Discovering the most worrisome of chicken ownership - predators!

[LisaMarie81]

I know I'm preaching to the choir here as many of you are experts on predators. I've read tons of threads, I've done tons of research, taken advice, etc, but I still feel so ill equipped when it comes to protecting my birds.
Sitting in my bedroom right now and listening to a fisher outside. Can't see it, but heard it in the front yard, then the back. Of course panic ensued (it always does). With flashlight in hand I braved it and went outside (yes I'm a chicken myself - no pun intended. and waking my husband for this would not go over well). I rechecked every lock on the run and coop and now I sit back in my bedroom with same flashlight. UGH.

I think I have done "most" all I can do to protect them (and I will be doing more). Everything is hardwire, top is totally covered (not open), 3ft skirt around the entire thing (including under the actual floor of the coop itself). 6"yard stakes to hold it down, but about 300 of them. New flood light in that area. Multiple locks. Chicken coop is closed to add that second layer of protection. But I still feel worried. What more can I do?
someone said cd's during the day (because of the shine), but at night? I do NOT have the ability to get electricity out there right now, so nothing electric. I'm just of course panicking because I'm reading they will chew through wood as well - whelp.....the coop is wood.
Again...I just feel so ill equipped to handle these encounters.

 

[Chicken Whisperers]

To me it seems your chickens are the safest in the country right now!!! I think you're doing a great job protecting them!

 

[Thespeckledchick]

To me it seems your chickens are the safest in the country right now!!! I think you're doing a great job protecting them!

Very true! Don't worry!

 

[centrarchid]

Solar powered fence charger. A lower output unit will get job done when couple with a pen / coop setup.

 

[Pugsabi]

I know I'm preaching to the choir here as many of you are experts on predators. I've read tons of threads, I've done tons of research, taken advice, etc, but I still feel so ill equipped when it comes to protecting my birds.
Sitting in my bedroom right now and listening to a fisher outside. Can't see it, but heard it in the front yard, then the back. Of course panic ensued (it always does). With flashlight in hand I braved it and went outside (yes I'm a chicken myself - no pun intended. and waking my husband for this would not go over well). I rechecked every lock on the run and coop and now I sit back in my bedroom with same flashlight. UGH.

I think I have done "most" all I can do to protect them (and I will be doing more). Everything is hardwire, top is totally covered (not open), 3ft skirt around the entire thing (including under the actual floor of the coop itself). 6"yard stakes to hold it down, but about 300 of them. New flood light in that area. Multiple locks. Chicken coop is closed to add that second layer of protection. But I still feel worried. What more can I do?
someone said cd's during the day (because of the shine), but at night? I do NOT have the ability to get electricity out there right now, so nothing electric. I'm just of course panicking because I'm reading they will chew through wood as well - whelp.....the coop is wood.
Again...I just feel so ill equipped to handle these encounters.

Short of building a moat or arming them with cannons, I think you've done all you can. Are there any particular predators you are worried about?

 

[Chicken Whisperers]

Short of building a moat or arming them with cannons, I think you've done all you can. Are there any particular predators you are worried about?

 

[Pugsabi]

The CD's are for flying predators so if your coop and run are covered you don't need them. The types of predators that can break through wood paneling are badgers and bears.

 

[LisaMarie81]

Short of building a moat or arming them with cannons, I think you've done all you can. Are there any particular predators you are worried about?

Ok...that did make me laugh. Thanks. (as I use my flashlight to get another look)
predators we have are nothing out of the ordinary:
Hawks, Bald Eagles, Fishers, Fox (which I actually have not seen in about a month, but they abandon their dens once kits are old enough so I'm assuming they're gone for now. They will be back in colder months and when new kits are born in the spring...so I'll be back to complain about them).
Possible skunk

We actually don't have much. no bobcats. Bear yes, but they are more after the chicken food probably no?

Amazingly since we've lived here (5 years) we have not seen a single opossum OR raccoon. We were just talking about how weird that was today.

It's just tough to sleep (protected or not) when you're listening to a fisher scream.....or a fox bark. All is quiet right now and I've had my flashlight out more than once
(it's one of them high powered things....as seen on TV. LMAO. Works though)

Damn birds are gonna be the death of me!

 

[Pugsabi]

Ok...that did make me laugh. Thanks. (as I use my flashlight to get another look)
predators we have are nothing out of the ordinary:
Hawks, Bald Eagles, Fishers, Fox (which I actually have not seen in about a month, but they abandon their dens once kits are old enough so I'm assuming they're gone for now. They will be back in colder months and when new kits are born in the spring...so I'll be back to complain about them).
Possible skunk

We actually don't have much. no bobcats. Bear yes, but they are more after the chicken food probably no?

Amazingly since we've lived here (5 years) we have not seen a single opossum OR raccoon. We were just talking about how weird that was today.

It's just tough to sleep (protected or not) when you're listening to a fisher scream.....or a fox bark. All is quiet right now and I've had my flashlight out more than once
(it's one of them high powered things....as seen on TV. LMAO. Works though)

Damn birds are gonna be the death of me!

You're good! Try to relax, other than the bear, none of these guys will make it through your set up. Even the bear (according to an episode of myth busters) can be discouraged with a sprinkling of cayenne pepper around your property. Just think, these birds are sleeping more comfortably and securely than you are at the moment!

 

[MissChick@dee]

I know I'm preaching to the choir here as many of you are experts on predators. I've read tons of threads, I've done tons of research, taken advice, etc, but I still feel so ill equipped when it comes to protecting my birds.
Sitting in my bedroom right now and listening to a fisher outside. Can't see it, but heard it in the front yard, then the back. Of course panic ensued (it always does). With flashlight in hand I braved it and went outside (yes I'm a chicken myself - no pun intended. and waking my husband for this would not go over well). I rechecked every lock on the run and coop and now I sit back in my bedroom with same flashlight. UGH.

I think I have done "most" all I can do to protect them (and I will be doing more). Everything is hardwire, top is totally covered (not open), 3ft skirt around the entire thing (including under the actual floor of the coop itself). 6"yard stakes to hold it down, but about 300 of them. New flood light in that area. Multiple locks. Chicken coop is closed to add that second layer of protection. But I still feel worried. What more can I do?
someone said cd's during the day (because of the shine), but at night? I do NOT have the ability to get electricity out there right now, so nothing electric. I'm just of course panicking because I'm reading they will chew through wood as well - whelp.....the coop is wood.
Again...I just feel so ill equipped to handle these encounters.

Do you have (or borrow) a live trap??