Do I have to worry about predators during the day?

[Kev]

Good perimeter fence is a big help, at least for the typical free ranging during the day. IMO one of the biggest reasons for having a good perimeter fence is to prevent dogs allowed to roam free from getting in the yard. If a dog can get in your yard easily or relatively easily.. you can pretty much be guaranteed to eventually find a dog or dogs inside your yard, killing MANY chickens at once.

Good perimeter fences do not stop hawks that will go after chickens though.. generally fully grown standards are safe, except for the occasional hawk brave enough to go after one. Small babies or juveniles are definitely targets for most hawks. During the season when they are here(fall/winter) I cannot have any baby chicks loose.. the hawks are instantly upon them, sometimes even swooping while I am outside just 10 feet away.

 

[clhbubba]

I free range during the day on an enclosed acre. Most of my losses have been during the day to hawks, a coyote and a bobcat. We have had an occasional possum during the night(bent the chain link at the top to get in), that was dealt with. But, for the most part, daytime. We had a pyrenees, he started eating our ducks, got a guard llama(thinking non-carnovore would be good), worthless, he actually stomped a guinea and a chicken to death. Now we have a young pyrenees/anatolian cross we have high hopes for(fingers crossed and knock on wood). The only certain protection is a fort knox run. My chickens aren't happy locked up. Good luck and hope you find what will work for you.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Quote:
I had the exact same experience last year. Heard my young roo making a loud noise that I had never heard before and looked out the window to find a hawk perched on the fence watching my new flock. Needless to say, bird netting was installed over their run not long after that!


Great pic, HEChicken!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Mine will follow me anywhere for treats. I have begun "supervised" free range in the late afternoon. (we have lost one previously to a hawk, when in the run - fixed that problem but they are still around) Initially I got them to follow me with the "scratch" cup. They recognize this cup, so it was easy to get them to follow me. Then I get more scratch and I make bok bok noises and they follow me back. Now, I don't need the scratch to get them out - they just follow me now, but I still use it to get them back in.

 

[jmc]

No one's experience is universal. You will see what your local 'dangers' are and how to approach them--IF you can approach them.

But, one opinion is that, if you want to give your birds enough space so that they can run till pooped w/o running into a wire fence............if you want to give them plenty of room such that they will not spend all their lives on a barren patch of dirt or manicured sand....................

you will have a very tough time protecting against ALL predators. Maybe the best thing to start with is to make DARN SURE your birds are locked up e-v-e-r-y night in a predator-proof pen (mice included), and have a fence tall enough and high enough so that the avg. domestic dog can't jump it or easily dig under it.

just one opinion, no more

Mt Savior Monastery in NY state in winter of 07 lost 42 lambs and a couple full-grown ewes to coyotes AND THEY HAD DONKEYS AND LLAMAS THERE. So the big guys are hardly a universal solution for a large-predator issue................

 

[Sjisty]

I lost a full-grown Jersey Giant roo at around 11:45 a.m. to a fox. Now we have a large covered pen for our "children." They stay in prison until about 1:00 when I let them out. Then it's the dogs' job to watch them - an Aussie and a Great Pyr (puppy, not much protection yet). They know when it's bedtime, so it's just a matter of rounding up the stragglers at about 6:00 p.m. to put them all to bed, a little earlier now that the time has changed. That has worked for me so far. The fox is still at large, but we have caught 8 possums and 2 coons (relocated them 6 feet under). If I need them to come in earlier, all I have to do is call - they are such greedy guts they know I have treats when I call them!

 

[jerseygirl1]

I've been hanging the CD"s everywhere, and they seem to work well. I've seen hawks fly further down past our field, but never near our property directly. It's been about a month, so far, so good. I just keep hanging them all over the place

 

[here-a-cluck]

All of you are wonderfully helpful) I will start training them with a specific sound or word that means treat so they will come a-runnin' when it's offered. Thanks y'all!!

 

[LynneP]

I had a fox enter the back door of my barn and take a kitten one day as I was sweeping the floor...

Never assume it's a night-time thing. We can't free-range here, everything gets killed.