Devastated! Warning Graphical

[roxanne]

I am so sorry for your tragedy and that is what it was a true tragedy!!! Please make sure that your new chicken tractor has NO WAY for raccoons to reach through with their hands. Use hardware cloth to line the wire area.

 

[MClean417]

I lost 3 chickens this year and my neighbor lost 5 or 6. Problem, Coyote. Had him on video. Didn't get any of my resolution video though. Anyways, my birds were lost because of a storm the rolled in while we were prepping for my son's wedding rehersal/dinner. I didn't know they weren't put up till we got home late and the coops were all closed. Found them the next day, well, most of one and the feathers of the other two. His was a coop problem which we worked on because the coyotes are still out there. Shoot his daughter caught one in her Raccoon sized live trap. My old run is built like yours is but I have the 1/4 inch machine cloth Pig ringed to the cattle panels as well and then all of that is tyed into cheaper but sturdies 2x4 Coated Fencing wire that encircles the coop and is under the grass. If an animal starts digging they're going to find out that it's no problem for the mice to get in and out but darn hard to dig up through that wire. The coops are wrapped in wire and have auto doors on them. We put the chickens in the runs every night and they coop themselves up, the door closes afterwards. Keep your run like a prison and your coop like Fort Knox. Also, keep your finger practiced and your red dot verified. You might need it. Also, a 22LR is plenty for a dog or coyote. Shotgun is good too but you have to get close enough to hit your target and not spray the coop OR anything else.
Country life is good but, there's varmits out there.

 

[Bill752]

As mentioned I sold my pickup for enough to build this coop/run. Will this work? Have enough to build 3 more.View attachment 2801662

Except for animal that goes underneath that should be quite sufficient. I got a bird dog when I needed a PT to take me for walks but then we bought a place & then we started having chickens & ducks. She isn't trained for birds & will kill & leave them until they reach a certain size & then she ignores them. I would get rid of her but I adopted her & she loves me the most if my wife isn't around. I'd put up cameras just to see what goes on when it's dark outside. We use a light out there to deter an owl, I forgot to turn the light on one evening & when the chickens acted up I went out & heard its wings flapping as it flew away without a chicken or duck. I also bought a humane trap but so far I've only caught chickens in it but you could put yours right outside the pen & use canned cat or dogfood for bait.

 

[MClean417]

Except for animal that goes underneath that should be quite sufficient. I got a bird dog when I needed a PT to take me for walks but then we bought a place & then we started having chickens & ducks. She isn't trained for birds & will kill & leave them until they reach a certain size & then she ignores them. I would get rid of her but I adopted her & she loves me the most if my wife isn't around. I'd put up cameras just to see what goes on when it's dark outside. We use a light out there to deter an owl, I forgot to turn the light on one evening & when the chickens acted up I went out & heard its wings flapping as it flew away without a chicken or duck. I also bought a humane trap but so far I've only caught chickens in it but you could put yours right outside the pen & use canned cat or dogfood for bait.

Yup, I had it out there for raccoons that were coming around right before my corn got ripe. Was working in the run and heard the trap spring. Really? In the middle of the day? There was one of my full grown Lavender Orpingtons looking confused. The cheaper 2x4 wire also goes under the run though following Carolina Custom Coops info if you put the 4 foot tall wire out and ring nail it to your wood, it keeps the burrowers out. Again, they cut the grass down low, put the wire down and attach it then the grass grows up into it. I don't know how many more coyotees are out there in our area. I've always had scat but never lost a bird to one, they are mostly cowards. My sons Britney stayed with us and thankfully she doesn't jump the fence but she did make it out of what we call the Fur Lock. She made a bee line to the run but so did I, she went in, grabbed a chicken but over ran and went into the screen at which point I grabbed her. Have to keep an eye on her. She also is untrained but it is instinct. My Boston goes out with me to get her ball when it's overthrown over the fence, she is leary of the chickens. She WILL chase rabbits but they can generally out turn her. I had to take care of the rabbits as they were eating the garden MINE and MY Neighbors. (They had escaped from there place anyways) Did the coyotes take care of them? NO. Anyways, sorry for the losses. Hope next year is a better year.

