Devastated and need advice

[birdwrangler057]

Hardware cloth is generally superior to poultry wire when cost is not a consideration. I am not saying otherwise. It simply is not invincible.

Also true, but once you buy it, it stays good for years, I especially know this because I live on a salt water creek and metal rusts in a week here. Except for hardware cloth.

 

[azygous]

I'm so sorry you have lost your flock to predators. It's a helpless feeling, fraught with guilt and grief. Been there, felt it.

But each time I've had a predator attack, I've learned more about how to keep my chickens safe. It's a painful lesson, but often lessons are. I urge you to start educating yourself about what predators exist in your area, (call the local university extension office) and then research their behavior/hunting patterns. In other words, you need to know and understand your enemy.

Then, you need to fortify your coop and run accordingly. There are materials out there that can make even poultry netting a strong option. I incorporate poultry netting around my run, with hardware cloth around the lower two feet, buried into the ground angled outward to prevent digging. Then the thing that reinforces the entire run is heavy steel hog panels secured over all the wire mesh. I have bears and mountain lions and bob cats in addition to all the predators you find in and around cities, and this set up has proved itself.

But the thing that has really worked to insure security is installing two rows of hot wire around the entire coop and run. This is a safe set-up in that the electric fence charger emits a pulse rather than continuous current. Anything or any human touching the hot wire will not be injured since they will receive only an unpleasant shock and will simply let go and run away. I doubt there are any restrictions on its use in a city, and if there is, the law is based on ignorance. I tend joyfully to ignore such laws, myself.

The materials to erect a hot wire system are inexpensive, actually. You only need a plug-in charger if you have electricity handy, while solar chargers are twice as expensive, they do permit use of a hot wire system anywhere in spite of not being near a power source. The hot wire is also relatively inexpensive, and so are the insulators, which come in a huge variety so you can adapt the hot wire to any fence or enclosure. Even a novice can easily figure it out.

Bottom line, though, protecting your chickens requires effort. You need to educate and inform yourself first of all, then do the necessary problem solving to come up with a plan that you can adapt to your situation, then expend the energy to construct it. It's worth all the effort to achieve peace of mind and a stress-free flock.

 

[Folly's place]

My coop/ run is hardware cloth with 2"x4" woven wire on the lower 4', all very well secured. No bears here yet! Mary

 

[birdwrangler057]

I'm so sorry you have lost your flock to predators. It's a helpless feeling, fraught with guilt and grief. Been there, felt it.

But each time I've had a predator attack, I've learned more about how to keep my chickens safe. It's a painful lesson, but often lessons are. I urge you to start educating yourself about what predators exist in your area, (call the local university extension office) and then research their behavior/hunting patterns. In other words, you need to know and understand your enemy.

Then, you need to fortify your coop and run accordingly. There are materials out there that can make even poultry netting a strong option. I incorporate poultry netting around my run, with hardware cloth around the lower two feet, buried into the ground angled outward to prevent digging. Then the thing that reinforces the entire run is heavy steel hog panels secured over all the wire mesh. I have bears and mountain lions and bob cats in addition to all the predators you find in and around cities, and this set up has proved itself.

But the thing that has really worked to insure security is installing two rows of hot wire around the entire coop and run. This is a safe set-up in that the electric fence charger emits a pulse rather than continuous current. Anything or any human touching the hot wire will not be injured since they will receive only an unpleasant shock and will simply let go and run away. I doubt there are any restrictions on its use in a city, and if there is, the law is based on ignorance. I tend joyfully to ignore such laws, myself.

The materials to erect a hot wire system are inexpensive, actually. You only need a plug-in charger if you have electricity handy, while solar chargers are twice as expensive, they do permit use of a hot wire system anywhere in spite of not being near a power source. The hot wire is also relatively inexpensive, and so are the insulators, which come in a huge variety so you can adapt the hot wire to any fence or enclosure. Even a novice can easily figure it out.

Bottom line, though, protecting your chickens requires effort. You need to educate and inform yourself first of all, then do the necessary problem solving to come up with a plan that you can adapt to your situation, then expend the energy to construct it. It's worth all the effort to achieve peace of mind and a stress-free flock.

Good advise for "city" farmers, such as the one who started this thread, but sometimes it's the animal who needs to go.

 

[birdwrangler057]

My coop/ run is hardware cloth with 2"x4" woven wire on the lower 4', all very well secured. No bears here yet! Mary

That is one fortified coop! Nice job

 

[centrarchid]

Always must be considerate of budgets. Small scale cost a lot more to do relative to number of birds involved. Sometimes we are rich in resources and knowledge but not wise to what is practical for the city fella / chick.

 

[Rfoser]

It was still dark out. Around 5 am

 

[Rfoser]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I've had my birds for two years and never had an issue. It really didn't occur to me that raccoons could be active predators. I'm such a city girl, I just picture them knocking over garbage cans, not attacking. Lesson learned. I am planning to fortify my coop and run and then get some chicks inn the spring.

 

[centrarchid]

I would keep putting feed in to get raccoon(s) to challenge your defenses so you can refine them.

 

[Folly's place]

I wouldn't encourage any raccoons or varmits to arrive by feeding! Rabies is a real issue with raccoons, and their poo is bad to have around, and don't invite them over unless to meet up with your 22 g. Mary