Bobcat problems help!!

[stephdbarb]

Good morning! Let me start out with- the flock is fine!
We're city folk turned country and new to the chicken vs wildlife business. This past June we lost 3 of our ten ladies. We had some ideas what got them but couldn't pinpoint a culprit We found some rookie mistakes - a hole in the fence, un attached netting. We beefed up the yard and added electric ribbon along the outer top and bottom. We confidently added a few new chicks and had no problems- until last night.
Looks like a strong mouth bit the wire fence. Also would have had their face against the electric ribbon to do this.

The wire was pulled away from under the back of the coop and the piece between the door and coop was half ripped off

My electric ribbon was tangled,twisted, and ripped off, then bitten. My 12yo daughter is nearly positive she plugged it in but didn't knot the cords. By the shape of it we think it was yanked until it unplugged.

Luckily our 10 ladies are fine though it gave us a heart attack until we got a head count.
Now what do we do? The top of the yard is 1' nylon bird netting the sides are all heavy wire we wrapped in bird netting for fear of chicken heads coming out of the fencing and getting the electric ribbon. We considered boarding up some of the sides but now thinking its easier for a cat to climb a board fence. As for electric fencing this ribbon seemed to somewhat work but it still was able to tear up the fencing. We were thinking of a sensored security light? Ideas? Thoughts? These pretty ladies are like my 12 yo daughters children. I'd appreciate any and all advice! THanks!

 

[stephdbarb]

Good morning! Let me start out with- the flock is fine!
We're city folk turned country and new to the chicken vs wildlife business. This past June we lost 3 of our ten ladies. We had some ideas what got them but couldn't pinpoint a culprit We found some rookie mistakes - a hole in the fence, un attached netting. We beefed up the yard and added electric ribbon along the outer top and bottom. We confidently added a few new chicks and had no problems- until last night.
Looks like a strong mouth bit the wire fence. Also would have had their face against the electric ribbon to do this.

The wire was pulled away from under the back of the coop and the piece between the door and coop was half ripped off

My electric ribbon was tangled,twisted, and ripped off, then bitten. My 12yo daughter is nearly positive she plugged it in but didn't knot the cords. By the shape of it we think it was yanked until it unplugged.

Luckily our 10 ladies are fine though it gave us a heart attack until we got a head count.
Now what do we do? The top of the yard is 1' nylon bird netting the sides are all heavy wire we wrapped in bird netting for fear of chicken heads coming out of the fencing and getting the electric ribbon. We considered boarding up some of the sides but now thinking its easier for a cat to climb a board fence. As for electric fencing this ribbon seemed to somewhat work but it still was able to tear up the fencing. We were thinking of a sensored security light? Ideas? Thoughts? These pretty ladies are like my 12 yo daughters children. I'd appreciate any and all advice! THanks!

 

[stephdbarb]

My apologies this should have gone to the predator board. I'm still new to this site! Sorry

 

[thomasboyle]

From the looks of things, your wire fencing it too light. Predators like bobcats and dogs can do a number on a coop / run. If you can break it by pulling on it with pliers, they can break it with their claws or teeth. I would reinforce the fencing with something much stronger. I deal with bobcats, bears, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and the usual list of chicken predators, and I double walled my wire coop. The outer layer is attached to the outside of the 4x4 and 2x4 construction, and is 2"x4" field fencing. This is a heavy duty fence that requires pliers to bend, you can't bend it easily with your fingers. Then on the inside of the 4x4's and 2x4's, I attached 1/2" hardware wire. Some people only use hardware wire for the first 2-3 feet, but I wanted fort knox, so I went all the way to the top.

I have had bobcat climbing on the outside walls of the run trying to get in, and in 3 years, I have not lost a single bird in the run or coop. I also use an electric net fence 48" high (it looks like a volleyball net, but every horizontal wire is electrified) and that surrounds 3 walls of the coop and all of the run. Since installing the net fence, I have not lost a single bird to predators in 2 years now.

Here is a picture of the bobcat who climbed up the run walls. He bent up the outer fence a bit, but did not touch the inner fence.

 

[stephdbarb]

Thank you so much thomasboyle! I forwarded this to my husband to see what we can do. We live in the woods so we have a constant threat of darn near every critter. I'd be sick to loose another lady and we're about to add a few 4H show chickens for the kids so we need maximum security.