First hen killed by raccoon this morning :(

[Ursuline Chick]

Thank you, appreciated. When I do this again with more one day, I wanted to have them free range as much as possible too, but was wondering how would they be safe from day predators then? I'm thinking they would be safer just in a fenced in run all day but then they wouldn't have as much free space and exploring to be able to do. If they aren't in a run with fence and roof, anything could attack them in the open during the day, right? Or would they be able to escape quick enough and know to go back to the coop and hide somewhere if that happens?

You may want to start thinking about trees and bushes, as well as things you can make for them. Things they can hide under and get away from overhead predators.

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. I used to free range but the predators discovered my birds. My land is mostly open pasture so no places to hide. I built nice large pens for my birds. I have had losses over the years from eagles, hawks, owls, coyotes, fox, bobcat, and possum. Lessons learned the hard way. I have seen coons on my cameras but no loss yet from a coon. I put electric wires around my coops and pens, good heavy duty netting covering my pens and concrete under the gates all due to losses in the past. There are places where I dug a trench a foot deep under the fence line and put the fence in so it's under the ground about a foot. Some people put an apron around the bottom of their fencing extended around a foot or so out. I also have several game cameras around on my property and was surprised at the predators that roam here mostly at night. I love my cameras. I love my birds. I breed and raise birds for showing at poultry show. Here is a visitor from last night.

 

[cmom]

You have already been given a lot of good advice. When you are ready to establish a new flock this site might help with predator proofing. Good luck...
http://www.poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/tips-for-protecting-poultry-from-predators

 

[McChooky]

So sorry for your loss. I used to free range but the predators discovered my birds. My land is mostly open pasture so no places to hide. I built nice large pens for my birds. I have had losses over the years from eagles, hawks, owls, coyotes, fox, bobcat, and possum. Lessons learned the hard way. I have seen coons on my cameras but no loss yet from a coon. I put electric wires around my coops and pens, good heavy duty netting covering my pens and concrete under the gates all due to losses in the past. There are places where I dug a trench a foot deep under the fence line and put the fence in so it's under the ground about a foot. Some people put an apron around the bottom of their fencing extended around a foot or so out. I also have several game cameras around on my property and was surprised at the predators that roam here mostly at night. I love my cameras. I love my birds. I breed and raise birds for showing at poultry show. Here is a visitor from last night.
View attachment 2712407

It helps to know whats lurking around the coop at nigh .Most predators fear human beings and stay hidden others don't. Sooner or later they'll get one if we ignore them too long and get lax...

 

[The Tiny Homestead]

Thank you, appreciated. When I do this again with more one day, I wanted to have them free range as much as possible too, but was wondering how would they be safe from day predators then? I'm thinking they would be safer just in a fenced in run all day but then they wouldn't have as much free space and exploring to be able to do. If they aren't in a run with fence and roof, anything could attack them in the open during the day, right? Or would they be able to escape quick enough and know to go back to the coop and hide somewhere if that happens?

I'm so sorry for what you went through. I have lots of natural and made shelter, and my ninja birds can literally disappear if I turn my back for 15 seconds. They will run fast across any wide open space, but yes, they are vullnerable if they are out of the run. I try to spend as much time as I can right with them when they are out, and check on the constantly, but a fox or hawk could make a move very quickly. It's a scary balance between keeping them protected and giving them a good quality life.

 

[McChooky]

Thanks very much, I would want to build a better coop and run but also want them to free range during the day, and while I know some sort of electric fencing all around the yard and going down several feet deep would keep pretty much any climbing/digging predators out but I wouldn't necessarily want things like squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits kept out as well so I wonder if there's a way to allow those to get in but keep things like raccoons, foxes, coyotes, etc out. Also for flying predators like hawks and owls, they'd obviously be able to just fly right in, i've heard things about flashy tape hanging above the area would deter them but i'm not sure.

Everything eats bantams and baby chicks. Snakes,rats,chipmunks even squirrels eat them as well as bigger birds(crows,ravens,vultures,hawks,falcons,eagles and owls)Coops and runs that aren't covered in 1/2" hardware cloth results in losses.Most people accept the fact they will have losses birds if they free range.

