Best Guard for 8 chickens

[Michele-A-EIE]

Happy Friday, everyone!

We’re living on a 1-acre lot, and I currently have 8 seven-week-old chicks. In a couple of weeks, we’re planning to build them a larger run and coop (right now, they’re in an Omlet Eglu Pro) with more protective measures. My husband and I have been discussing options to guard the chickens, and while I wasn’t keen on adding another dog, a goose, or a rooster, I’m now thinking some form of protection might be necessary—maybe we do need a rooster?

The chicks won’t be free-range; they’ll always be in some sort of enclosed area. However, living in NE Florida, we have plenty of predators that could easily find their way into the coop.

Any advice on the best way to protect my girls? Thank you all in advance!

 

[SilverBirds]

The best form of protection is a good secure coop and run. If you are new to chickens and weren't sure on having a rooster to begin with, I would hold off on getting one. For people with large flocks that free range over many acres a rooster can be beneficial, but for people keeping small flocks that remain locked up a rooster is not very helpful and can cause more problems. Most roosters (and geese) are only good at making an alarm sound before fleeing themselves. Should a predator breach your coop, a rooster is not going to be able to protect your flock.

I would focus on better reinforcing your coop to prevent attacks from even happening. Hardwire cloth, electric netting, strong latches, buried fences, will all be much better protection than any animal will be.

 

[Bawkbok]

Ditto to SilverBirds comments. Spend your time and money on hardware cloth, good locks, skirting, heavy rocks to secure the outside of the run, etc.

Our yard is smaller than yours and we have hawks that fly over every day, owls at night, etc. Our run is fully enclosed hardware wire with a tarp on top (sun management). Predation is never an issue.

 

[Michele-A-EIE]

Thank you both!

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

I agree with the comments, for sure! If something can get into your coop, a dog etc won't help. A good roo will try to defend or at least alarm, but he normally gets taken out first before a predator simply moves onto the hens. Go with hardware cloth and bury it fairly deep and I doubt you'll need to worry with anything else.

 

[NagemTX]

Agree with all the comments but would add go up from the electric netting to an actual electric wire. Coons can ignore the netting as well as dogs. Also recommend a good dog as their presents deters a lot of vermin.