Anyone ever not had a loss?

[STP12986]

I'm scared for my 6 chickens all the time reading the predator stories on here, I wake up and almost expect to just one day walk out to a yard full of dead chickens. I live in a neighborhood and have at least 6 foot wooden fencing all around the yard. Never had any predator problems during the last 4 months that I have had them. They free range during about half a day and are locked up at night (even though not a very predator proof coop).

So my question, has anyone been keeping chickens for years, free range a lot of the time, and never lost a bird? Or is it just inevitable without a very secure coop and run?

Thanks

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I'm scared for my 6 chickens all the time reading the predator stories on here, I wake up and almost expect to just one day walk out to a yard full of dead chickens. I live in a neighborhood and have at least 6 foot wooden fencing all around the yard. Never had any predator problems during the last 4 months that I have had them. They free range during about half a day and are locked up at night (even though not a very predator proof coop).

So my question, has anyone been keeping chickens for years, free range a lot of the time, and never lost a bird? Or is it just inevitable without a very secure coop and run?

Thanks

The fact is, anytime your birds are outside of a secure enclosure they are at risk of becoming the next victim of a predator - it isn't even about them being out "a lot of the time" - it could be as simple as having let them out and going back out five minutes later to find that a passing predatory bird or animal saw opportunity and struck. It's just an accepted risk of ranging birds (and, to be fair, losses happen IN secure enclosures too -disease, freak accident, etc). There are ways to lessen the overall risk - such as doing what you are with keeping them in during the vulnerable hours from dusk to dawn - not only are chickens more vulnerable, but most predators are more active -- so that is a double whammy). Also, if you range them during times that you are home and are able to keep an eye/ear on things to one degree or another you can help to lessen the chances of having a flock wipe-out even if one bird does get attacked - because you will hear/see something and be able to react.
It sounds like the best thing to do at this point would be to work on the areas where you are aware of weakness in your coop/run setup and security and then go from there.

 

[Stephany C]

My babies got attacked last night they were fine up until then I started locking them up at night 2 weeks ago because they are supposed to start laying and I thought my coop was fool proof but the chicken wire was pulled right away from it

 

[chickengeorgeto]

)..... So my question, [is this] has anyone been keeping chickens for years... and never lost a bird? Or is it just inevitable without a very secure coop and run?...

It is inevitable even WITH a very secure coop and run. The chicken keeper must be lucky every day. The chicken predator only needs to be lucky once.

But you can go years without a loss if you are pro-active and hard bitted in your approach to predator control.

 

[DianaMallory]

My babies got attacked last night they were fine up until then I started locking them up at night 2 weeks ago because they are supposed to start laying and I thought my coop was fool proof but the chicken wire was pulled right away from it

Your mistake was using chicken wire! let me say this real loud but in a nice way - HARDWARE CLOTH! Chicken wire will keep your chickens in but will not keep out dogs or raccoons. I have been through 2 massacres and it is awful to go out and find your flock destroyed from your own ignorance. I wouldn't let my last girls even go into the coop until the run and coop met my requirements on safety. I had to give that flock up but enjoyed many eggs from them, and kept them safe and sound only let them out to free range when I was out with them! I used no chicken wire! I had a coopers hawk that kept stalking my girls but he never got his claws on them.

 

[DianaMallory]

I'm scared for my 6 chickens all the time reading the predator stories on here, I wake up and almost expect to just one day walk out to a yard full of dead chickens. I live in a neighborhood and have at least 6 foot wooden fencing all around the yard. Never had any predator problems during the last 4 months that I have had them. They free range during about half a day and are locked up at night (even though not a very predator proof coop).

So my question, has anyone been keeping chickens for years, free range a lot of the time, and never lost a bird? Or is it just inevitable without a very secure coop and run?

Thanks

Fear and past experience was enough to make me predator proof to the best of my ability! I never want to go through what I did in the past. I would love to see my girls running around free but to much can happen.

 

[jonalisa]

If you live with such fear and dread, why would you not predator proof your coop?

 

[6of6chicks]

If you live with such fear and dread, why would you not predator proof your coop?

X2!!

Raccoons are excellent climbers and can handle your 6 ft. wood fence with no problem. And they live everywhere - urban, suburban, doesn't matter, they are well adapted to survive. It sounds like you know that you're just playing with fire by not fortifying your coop, so why take the risk? You can get 100 ft. rolls of hardware cloth on amazon for under $100 - seems like it would be worth it for peace of mind alone.

 

[STP12986]

Yea I know, I need to replace my chicken wire with hardware cloth. Its on my list of things to do, but with work, school, kids, etc it keeps pushing down, I should have just installed it when I built the thing. I'm keeping my chickens in a Catawba coop tractor right now, and was supposed to have a permanent coop built (one that an automatic door can be installed in) by now but things got busy for me. I'm vigilant in other ways to keep them safe and healthy, but a secure coop is the thing i'm missing.

Sad to hear about the losses, but thanks for sharing, because it is good motivation for people like me who have been procrastinating...

 

[ampho]

I only have 6 also, my yard is fenced (about an acre) with multiple type fences (not predator proof) but my coop and run are electric fenced with an electric door, so far no losses (knock wood)! but we don't leave them unattended for long periods, they free range all day at least 4 days a week and a few hours on the other days...We have found many types of predator "droppings" all around the coop/run so I have to believe the electric fence is doing it's job! Coop is very secure at night but no run is bear proof which is a big problem where I am so my current is strong!