Daytime Predator Problem

[Fruity's Group]

We have had Red Fox come in and take birds near penned dogs as well. We fixed that by releasing just one of the dogs.

I assume the OP has concern about either dogs being issue themselves or they will not stay where they they are needed.

Our dogs do fine with the chickens, the trouble with the dogs if that they go wherever they want. During the day, they normally sleep on the carport next to the house. This is how we all missed the fox (?) the other day. So if we let them off the tied ropes, they will wander back up to the house again. They are lazy bones. That's why we tied them up in the area of the feather piles. At first, I tied them loosely, so they could get off ropes if need be, but they wandered off on their own. Aside from a massive fencing project that could take weeks or longer, I hope to get 2 guns this weekend and sit vigil down there some. Meanwhile, the dogs will have to do duty. It's been OK since they've been down there.

 

[Fruity's Group]

Tie dogs on place may work, assuming fox not brazen.

one dog stayed tied up all day, the other dog chewed through his rope! but I think it does help

 

[Fruity's Group]

update - we bought a much larger trap today and it's set, hopefully we will not catch a pet cat again. We also bought a 22 rifle finally. In addition, today during the day while the chickens were walking around outside, we set up a radio (we have electricity in a storage coop next to their coop) to talk radio and kept it kind of loud. It sounded like people were there. Tomorrow, we will play a different station, but one of these days, we'll just have me or hubby down there with the gun ready, if we can be alert enough to watch from all sides. Seems like it could be a fox or a hawk.

 

[pennyJo1960]

sounds like you have a great game plan and the determination to see it through
your chickens probably will never know how diligent you where for them but the eggs are really are worth it and watching and caring for them and the enjoyment from all that it is worth it at least in my humble opinion

 

[Slike]

Hey, I lost internet access the night after my last post (over a week ago now I think). Its been a while since there were any fresh posts on this thread and I'm hoping that means you caught the bastard. Let us know! =)

 

[chickens really]

Hey, I lost internet access the night after my last post (over a week ago now I think). Its been a while since there were any fresh posts on this thread and I'm hoping that means you caught the bastard. Let us know! =)

Lol....

 

[Fruity's Group]

Thanks for asking. We have been vigilant about every day turning on the radio out by the coops onto "talk radio", keeping one of our dogs (Anatolian Shepherd) tied out there (he's still willing to stand for that!) We have a big and small trap set day and night. So far, aside from catching our own cats, we caught an opossum yesterday. We also bought a 22 rifle to shoot the predators that we catch.

The good thing is that we have not lost any more birds. The not-so-good is that we have 2 coops with guineas that we have not let out since losing a couple of them, so they are stuck in the coop and enclosed run, but not let out to do their magic on ticks. Not yet. It's a farther pasture than where the dog + radio are and we don't have enough protection in place there yet. We have llamas in the farthest pasture, and we are hoping they will work for a living and scare off predators. Then we can let those guineas out and put the geese back in that pasture where they'd be happier with all the grass and not be bothered by the ducks, guineas, and chickens. The geese like their own space as a group.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

We are setting up an electric fence around the perimeter of our property. The investment so far is about $300. I set up a trail cam after my hens were acting fearful in the coop all the time and not laying eggs. Also, found a hole in the chicken wire where a predator tried enter the pen. I quickly did repairs to the fence with hardware cloth, also covered the windows of the coop with hardware cloth and secured with bolts an washers. Pics from the cam showed a bobcat, which I had seen from far off. I stupidly thought it would never come around during the day. Until 5 weeks ago, it did. I was home at the time, quickly ran out when my rooster started to sound the alarm. But that animal was so powerful and fast...it took my sweet "Inky" and leapt over our 6 foot wrought iron fence.
Hope it deters the bobcat, I know nothing is 100%.

 

[pennyJo1960]

the measures your taking will help a good deal you are finding the week spots where they can enter plugging them and diligence's is all that you are able to do