Bobcat

[McChooky]

The hour before and after daylight and darkness is when most predator attacks occur. Bob cats and coyotes both will hunt during the day and are excellent jumpers . Trees make it difficult o keep bob cats out.They're excellent climbers! My chickens are kept in a predator proof coop & run with an apron and I limit their free range time.

 

[cheide]

Adding to this thread because I have a bobcat in the neighborhood that has already taken two of my chickens. I’m going to try all these ideas and I’m still worried about my girls.

I think it’s illegal in my suburban neighborhood to have electric fencing.

Right now the bobcat is jumping my solid 6 ft wood fence, grabbing my hen, and jumping back over vanishing without a trace in mere seconds. Twice we heard the commotion and by the time I ran over to the run just some feathers were left behind as evidence. I had no idea what was disappearing my chickens until I saw Kitty coming back yesterday for dinner (waltzing up my driveway at 4:00pm). I quickly secured the girls in their wire mesh covered coop. But it’s too small for them to live there. I have a good sized dog who is friends with the chickens, but also afraid of the cat When the chickens are upset about something he freaks out and just comes to me We can supervise them when I let them out, but it’s not very sustainable. I’ve been putting them in a pen so they don’t linger too close to a fence or something, get into my garden and also the dog can watch them all at once lol. It’s kind of funny, just now they wouldn’t stop yelling at me so I let them back in the coop to lay some eggs.. again not really sustainable.

What’s a good all day run option? They are still secure at night. I’m looking at a run on Amazon, attached a screenshot, would it keep out a bobcat? If I did a fence/wire apron?

Interested to hear what’s been working best for those who have had a bobcat coming back / stalking your yard and chickens. It’s freaking me out! I’m so worried it’s going to keep picking off my flock one at a time. I have this feeling like it’s watching me from behind these fences all day.

Pics of the bobcat, the thing on Amazon I might get, my chickens in their coop, a shot of my current run (rip) and the thrown together pen I’m using for supervised yard time with my medium helpful dog

Thanks!!!

 

[cheide]

I should add that I know a bullet proof run is what we really need but looking for a quick fix! We plan to build something more extravagant over the next few months.

 

[McChooky]

A biologist at our WV DNR office told us a single strand will deter bob cats because they can detect the electricity on a fence. The only time I've lost any my fence was off(my neighbors have cut my fence twice with a weed eater)
My chickens stay close to the run since the flocks been attacked and 4 won't leave the run now. I only free range at random times for an hour or so until my fence is up and running.

 

[McChooky]

Putting fiberglass panels around the sides will prevent the bob cat seeing the chickens from a distance (out of sight, out of mind!) I used pallets around the sides of mine and covered it with 1/2" hardware cloth.Chain link dog kennels also make a strong run

 

[McChooky]

There are several methods of cat proofing a privacy fence .Hope this video helps!This must be installed outside the top of your fence to keep cats out .If you install this inside your fence it will only keeps your cat inside your fence.It will keep a bob cat out!

 

[LaFleche]

Several strands of hotwire will keep bobcats and other predators away once they made contact.

Also cover the run either with a roof or hardware cloth to prevent flying and climbing predators to get to your chickens.

 

[Yardmom]

Just wanted to make sure that if someone has a pen similar to the one from Amazon they need to add some type of skirting or something to prevent predators from digging in.

 

[AGeese]

There are several methods of cat proofing a privacy fence .Hope this video helps!This must be installed outside the top of your fence to keep cats out .If you install this inside your fence it will only keeps your cat inside your fence.It will keep a bob cat out!

Good idea. I'm getting claustrophobic at how close his neighbors are.

 

[cheide]

wowww thank you thank you thank you!!

going to look into all of this!

I plan to set up their new run more in the middle of my yard and secure it all the way around using the chicken wire method and a string of hot wire

I know I know lots of neighbors around here. and this bobcat was definitely stalking my yard from the other side of the fences. hopefully some day we’ll have some real space. but given my current environment I thought raccoons would be my biggest problem

thanks again looking forward to a new set up