Bobcats

[Mtnboomer]

Does it work? If so, can you come to my place and teach my fence hopping heathens where they are supposed to stay? lol

 

[Jamesthesilkie]

Guys the bobcat got in because the gate was open while everyone was free ranging. My run is just a 4 foot goat fence with bird netting on top.

I am renting, I can not build a frame and wrap the entire thing in hardware cloth. I have plans to have a permanent house in a year or two so I can't justify that cost just to be able to not take it with me or many hours of disassembling it.

When I move I will be doing that as I'm getting more land and will have even more predators. But for now, I will have to work with what I have. Money is very tight as I'm out of work so I'm trying a low-cost option.

If I lose a bird here and there it sucks, but it's not a huge deal. Now I have no idea what would happen if that bobcat got into my run while my chickens weren't free ranging so it has been worrying me. I hear 3 of them screaming a lot of nights.

 

[ChicNmom]

I would be worried about the night time screaming. Can the cat or anything reach in and grab them? Are they in an actual coop that is attached to the run or inside the goat fence?
I'm having a hard time imagining your set up.
I would make sure their sleeping area is secure before the run if money is tight. Most of the bad predators are nocturnal. Plus the hens have no way to escape in the dark.

 

[Jamesthesilkie]

I would be worried about the night time screaming. Can the cat or anything reach in and grab them? Are they in an actual coop that is attached to the run or inside the goat fence?
I'm having a hard time imagining your set up.
I would make sure their sleeping area is secure before the run if money is tight. Most of the bad predators are nocturnal. Plus the hens have no way to escape in the dark.

Yes the coop is very secure. I made sure to do that right!!

 

[Jamesthesilkie]

I would be worried about the night time screaming. Can the cat or anything reach in and grab them? Are they in an actual coop that is attached to the run or inside the goat fence?
I'm having a hard time imagining your set up.
I would make sure their sleeping area is secure before the run if money is tight. Most of the bad predators are nocturnal. Plus the hens have no way to escape in the dark.

The problem now is the bobcat is out during the day. I see it often. When I moved here the land across from me was completely bare. Now it is all wooded and brush so it's a perfect hiding spot for them. The brush is about 100 feet from my coop and I've seen the cat at 12, 2, 4pm across the road watching them. They are staying in the run now. I believe they only hunted at night until the mom had babies. Also we use to have many rabbits here. There are almost none now.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Why didn't you capitalize EVE. Is she not as important as Adam. Says a lot about you I believe.

 

[Jamesthesilkie]

He also said ‘to clothe the first man‘.
Really? Women shouldn’t be clothed? Gosh.

Please don't go off topic on my thread, especially when it involves my chickens safety. I am very worried for them!

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Please don't go off topic on my thread, especially when it involves my chickens safety. I am very worried for them!

I’m sorry.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Please don't go off topic on my thread, especially when it involves my chickens safety. I am very worried for them!

On the note of helping - is your coop a separate building from the run? You could close the little door (assuming you have a little door) up and it would be safe during the night.

 

[ChicNmom]

Even though it's not your land can you cut back some of the brush? Or maybe something distracting like some old CD's or aluminum pie pans that would blow around in the breeze?
Or possibly a motion activated alarm? Something cats would hate.

If you have a harbor freight they have cheap motion driveway alarms. If the cats walk between the sensors it will beep while they are in the sensor area and stop when they leave. You could put them where they cats are sitting. It might make them move elsewhere.

Also, this sounds crazy but I know people in my area that do this. Scent mark the area with human urine. Or if you have a neighbor with a large dog put some dog poop in the area they are hanging out in.

Just brainstorming some ideas.

Our property is bordered by woods. It had been logged out but then brush and small trees grew in. We have bobcats, foxes coyotes and bears. Last year I went is just trimmed it out. The owner doesn't care and it gives predators less places to hide. I have had 2 bobcat attempts on my girls. Once she went after my hen Psycho. Psycho did her freak out thing and ran away. The cat just stood there in shock. Last year it jumped over the stone wall and then 20 chickens freaked out and the cat ran back over the wall.