Daytime Predators and what can I do to prevent them?

[bquillen]

Help! Something has gotten into my run twice now, in the middle of the afternoon and killed my chickens. I found them dead without their heads. My only survivors either flew completely out of the coop or went inside the hen house. There aren't any holes so I believe it is going through the fence, which appears to be bent or stretched in a few spots. I was using a 10x10x6 dog enclosure and obviously the wire is far to big to keep out predators. Can I still use the enclosure but wrap chicken wire around the bottom part? Also. I was considering covering the top, but being able to fly out has saved one of my survivors twice now. I am down to 2 chickens which I brought back into my basement unless I am out with them, but this is not a good solution. How do I make the enclosure safe and what do you think is killing them?

 

[akashia26]

i think what ever is killing them is coming in through the top. raccoons and possums can climb. except for the k-9s i can't think of any grown chicken killers that can't either climb or fly.

as for the predator. my money's on a coon.

 

[featherz]

I'd put hardware cloth around the bottom two feet, cover the top with netting and worst case, run a hot wire or two. That should help.

 

[bquillen]

Where do you buy the netting? Would a Tractor Supply Store carry it?

 

[Mskayladog]

I got mine at tractor supply.

 

[centrarchid]

Head only missing during day can indicate hawk. Consider covering run as well.

 

[Mattemma]

I trapped a dog in my yard once who climbed(I guess) over the 6 foot chain link fence before AC gor there.Determined animals get their target. I used to stay near my flock.Now I have a rooster doing my job.

 

[centrarchid]

Some dogs can climb / clamber well in excess of what dogs in general are credited for being capable of. It is the medium sized, especially mixed breed guys that do it best. Many of our coon and fox hounds could jump woven wire fences like a coyote and possibly even a bit better because of all the practice.


Many also can learn to take zap of electric fence in stride as they crosses hot fences. Even I, something that does not liked to get shocked, will tolerate it if needed to get something on otherside. Still very unpleasant as is sometimes trip to doctor.

 

[dainerra]

This is a video of a dog jumping onto an 8ft obstacle. I know that Singe can jump my neighbor's property line wire and stream in one leap from a standstill. It's a string of wire about 3 feet high bordered by a 5 foot stream. Jumping over, he routinely does 4 feet from a sit. Singe he's still growing, I have never pushed him to see how high he can actually go.


.

is a dog jumping a 6' wall from a sit Pretty average work for a med sized dog. If you watch the dogs scramble at the top of the wall, that is what coyote rollers are sold for. It's a bar at the top of the fence that rolls (obviously lol) so that the dog can't get a grip to climb the rest of the way.

Netting won't stop most predators. it's only plastic and a hungry coon will just push it aside or chew through it.

 

[zazouse]

Head only missing during day can indicate hawk. Consider covering run as well.

I agree.