Deterring night time predators?

[Sammbalina]

I was wanting to know how others deterred nighttime predators. I'm not too worried about the day-timers because my stepdad sits in the back yard a lot, and there is a roof on the coop, so I'm not too worried about aerials. In my area we have coyotes, bobcats, domestic cats and dogs, raccoons, possum, skunks, and the rarely seen bears and cougars. What do you all do to deter predators? I found this https://www.homedepot.com/p/HomeBri...Security-Motion-Alarm-Detector-EW-1/202543950 and was wondering if anyone thought it would work. I figure even if it doesn't scare off whatever is getting too close to the hutch, it might at least wake us up. I'm not sure exactly how loud it is, but wondered if anyone thought it would be worth a try.

 

[cavemanrich]

Secure your coop the best you can. The only thing I can think of as a deterrent would be electric fencing. Many peeps bait their Hot Wire fencing to entice predators to try the flavor of electricity.
The electricity only jolts the animal, but does not harm it.
They learn quickly to stay away.
During the day when not necessary, just switch the fencing off.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Fort knox coop, the only thing that could get into mine would be a bear, if that happens I will adjust. People who slap together a shelter and call it done are asking for trouble. You get what you put into it.

Gary

 

[Howard E]

What difference does it make if predators do come around at night? They can't get in.....right? Can't get to the birds to do any harm.....right?

Two examples........these need not be elaborate, but do need to be sturdy and built of the right stuff.



First house is on skids with a wood plank floor. Nothing can break in, climb in or dig in. Second is also on skids, with dirt floor, but with the apron around the perimeter, nothing can break in, climb in or dig in.

With adequate housing, once the door shuts behind them when the go to roost, they are safe from all harm.....and it doesn't matter what happens outside.

Keep dreaming...........

 

[cmom]

I was wanting to know how others deterred nighttime predators. I'm not too worried about the day-timers because my stepdad sits in the back yard a lot, and there is a roof on the coop, so I'm not too worried about aerials. In my area we have coyotes, bobcats, domestic cats and dogs, raccoons, possum, skunks, and the rarely seen bears and cougars. What do you all do to deter predators? I found this https://www.homedepot.com/p/HomeBri...Security-Motion-Alarm-Detector-EW-1/202543950 and was wondering if anyone thought it would work. I figure even if it doesn't scare off whatever is getting too close to the hutch, it might at least wake us up. I'm not sure exactly how loud it is, but wondered if anyone thought it would be worth a try.

You can always try one and see how it works. It isn't too expensive. I used motion lights years ago but the predators got used to them and they would go on a few times every night. Now I have electric wire around my coops and pens, concrete under the gates and a heavy duty netting over all of my pens. I have several game cameras on my property and most nights I see some predator on at least one camera.

 

[Melky]

I was wanting to know how others deterred nighttime predators. I'm not too worried about the day-timers because my stepdad sits in the back yard a lot, and there is a roof on the coop, so I'm not too worried about aerials. In my area we have coyotes, bobcats, domestic cats and dogs, raccoons, possum, skunks, and the rarely seen bears and cougars. What do you all do to deter predators? I found this https://www.homedepot.com/p/HomeBri...Security-Motion-Alarm-Detector-EW-1/202543950 and was wondering if anyone thought it would work. I figure even if it doesn't scare off whatever is getting too close to the hutch, it might at least wake us up. I'm not sure exactly how loud it is, but wondered if anyone thought it would be worth a try.

I use Nightguard or Predator Guard on my coop as most highly rated for poultry protection. Not too expensive. Make sure hardware cloth apron of 19 g 1/2 inch 2 ft out surrounds base of coop for digging predator protection. Some also line rock around coop base. Also use HWC for run or windows of coop and over ventilation areas.

 

[andreanar]

Besides making my coop as secure as possible, I use motion detection solar lights all around.

 

[aart]

I figured they would get desensitized to the light, but this one also alarms, that way we would be alerted and could run out and chase it off, or even pull out the air rifle!

Yes, they will be desensitized to lights, even the red flashing ones...alarm will just have you running out when anything walks by, like the neighbor hood cat.
Best to just build your coop secure...and add hot wire if necessary.

 

[Howard E]

I've found that the red eyes motion detectors work very well but I also like really hot (6+ joule) energizer and triple hot wires on the perimeter to keep peskies from coming close.

Red eyes motion detector?

If this is one of the devices that mimic the "red eyes" of a predator to scare others away, I doubt this is doing much good. The really hot fence, on the other hand, is.

On the "red eyes" predator lights, when you examine this critically, they don't make much sense. Predator's eyes don't glow, so no other predator has ever seen glowing eyes to be afraid of them. What animals with glowing eyes have is a reflective lining inside their eyes that amplifies light to enhance their night vision, along the same lines as night vision glasses. What we see as "glowing eyes" is the light reflected back at us from headlights, flashlights, spotlights etc. at it bounces back at us off that reflective coating. This includes a lot of animals like deer, cats, etc. Not just predators. Have you ever seen glowing eyes without a light?

So unless a predator shines a flashlight around to spot other animals, they have never seen glowing eyes to associate that with other predators. You would think the people who build and sell these things would know that, but I guess if they can get people to buy them, why not?

On the other hand, when an animal brushes up against that really hot electric fence, they are going to experience an extremely painful, violent shock that they never want to suffer again. Lesson learned is if you want to avoid that again, better stay away.

 

[cmom]

I have seen plenty of predators around my coops and pens. I've tried just about everything. I have a large flock which depending on the time of year can be from 200 to 500 hundred birds counting the chicks when I hatch. Because of predators in the past I have electric around my pens and coops, concrete under my gates and a heavy duty netting covering my pens. I haven't lost a bird to predators in a very long time. I did loose some Leghorn females some months back but they wouldn't stay in their pens and would always find a way out and eventually disappeared, Houdini1, Houdini 2 and Houdini 3. I do have several game cameras in different places on my property and most nights I get at least one on one of the cameras.

If you have a small enough flock you can put some chicken or welded wire or hardware cloth around the edge of your fence so predators can't dig. Most predators, especially nighttime, are diggers such as Bobcat, Coyote, Fox, Skunks, Possum. Ocassionally I see coons but they haven't tried to get to the birds yet. In the past I have lost birds to Coyote, Fox, Bobcat, Owls and during the day Hawks. I have had the others try with no success. The best defense is protection. The deterrents, the predators usually get used to them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/deterring-night-time-predators.1278814/#post-20595017

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