Finally moving along...

[SemperChicken]

Got some scenery established. Next is getting something in the run for the gang to climb on and stuff.

 

[21hens-incharge]

A chunk of an old log works well for mine. I also stuck a couple branches from tree trimming in there and they do use them. Mostly they hang out on the ground but there are a few that use the log and branches to sit on during the day.

You do know that any plant that is in the run is a prime target for nibbling and digging up right?

You could make them some simple "salad bar" trays that you can put in for them to nibble on and take out for the plants to recover.
SUPER easy to do too. You do not have to buy special seeds either. Mine love radish tops and seven top turnip. (Seven top do not form a bulb like regular turnips do.) Grass and other seeds can be done this way too.

http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2012/05/diy-chicken-salad-bar-giveaway-from-my.html

For removable ones just make a solid bottom with a few holes for drainage. (Plastic totes work well and can be screwed to the wood frame from the inside.)

 

[SemperChicken]

Well, figured I'd update my thread, but I did share some information on another thread regarding black snakes. Anyway, we had the pullets and the single cockerel moved into Lola's old home (little Agri Supply chicken coop, this link) and relocated the coop next to the big run. This way the older hens were able to see the younger ones and just get used to each other. Well we had it like this for about a week before we had to make a 2 day trip to Ohio to visit my Grandmother who is now in a nursing home. We left Thursday evening last week and came back Saturday evening around midnight (Saturday the 15th). Well, I told my wife "just gonna go check on the chicks real quick" not thinking that anything had happened... because we have never experienced predators except for a possum at our last home (which I happened to catch eating out of the feed can... I had it killed with my pellet rifle). Well, I did a head count and our white cochin was missing... pretty hard to miss, so I'm thinking "crap.. really?.. we really lost one?" and sure enough right outside of our fence in the backyard, maybe 5 feet from the small coop, were a neat pile of about 8 white feathers. Most likely hers. So we went looking around for about 15 minutes with flash lights hoping that maybe she somehow got out... we decided to wait till the morning and hope that she came out when the sun rose.

Being a late night, we slept in till about 8am and I was up with my wife about to help feed our twins (who are 4 months old as of Saturday) and I said "let me just go check real quick"... well, sure as crap two more are missing. And a bunch more feathers under the nesting box. Our mottled cochin and the favorelles cockerel that I was looking forward to watching grow... I'm just heart broken and in complete disbelief. We're thinking that it was a snake, but then there's piles of feathers, and how could it have gotten the 7 week old chicks out through a 1"x2.5ft slit between the poop board and nesting box. So then we're thinking raccoon, but then that didn't make sense because they usually massacre a flock rather than take one or two at a time. We're now convinced it's a fox because of what we read on how it'll take its prey away from the kill site and usually eat it whole. The Agri Supply coop unfortunately didn't have a latch that came with it and like I said earlier we just didn't ever deal with predators. So I didn't think to get one.

We should've done something better about it, but being the first day back from the trip and just being exhausted the only thing I did was secure the opening/slit with a 1x4 piece of wood. We then covered any minor gaps in the run structure with rolled up chicken wire. We were going to put a concrete block on top of the nesting box lid but were worried that the weight overnight may break the nesting box lid... so we didn't. Well, this morning I go outside and find that two more are taken: the buff brahma and the australorp. It's just been a real depressing weekend and I feel like I have failed the chickens just from being stupid and naive to do anything better about it.

We are going to keep the big coop locked up tonight, something we haven't done since we've owned the thing. So the chick door will be locked and we're going to put the remaining pullets in there after dark to keep them safe. The older hens still try and show dominance to the pullets so I don't want to leave them in there too long in the morning. We're going to get an electric fence set up around the small coop, set a baby monitor outside, and we're thinking about sleeping in the gazebo tonight. I had re-sighted my pellet rifle so I know it's spot on, but we're wanting to exterminate the predator. Just makes us very sad... that white cochin was going to be so pretty... that brahma was just such a sweetheart... and I loved watching that favorelles take his dust bathes as soon as I let them out to free range. So we only have our buff orpington, mille fleur, and black copper marans left.

