Coons and hawks?

[ChocolateMouse]

It is not illegal to shoot birds of prey; you need a permit. There's a difference.

Unfortunately there's no way to hang netting over the top of my chicken pen because of city ordinances. I live in a suburb that has strict laws for everything BUT keeping animals. Their only animal keeping law it 100 ft from someone's house if it loves outside and no cats and dogs living outside.

 

[centrarchid]

It is not illegal to shoot birds of prey; you need a permit. There's a difference.

Unfortunately there's no way to hang netting over the top of my chicken pen because of city ordinances. I live in a suburb that has strict laws for everything BUT keeping animals. Their only animal keeping law it 100 ft from someone's house if it loves outside and no cats and dogs living outside.

It is illegal until you get a permit and permit is not likely to be realized for someone trying protect a backyard flock. Farmers demonstrating losses are threatening livelihood or biologist using predator management to protect an imperiled species may be different matters.


Stopping raccoons and hawks harvesting your coops / chicken tractors is easy. The hardware cloth option already mentioned would have saved you the first loss. At night, getting birds to roost outside of predators reach also needs to be considered. Usually that means at least 6" from side of pen. I am having very good success using a single strand of electric fencing between 4" and 6" above ground and away from side of pen. Critter be it mammal or bird will get shocked as it explores perimeter quickly making hunting your pens simply not worth effort. Get those dogs back into picture as well. It took two exposures for my dogs to get idea I want hawks chased away, then they put serious effort into it.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Well I improved the tractor and since it's pretty small I am thinking of making a larger one. The birds will need it when they get full sized anyhow.

And again, electric wire of any type isn't an option. It's really illegal to have hotwires or electric wire on your property here.

The dogs will definitely be on alert. My husky will go after anything I ask with a passion, it's just my big, responsible dog that doesn't. She was trained not to chase animals wantonly. My husky does not have such self control and will go after anything with the slightest encouragement. You better believe my dogs will be right there next time I see the hawks!

But I was really hoping for something to stop coons at the fence line. Like maybe if mothballs help like they do with other pests or something.

I'm going to also try the CD trick for the hawks and see if it helps. Honestly, they have no reason to come back if I can deter them significantly. There's SO many small wild animals around like rabbits and loose cats and goodness knows what else.... If I can protect my chickens enough to scare the haws they shouldn't come back.

But the coons are something else. They come in the yard at night when we're all indoors and asleep. I'd like to keep them out of the whole yard if possible.

 

[centrarchid]

Fencing as I envision it would not be noticeable since it and charger could be physically attached to your pen / tractor. You would be fencing in only the actual pen / tractor.

Could you simply have it so pen / tractor is in the dogs' run? Coon will not want to push issue if dogs are present. I live in heavy varmint area and found repelling raccoons is very difficult. My dogs actually have to go out and whip them on occasion to keep them out but repellents I doubt will work with such critters. You can live-trap as well which should not be illegal or risky to pets.

The primary reason hawks are coming is because the other prey are already present. Hawks don't visit to come after my chickens, they come to go after rodents and small birds.

Overall you are placing some what appear to be unnecessary constraints on your self. It may come down to seriously reconsidering your coop design to make so that even if 20 come up to it every night they cannot get at your birds. That can be done.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Yeah, sorry, I live in a uppity suburb. Dog aren't allowed to be kept outdoors all day and night. It's illegal. This is a neighborhood where people walk down the street and take down addresses and call the city to let them know your lawn's not mowed well. People are snoopy. I'm pushing the limits as it is having my animals.

Great that you don't but some of us don't want to end up with $1000 in fines for putting hotwire on their property or netting over their chicken pen.

Overall, I'm not breaking laws just for a dozen $10 food-producing birds.