Anyone have luck with Predator Eyes?

[Chickidee26]

We are trying to determine best deterrent for our long list of predators here in NY.

Has anyone had luck with predator eyes? (Red or blinking light at night?). Should I just bite the bullet and get electric fence? I plan on reinforcing everything I can with hardware cloth. (Raised coop floor, apron and run, windows) I will enclose the entire coop and run with overhead wire. But I read a lot of horror stories about the foxes and others that find their way in and am so nervous. I don’t plan on letting them free range too often unless we are out with them so my main concern is nighttime.

 

[Folly's place]

I've never tried the lights or sound effects, because there are so many stories of failures with them. Electric fencing, properly set up, does work!
Free ranging chickens anywhere is a risk; having a safe coop and run are so important! Have it large enough so that when the flock is inside for weeks, over weather or predator attacks, the birds will have plenty of room.
Mary

 

[Howard E]

In theory, the predator eyes devices are supposed to mimic the glowing eyes you see in these photos.....except they are not.......glowing that is. All animals with good night vision.....as in predators, dogs, cats, deer, etc, all have special light receptors in the back of their eyes that basically allow their eyes to work like night vision glasses. So what you are seeing as glowing eyes is simply the light from the trail camera's flash reflecting off those sensors back at the camera. Without a light source......camera flash, headlights, flashlight, etc. there are no glowing eyes to be seen. Predators can see other predators just fine, glowing eyes or not.

So don't waste your money on the gimics. Do the tighten up and make the coop predator proof.....and use an E fence during the day.



PS: Except for the coyotes, which were a few hundred yards off, all other predator photos were taken from a bait station about 80 yards from the chicken house. So these predators are around. But house is tight and nothing gets in. Despite the threat and danger, birds remain safe.