Anyway, in addition to the electric fence I will be re-doing all the wire. Ya, ya... "told ya so". But you live and you learn I guess. After having the chickens for about 20 months now, at least the older ones, this is the first encounter with a predator that has been persistent for 3 days straight now. I'll be doing the 1/2"x1/2" hardware cloth (19 gauge, I believe), using poultry staples that you hammer in, and covering the ends of the wire with 1x4 "trim" pieces. Was going back and forth on whether I should do screws and washers, but staples just seem easier... I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.

Thanks for reading =)

I'm gonna miss them! ='(

Here's a video of them all dust bathing at about a month old: Link

 

[21hens-incharge]

OH I am heartbroken right along with you. What a shame to lose them.

I think you have a raccoon. There is a thread in the predator section where someone actually got it on camera in the coop. Only way in was through the nest box.

Yup lock it and latch it and lock the latch cause coons are clever. I put multiple latches and all with a lock on mine. At first it was because of raccoons in the area, later because of human egg thieves.

While you are adding the hardware cloth I would suggest you keep the chicken wire. Just go over top of it. Less work and another layer of "stay out of my chicken run" protection.
The 1x4's will work fine to keep the stapled hardware cloth in place. I actually like it better than the washers. More contact area means less likely to have a gap. You can put the 1x4's where ever you have another board. Much stronger in my opinion.


Perhaps you can put the little chicks in a dog crate inside the big coop at night so the big girls cannot get to them. That way if you miss the wake up call they are still safe.
Fox are dang hard to hit with a pellet gun. I know, I tried. Years ago we had one getting the duck eggs from the nest the mama was sitting on. Of course I was using a rifle instead of a pellet gun. Yup I wanted it DRT. (Dead Right There.)

So heartbreaking to lose them. You can also set a live trap to catch the wily bugger. Harder for it to run with a chick in its mouth when it is in a trap.

Let us know how the hunting goes.

 

[SemperChicken]

OH I am heartbroken right along with you. What a shame to lose them.

I think you have a raccoon. There is a thread in the predator section where someone actually got it on camera in the coop. Only way in was through the nest box.

Yup lock it and latch it and lock the latch cause coons are clever. I put multiple latches and all with a lock on mine. At first it was because of raccoons in the area, later because of human egg thieves.

While you are adding the hardware cloth I would suggest you keep the chicken wire. Just go over top of it. Less work and another layer of "stay out of my chicken run" protection.
The 1x4's will work fine to keep the stapled hardware cloth in place. I actually like it better than the washers. More contact area means less likely to have a gap. You can put the 1x4's where ever you have another board. Much stronger in my opinion.


Perhaps you can put the little chicks in a dog crate inside the big coop at night so the big girls cannot get to them. That way if you miss the wake up call they are still safe.
Fox are dang hard to hit with a pellet gun. I know, I tried. Years ago we had one getting the duck eggs from the nest the mama was sitting on. Of course I was using a rifle instead of a pellet gun. Yup I wanted it DRT. (Dead Right There.)

So heartbreaking to lose them. You can also set a live trap to catch the wily bugger. Harder for it to run with a chick in its mouth when it is in a trap.

Let us know how the hunting goes.

That is just crazy... how friggin smart those guys are to be able to lift it. And to think all my little guys were just huddle in the corner of the nesting box sleeping together in the corner, so they probably thought it was just me picking them up or something... would a raccoon take the whole pullet? I read that if they got in where there's older hens, they just eat the head and leave the body. Which is why I wasn't sure if it was a raccoon cause the whole chick was gone, minus a couple piles of feathers within 5 and 10 feet of the small coop.

I guess I'll do that with the hardware cloth.... save me the headache. Thank God I used wood screws and can just back out the 2x4 sections and lay the hardware cloth on. Did I say 1x4 "trim" pieces? I'll probably use 2x4 to keep it the same thickness as the horizontal boards... duh... lol.

