Danger during the day?

[whatnext]

Not really trapping so much as putting up a "BEWARE" sign. My chicken coup is on a trailer so I can move it. Also if a hurricane comes, my chickens and I can hall A--. The coop has a automatic door that is photo sensitive. A few years ago, coyotes figured it out. Lost several chickens before I figured it out. Then hid down wind with rifle, door opens, coyotes thought dinner bell rang, chickens come running out,,, you get the picture. The problem was the coyotes knew they could only get the chickens during the day. Live traps, leg traps, only work once per pack without moving to new area. Hook and cable, effective.
I was in Wyoming a few years ago on a big ranch were they had state sponsored planes fly around to shoot them. The plane landed by us, sounded a siren, then got a direction from the return yelping....
My favorite chicken to watch loved water. She would wade along the edge of the pond chasing minnows, and yes she would get in the water. Gone, so last year I let friends legally harvest two alligators that moved in to the pond closest to my pens. One 5' 11" the other 7'11" . Had others bigger, but they were at farther ponds and not a threat to the birds.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I read of a large scale free range meat bird operation, 500 birds, and their learning curve, current practices. They found white birds simply don't fair well, partridge color do the best. They also found in consecutive years the losses are less and less as the parent birds learn and teach the offspring survival strategy. Field and woods landscape.

I should add that they settled with partridge Cornish, Indian Game, as their free range meat bird. Not a layer breed but another hearty heritage partridge color breed like Plymouth Rock for layer would fair just as well.

 

[bobbi-j]

Not really trapping so much as putting up a "BEWARE" sign. My chicken coup is on a trailer so I can move it. Also if a hurricane comes, my chickens and I can hall A--. The coop has a automatic door that is photo sensitive. A few years ago, coyotes figured it out. Lost several chickens before I figured it out. Then hid down wind with rifle, door opens, coyotes thought dinner bell rang, chickens come running out,,, you get the picture. The problem was the coyotes knew they could only get the chickens during the day. Live traps, leg traps, only work once per pack without moving to new area. Hook and cable, effective.
I was in Wyoming a few years ago on a big ranch were they had state sponsored planes fly around to shoot them. The plane landed by us, sounded a siren, then got a direction from the return yelping....
My favorite chicken to watch loved water. She would wade along the edge of the pond chasing minnows, and yes she would get in the water. Gone, so last year I let friends legally harvest two alligators that moved in to the pond closest to my pens. One 5' 11" the other 7'11" . Had others bigger, but they were at farther ponds and not a threat to the birds.

I have no problem with shooting a predator. But I guess I'm still somewhat of a softie because I don't want even a coyote to suffer. Die, yes. Just quickly. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Those sound like a couple of good sized alligators! At least in my book. I don't know what really qualifies as a big one.

 

[HarmonyHen]

I uunderstand that there's a risk involved with unsupervised free-ranging during the day, but I think its the best option for us and I will try whatever strategies needed to minimize losses. Keeping a rooster or two sounds like a reasonable option at the very least.

I am in PA in a rural area with a lot of woods. I know we have coyotes, coons, groundhogs, fox, opossum. We probably have hawks and owls, though I don't see them in the vicinity typically and we have cover. We have a small cat, but I envision her being bullied by the birds, not the other way around. We trap coons, groundhogs, and opossums. Any other suggestions? Thanks for all the tips!

 

[coloradoalice]

We've only ever lost birds to coyotes and it was always in the middle of the day. Personally I wouldn't leave chickens out to free range all day without a guardian dog.

 

[centrarchid]

Switch over to American Games. Free-ranging adults are very difficult for predators to catch when escape cover is adequate. Egg production will be compromised relative to production breeds.

 

[coloradoalice]

Switch over to American Games. Free-ranging adults are very difficult for predators to catch when escape cover is adequate. Egg production will be compromised relative to production breeds.

I'm not sure if you are talking to me but we don't have problems with coyotes since getting our GP. Haven't lost a bird in 2 years.

 

[centrarchid]

I'm not sure if you are talking to me but we don't have problems with coyotes since getting our GP. Haven't lost a bird in 2 years.

I was talking to OP.