Flock decimated.......

[TheTwoRoos]

Sorry for your lossss.

 

[Hopperkiller]

Glad that you have changed your approach @Hopperkiller I appears that you have done what's necessary to stop predation on YOUR birds. I hope it has been 100% successful. Now the OP has to do the same with their situation. Therefore I stand by my original post.

I havent stopped it just simply adjusted. Coyotes will also adjust, its a long term game of chess!

 

[TheTwoRoos]

That is true,foxes are wet hard too.Dealing with the same issue.He has caught two chcikhens but they mange to escape,I think I’m dealing with a young fox,now way an adult is seriously this bad.

 

[byounghusband]

I did complete my coop and run. Just haven't been able to find time to document it here yet... The coop is 10x16 with a fully enclosed run/yard that is 12x17. Fully secured top with 1/2" hardware cloth and corrugated roofing. Walls are chain link with 1/2" hardware clot two feet up from the ground and two feet out from the wall. I built a poop door/hatch that we keep open right now for better airflow in/out of the coop.

Sorry for your losses. I'm not that far from you so I know what you mean about the heat but we haven't lost any to that yet. One day they actually got locked in until noon as the battery died on my automatic pop door and I didn't notice until noon. Fortunately it was only expecting a high of 100 that day so it wasn't too bad by the time I saw them. I've been leaving the pop door open at night until I can get a new battery and have been worried but so far no predators have gotten into their run which is not totally enclosed, just 4' farm fencing.

I saw your original coop build thread, did you ever expand your run so you can just not have them free range until the predators find a different buffet?

 

[ronott1]

I did complete my coop and run. Just haven't been able to find time to document it here yet... The coop is 10x16 with a fully enclosed run/yard that is 12x17. Fully secured top with 1/2" hardware cloth and corrugated roofing. Walls are chain link with 1/2" hardware clot two feet up from the ground and two feet out from the wall. I built a poop door/hatch that we keep open right now for better airflow in/out of the coop.

Nice Job!

 

[ChickenRelatedUserName]

The word decimate is used to describe the loss of 1/10th of a population, so you've actually suffered a much greater loss than that. Sorry for your loss though, especially the ducks.

 

[byounghusband]

Don't worry about being harsh, I've got thick skin/skull.....

Yes, we can/will only free range now when out there with them.

With the original 12 birds, a 12x17 run should be adequate, right? The coop is 10x16.
The run is FULLY enclosed. Even our access gate has 1/2"hardware cloth overlap. Roof is 1/2 corrugate metal and half 1/2" hardware cloth, fully wrapped to the side chain link walls. I took 4' pieces of 1/2" hardware cloth and folded it in half, 2' on the ground and 2' up the side.

I will get my set up posted soon....

Sorry to hear of your losses, but I must say, and not to be harsh, as long as you continue to do the same thing, you can expect the same results. I hope by now you've learned that you can NOT free range your birds unless you are physically out there watching over them to protect them, and to try and determine what is killing them.

Until then, you need a very strong run, adequate in size for the numbers of birds you'll be keeping, covered with bird netting to keep airborne predators at bay, and with skirting to keep diggers out.

Wishing you better luck/success moving forward.

 

[byounghusband]

Yeah, the ducks were a pain to raise as they are VERY messy. But their eggs are 'da bomb!
Not sure if I want to raise ducklings again though....

The word decimate is used to describe the loss of 1/10th of a population, so you've actually suffered a much greater loss than that. Sorry for your loss though, especially the ducks.

 

[byounghusband]

I would be setting out traps in my case if I didn't have 5 barn cats that I don't want to hurt!!

I havent stopped it just simply adjusted. Coyotes will also adjust, its a long term game of chess!

 

[TheTwoRoos]

The craziest thing is my ducks are the last feed option for the flock.They never are targeted and always in the same area where’s the attacks happen and often times I know somethings wrong because of them.Chickens are faster then ducks!If we’re being real,I would rather a duck get token then a chicken,ducks are absolutely crazy,don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t want anyone to get killed but if I had to choose,they would be first choice.