Great idea on the dog crate. Maybe I'll use an extra laundry basket that we have.. we only have our one dog crate. But I do like that idea. Thank you.

And I totally agree with you on the pellet gun... just wishful thinking. And I haven't even thought how I'm going to see it at night without a night scope. Ugh... if I can just squeeze off one good shot...

Thanks for reading. Nice to have a community of chicken lovers =)

 

[21hens-incharge]

When I was new to keeping birds I too lost a few. The raccoons would take the whole duckling. Poor mama was sitting on them and it nabbed them right out from under her. They were about a 6 weeks old but getting big. She would cover them with her wings spread to protect them from the cold. I know it was a raccoon because I saw it do it. Nasty mean and sneaky they are.
Make your latches the absolute most difficult to open as you can. I personally have these with padlocks that need a key.

wow that came out HUGE.

They have hands basically and they know how to use them for sure.
I also have the regular hook and eye that are like this.

Makes winter really stink getting into tend them with gloves on or when the rain or snow is beating down. BUT they are safer that way. The spring gets iced up sometimes so I carry a lighter to warm it so I can open it.

A lot of times they will take the head and leave the body but from my experience that is more when they cannot get their fat butts over the fence carrying the whole bird.

 

[SemperChicken]

I was confused at first when you referred to the embedded pic being huge cause my email snippet didn't show that. Lol. Yea, my wife is getting those from Lowe's right now along with the electric fence box piece. Although we're wondering if we are wanting to catch the guy if we should even put the wire up? The pullets will be in the big house tonight, so not worried if the coon breaks into the small coop.

And here's a pic to explain what I mean. I know you've seen the progress pics of the run so you can place where this is in relation...

 

[21hens-incharge]

Where there is one there are many. I would add the wire. The electric maybe not. Some animal control agencies will rent you a trap but I found buying mine was more cost efficient in the long run. Marshmallow is a fave of raccoons so baiting with that or stinky wet cat food.
I would trap and destroy the offending chick killer. I would not relocate it and make it someone elses problem.
I would keep setting the trap and checking on it for a month at least until I was sure this was a lone attacker.

 

[SemperChicken]

Where there is one there are many. I would add the wire. The electric maybe not. Some animal control agencies will rent you a trap but I found buying mine was more cost efficient in the long run. Marshmallow is a fave of raccoons so baiting with that or stinky wet cat food.
I would trap and destroy the offending chick killer. I would not relocate it and make it someone elses problem.
I would keep setting the trap and checking on it for a month at least until I was sure this was a lone attacker.

I'm going to see if I can stage my phone out during the night with a game trail app (can't afford an actual trail camera). I want to know exactly what it is, as well as what time the dang thing is coming by. If it is a coon, I'm definitely going to trap and kill it.

The last couple nights we've kept the 3 pullets inside. Monday night I didn't get the latches installed, but I could tell something was out messing with the coop. Yesterday I installed the latches and laid something on top of the lid to see if anything came by again, and sure enough that item was knocked over. I had placed a piece of 2x4 upright under the nesting box blocking the pieces of 1x4 I had screwed in to block the opening underneath. That 2x4 was pulled away as if the coon was checking that perimeter breach.

Poor Marans, BO, and Mille Fleur are probably just terrified of this past weekend's mishaps...

 

[21hens-incharge]

They are certainly going to be on edge. I am glad you are keeping them somewhere else for the time being.

If the board was pulled away I am sure it is a coon. Nasty smart they are.
I am in the middle of town and we have them here. The neighbor across the street came by a month or more ago in a real panic. She saw a mama and 2 kits leaving a hole in her shed. She was certain they were eating my chickens. I had to walk her out to the coop and show her again that all of mine are secure behind chain link and explain how my night time latches on the pop door will keep it from lifting that.
I have showed her my security many times lol.

One of my neighbors had a premade coop with 6 hens. NOT secure and sadly no more chickens in their yard either. A fox got all of theirs in one night. It dug under the side of the run and just walked right in the little door.

I hope you can do the app thing with your phone.