Concerned About the Time Change

[All Ball]

Oh and a lot of the auto doors would work with your guillotine door, but maybe not at a price you'd like. If not an auto door, maybe you could bribe a neighbor with eggs to help close up for you??

 

[jolly wattles]

For the ants, you could try putting the bait in a moat - ants can't get across water, but it wouldn't stop the rats.

I have chickens that backyard free range during the day and sleep in a mini coop.

For security, the coop is raised on wheels so preds can't dig in, and it is all plywood/hardware cloth, one door with a key lock, and a thick lucite guillotine door now with auto door. I have never had a break-in. I agree with everyone else that hardware cloth is a gift from the heavens.

I love the auto door (ChickenGuard, which used to be much cheaper...), it has settings for timer or light, but I agree a dawdling girl can get locked out (just happened), and I understand the risk that an early pred could get in.

I always worried that a pred could paw open the door, but I have not seen anyone report that on here.

It's great you have the cam to learn the routines of your local preds. Mine don't seem to operate early, and that helps to inform my choices.

Ants can get across water.

 

[All Ball]

Really jolly wattles? Sorry to hear. My Argentinian ants must not be as skilled.

 

[All Ball]

Really jolly wattles? Sorry to hear. My Argentinian ants must not be as skilled.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I have a humming bird feeder with moat and watch the black ants swim across. I filled it with vinegar to stop them. GC

 

[Lady J]

The predator activity has quieted down, probably because I was super aggressive in stopping it immediately upon the loss of my first girl. Made me so mad! I am removing the feeders from the pen at night, but keeping a rat trap in there just in case. I have seen the Godzilla rat once since I started removing the feeders. I left a small amount of feed on the ground to attract him to the trap, but he did not show the slightest interest in the trap. Smart sucker. May take a while and a few changes in tactics, but, eventually, I'll nail him.

 

[jolly wattles]

The predator activity has quieted down, probably because I was super aggressive in stopping it immediately upon the loss of my first girl. Made me so mad! I am removing the feeders from the pen at night, but keeping a rat trap in there just in case. I have seen the Godzilla rat once since I started removing the feeders. I left a small amount of feed on the ground to attract him to the trap, but he did not show the slightest interest in the trap. Smart sucker. May take a while and a few changes in tactics, but, eventually, I'll nail him.

Preds will definitely change your thinking and put you on a mission. Congrats to success.