Do You Have Fully Pasture Raised Chickens? No protected coop?

[Mac in Wisco]

We had a flock of 15 in a rural subdivision in Texas. There was a 6' tall privacy fence around a 1/4 acre backyard. I never closed the coop doors at night and never lost any to predators. I never saw any predators either. There wasn't much for water around and the neighbor dogs seemed to keep everything away.

The neighbors here in Wisconsin have a few free range birds with no coop whatsoever and their place sits between a large creek and the woods, with ever critter you can imagine around. The birds roost in the trees at night and from what I understand they have managed to survive a few snowy winters without much intervention.

On the other hand, once in a great while I lose a bird to Great Horned Owls late in the evening before they go into the barn for the night.

 

[georgialee]

I would honestly be surprised if they lasted one night sleeping on the floor of a barn that doesn't close. I've seen racoons try to drag hens out of my FULLY enclosed run only to eat their heads off from the outside because the hen was too big to get out the tiny hole they climbed through in the top... not to say they didn't try. The raccoon drug the hen up the 6 foot fence and tried to pull her through - this was a full sized marans and they're BIG birds. I've had racoons take multiple hens during the day.

I don't want to be a debbie downer but I also don't want your birds to die

 

[Kikiriki]

Saw someone post about this thing...don't know what it would do in daylight, and that's when I see hawks and eagles. Won't work in my yard because I have too many trees, not open pasture. You can see video on the manufacturers site, but not the link I found.

Electric fence has the benefit of preventing leaning by your bigger animals, but requires maintenance, and sucks to get shocked (sat on a hidden one...

). Plus, won't help against raptors. Gate area would have to be dealt with, too.


Raccoons I can deal with, the hawks cruise my yard daily looking for squirrels.

 

[Kikiriki]

Quote:
Brain cooked in the heat today...here's the link...

http://www.randallburkey.com/Nite-Guard-Solar/productinfo/67000/

 

[Delmar]

If you are going to free range 24/7 I suggest you get a live animal trap or two. TSC has a two trap set for $35 that I have caught 6 raccoons with in just a few days. These are not very heavy traps though, so you would want to check them every morning. You don't want a coon chewing it's way out!

 

[Kikiriki]

Quote:
What do you use for bait?

 

[Beekissed]

Awwwwwwwww....look at those cute little pudnums!!

Who could be mad at those faces???

 

[Delmar]

Quote:
What do you use for bait?

I caught 3 with bread and 3 with marshmallows. I have since heard that penut butter and jelly will draw all sorts of critters!

 

[Delmar]

Quote:
Not mad at their faces. I got mad at the fact they came into my house through the dog door and tore open two bags of chicken feed and ate a loaf of bread.(that is how I knew to try bread in the trap) I'm just glad I got to them before they grew up to be chicken killers. I'm really lucky that I got the mamma before she got any birds!

 

[Beekissed]

Just joshin' ya!

I was just being one of those bleedin' heart kinda gals who don't want to kill anything that has a face....