 

[Curious Georgina]

I recently (5 days ago) got my first chicken; I had wanted one for a while but knew nothing about them and impulsively bought a 15 month old lohmann brown hen from someone off kijiji. I was not prepared at all for any of it and didn’t know how it would go but thought I would get stuff going as time went on. I am feeling very bad, guilty, and heartbroken after what happened this morning and take full responsibility and blame for it. Firstly, this hen that I got was from a coop with a large range with 19 other hens and a rooster and the owners were nice people, and after buying it I later learned you should always have at least 2 chickens as they will get lonely and not be as happy. So I already was off to a bad start. Then I built a really bad attempt at a home made coop with chicken wire and boards and a tarp as roof. She slept in there overnight the first night fine, and ranged through the backyard which was big enough for 1 chicken in the day. Then the 2nd night around dusk she was sitting under a bush in the garden falling asleep in there, and I didn’t want to bother her so I just let her sleep there hoping no predators would be around. I was right and she woke up the next day just fine, the next 3 days went by with her sleeping under the bush unprotected fine as well and she laid 3 eggs in this time. I was feeding her as much variety as I could so she could at least have that as everything else seemed to be a downgrade. I gave chicken feed, eggshells, watermelon, honeydew, rice, bread, pomegranate, apple, seeds, cereal, etc. so I feel at least I gave her a good supply of food and a big enough yard to range, but that’s about it. Last night, she slept under the bush again as normal, but when I got up this morning at 8am, I found her laying in the middle of the lawn mangled to death, and a very light colored broken egg next to the body. There were feathers everywhere. I have cameras in the backyard so I checked those and saw a raccoon chasing her around until finally cornering and mauling her at about 5:20am, about 20 mins after sunrise. The raccoon barely ate anything, left about 97% of the chicken untouched, it was mainly just ripped open and the head barely hanging on. I also saw during the attack about 10 mins after it was maimed and seemingly killed the raccoon went to bite it’s head and the wings started flapping and feet kicking; I was hoping this was just muscle reflexes after death and not her still being alive suffering after all that time; would anyone know if that is the case? What about the egg? It was almost white in color when she usually lays brown eggs. Does this mean the raccoon pulled it out rather than her having laid it like that? Anyway, I’ve been devastated all day, upset, and even crying 3 times looking at pictures and videos of her; yet I only had her for 5 days! I just felt really bad after it all because if you think about it, she went from having a nice coop with 19 other friends, good food, likely good owners, large free range, nesting boxes, etc. to my house all alone, no real coop, probably a lot of added fear, and then a horrible death just 5 days later. I was clearly not prepared for this and costed this hen it’s life in a gruesome way, and feel really bad about it and don’t know what else to do. She was so sweet, happy, harmless, and cute and then got ripped apart by a raccoon, she didn’t deserve that I just wish I could’ve been there when it happened to prevent it all; anyway I guess I have to move forward and when I am prepared next time, learn from these mistakes, have multiple chickens, have a real coop, predator proof, though I’m not sure how to prevent raccoon attacks during the day in a free range. Anyway, I tried to do the best I could with the little I had which would’ve been better if I didn’t buy one without being fully ready.
Thanks for reading and if anyone can have anything to say I’d love to hear.

I’m so sorry she sounded sweet and you clearly grew to bond with her in the short time. Don’t be hard on yourself for not knowing. I hate raccoons. I remember leaving Georgina out nights at the beginning too while I learned about chickens. Then realized how dangerous that could have been. Now I make sure they all have a tight closed padlocked coop to sleep because it’s night time when the majority of predators that I fear are most dangerous are out. We also have cameras and have seen raccoons prowl around the coop -always at night. Your chicken went on moving after death because the central nervous system was still intact for a short time after.

 

[Ozarkoak]

This was a great lesson and it only took one chicken to learn it. Free ranging will result in losses. You have to weight those loses against your values, lifestyle and location. Your losses will be dramatically reduced with a safe space to sleep as you you now know. I wish you the best and hope you are able to have as many chickens as you want one day. Keep us up to date on your adventures.

 

[Sammi_0411]

So sorry u went through this bur hopefully this is a learning experience. Please when getting anymore chickens do a lot.of research etc lots of good articles and we are all here to help. Unfortunately these things happen pls don't beat yourself.up to much on it
XxSamXx

 

[SmiYa0126]

I'm so sorry for your loss

I left my chicken run door cracked once, I was so mortified with myself, thankful that no predators came by or it would have been a massacre.