Chicken guardian animal that is quiet?

[Howard E]

I raise and sell hay (small square bales) to folks for all kinds of livestock. Horses, sheep, goats, cattle. Coons dump on the hay way more than chickens....who prefer to hide eggs in it now and then. Does not harm the livestock.

Years ago, some universities were actually promoting the feeding of chicken manure to cattle.

https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g2077

 

[cmom]

I have electric wires around my coops and pens. I have 12,000 sq. ft. of pens. I have them all covered with good heavy duty netting and concrete under the gates all due to losses from preddators in the past. Nothing has gotten past the electric wires.

 

[cmom]

Here are some good information on electric wires.
http://www.plamondon.com/wp/faq-simple-electric-fences-chickens/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-treatise-on-electric-fencing.1117877/
Thanks to @Howard E.

 

[StinkyAcres]

My hay was in one of those hay feeders and the chickens never got up there, but if there's anyway for them to get to a bale, they will ruin it for sure.
I had the rest covered with a tarp.

That's what I am afraid of. When the chickens have snuck into the barn in the past, I've found them sitting in the hay in the rack. One year our goats kept getting sick, and I was thinking it was because we let the chickens hang out in the hay shed, but I can't be sure that was the problem. I would really love to let them roam the goat and sheep pen... Thanks for sharing your experience, though!

 

[StinkyAcres]

I have a solar motion light on the roof of my hen house. Anything that comes near it it turns on. Including me which helps when I check at night.

Thanks. I might try that, although I'm not too worried about predators at night since the chickens are locked up in a coop.

 

[cmom]

I tried motion lights and it got to where the predators didn't seem bothered when the lights came on.

 

[cmom]

I was bothered by the lights more than the predators. I did put up some game cameras around on my property originally because I curious as to predators that might roam at night and here most predators roam at night. A coyote last night. That is another camera on a fence post.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Like I said, I'm not worried about the predators at night. I wanted to have a backup in case a predator gets by the electric or digs under, etc.

 

[cmom]

With my electric wires up I feel completely safe leaving the coops pop doors open 24/7. So far nothing has gotten past the hot wires. Here most of the predators roam at night. My land is mostly open pasture.
Here is a dig that was aborted. I'm sure it connected with the electric wires.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Thanks @cmom for the pic. How high is your electric rope off the ground?