 

[tc4]

I would put cinder blocks or pavers around the outer edge of the run so nothing can dig under, I have had domestic dogs kill my chickens more than hawks, coyotes, racoons, the electric fence was not strong enough to stop big dogs just pushing it over. I now have a 5ft chicken wire fence around the free range area outside the run with extra posts for stability, I used tent pegs to hold down the fence and stop chickens digging out and critters digging in. My coop has an electric door to close them in at night but then I usually go out and shut the run door too just in case. By using tent pegs to hold down the free range area fence it reduced the incidents of possums and skunks getting in to eat the food from the feed bin. I am sorry for your loss, it is devastating. 3 times I came out to find dead chickens from dog attacks. When the hawk attacked they just took one and actually ate it, the dogs just killed for fun.

 

[Tristan und Isolde]

Raccoons regard chicken wire as merely dental floss....I use 1/2" hardware cloth.
Sorry for your traumatic loss. I lost my flock of three Barred Rocks to two Labrador Retrievers, but others to foxes and raccoons. Now I have electric netting.

 

[Happy hen lover]

I would do hardware cloth , pavers and electric fence also. I'm am so sorry for your devistating loss. I can't imagine especially when your income was involved.! Hope whatever gets zapped good. !

 

[McChooky]

I would put cinder blocks or pavers around the outer edge of the run so nothing can dig under, I have had domestic dogs kill my chickens more than hawks, coyotes, racoons, the electric fence was not strong enough to stop big dogs just pushing it over. I now have a 5ft chicken wire fence around the free range area outside the run with extra posts for stability, I used tent pegs to hold down the fence and stop chickens digging out and critters digging in. My coop has an electric door to close them in at night but then I usually go out and shut the run door too just in case. By using tent pegs to hold down the free range area fence it reduced the incidents of possums and skunks getting in to eat the food from the feed bin. I am sorry for your loss, it is devastating. 3 times I came out to find dead chickens from dog attacks. When the hawk attacked they just took one and actually ate it, the dogs just killed for fun.

"Graphic"
One of my Black Copper Marans is dead.

In a city of 250+/- we don't have animal control. I offered to volunteer, city mayor said "NO". I called Sheriff dept to complain, was told to take to our city council. My son and I went looking for missing Muscovy's and seen main council women's vehicle at her house. My son said "Dad, let's tell her as Deputy Sheriff said to do. So I pulled up drive, son and I got out, walked up to door. I knocked, her husband answered and asked What do you need his wife for?" So I told him, he then told me to take up to council meeting (3rd Tuesday of each month) and never come on his property again.

I use 1/2" hardware cloth on top, sides and bottom and blocks,rocks and tent stakes help hold the apron down tight. It helps to know whats prowling around while I sleep so I ordered a game camera (someone was nice enough to recommend it)Predators like to attack when we're least expecting so be waiting !

 

[akrafel]

My son and I have been raising Red Star, Delaware and Barred Rock chickens a long with Pekin, Rouen, Runner and Muscovy ducks. I'm disabled so the eggs help the grocery bill and selling the extra eggs pays their food, treats and on utilities. My son went out to feed and this is what he saw.View attachment 2801622

My son and I have been raising Red Star, Delaware and Barred Rock chickens a long with Pekin, Rouen, Runner and Muscovy ducks. I'm disabled so the eggs help the grocery bill and selling the extra eggs pays their food, treats and on utilities. My son went out to feed and this is what he saw.View attachment 2801622

 

[akrafel]

I am so sorry. I have experienced a scene just like this one. It was a dog that got in through a loose spot in the fence. I have lost so many chickens to raccoons and Cooper's Hawks, I finally built a raccoon proof chicken palace. It is easy to clean, keeps the chickens secure and rodents out. The raccoons have given up.
The palace allows 4 square feet per bird so I can confine them for several days when the pasture is too dangerous (Hawks) or when the new grass is coming up. The roost is enclosed in a plywood structure that is 1 foot off the ground so the cat can get underneath which keeps mice and rattlesnakes away. There are windows and air vents that are covered with hardware cloth and close in the winter. There is a storage area for me that the chickens can not get into. Feeding and collecting eggs do not require me to bend over. An outdoor, covered roof area with a dirt floor is made with welded wire 2"x3" welded wire held to 4 x 4 posts. Under the dirt floor there is more welded wire which can be changed if needed. The chickens can not get out unless I let them out. Predators can not get in. So I have not lost any chickens to predators in the 10 x 32 foot chicken palace. I can house up to 16 heavy chickens and 25 chicks in a brooder. It was expensive to build, but easy to live in, to clean and to leave the chickens if I want to go on vacation. No more dead chickens. A big rooster keeps the hawks away and the hens together when they forage out in the pasture.