild]

Oh yea..that was a black bear outside...classical was playing...do you think it likes that kind? Maybe each predator is turned off by a different beat lol

 

[thewarriorchild]

and about an hour or two ago that was the bear having broken into the coop again, in the daylight, to classical music running off with my Rhode Island Red!!! Now what do I do??? Now I have a web cam pointed outside

 

[Mom2Cool]

Hi, I'm sorry to hear it got your Rhode Island Red. I know how upsetting it is. I'm not really sure what had happened here but from the time that the bears had killed my 2 pullets it had returned several times that I'd caught her prior to her coming over the fence with her umm "crew" of cubs. There was 5 cubs & at one point they'd made the local paper here. Anyway I had already ordered another chicken coop from PA & it was here sitting waiting to be put in because we would have so many "critters" that could get into the one they were in & the Amish make one that's pretty tight. Anyway it was sitting waiting to be put into place for use when the black bear & cubs got my 2 pullets & so after she had kept coming back but I was just like a hawk watching the yard & yes they'd come back several times & you have to shock the crap out of them with banging pot lids. We had put in the new coop & were in the process of selecting our electric fence. We had put in the radio too & that was actually soothing to the chickens because they 2 left really were still just pullets & the barred rock was beside himself with fear & rightly so! Anyway it had been a day & a half since they'd made an appearance when I looked out one morning & there were the cubs ALL OVER the coop trying to figure out how to get in. Mom was no where in sight & it was odd because they were too young for her to have just left them. I don't know what happened to her but I scared the cubs off & just as I'd hoped the new coop would give me enough time to "hear it" & react. As it was I'd "seen it" not heard it & it was cubs not a full grown bear but it did keep them ok until I started smacking the pot lids. I could yell until I turned purple & like most kids those cubs would ignore it. You need something REAL loud like pot lids or an Air horn. Someone was telling hubby that they have a weekend house up on Greenwood Lake & a bear "1st brok intothe house & then ripped the door right off the refridgerator & then ate the entire contents". I'm sure if it was pulling at the door of my little coop it would have no problem. LOL The 5 cubs that had been here that day haven't been back since but I think someone must have called the Dept. of Animal & Wild Life because the cubs wouldn't have been old enough to care for themselves & they were clearly taking the same route as they had with mom looking for food & so someone else must have called. She was no where & again they haven't been back since & prior to that they had been here many times... Hubby had gotten some bear mace but really the electric fence I think is the best defence right now. It was a couple nights later & I had what I believe to be a weasel trying to get in. True to it's word that chicken coop was critter proof that night.

Now the electric fence is ready to go in but we've not had any problems since the family of bears has been moved out. Of course it's just a matter of time before there'll be another bear right in their place because there's so many of them now, but by then the electric fence will be in place. I think everyone in NJ right now who has animals they're trying to protect has gone the electric fence route because it's the only thing that's permitted really. It could be mauling your dog & you're not allowed to shoot it. Good luck & remember the pot lids cause yelling they hardly even look at you. They're not scared of much.

 

[Mom2Cool]

Quote:

I know it deters me

LOL

 

[dftkarin]

Is there any way to run a radio in a coop with no electricity and without going through zillions of batteries?

 

[thewarriorchild]

Quote:
Get one of those emergency radios that runs off turns of the crank or potatoes or something.

 

[chickenfanatic]

i have had a radio in the coop for some time for me and i usually just leave it on never thought it mite detour predators. hmmm maybe thats why i havent lost any birds lately.