Free Rangers: Talk to me about pest management

[buckaroo's wife]

I let my chickens free range by day, but they are locked up at dusk. They have ALOT of cover (in horse stalls, under trailers, under barn overhang, etc. etc.) but I keep losing them! Seems like they get picked off one by one....I've lost two this week. I live in a rural area and we have every kind of predator....hawks, dogs, skunks, cats, coons, etc. What do y'all do to cut down on your death loss? I'm really frustrated, but don't want to leave them locked up 24/7.

 

[Mrs. K]

I know exactly what you are going through. I don't leave mine locked up 24/7, but I don't let them out everyday. I have had chickens for 4 years now, and live on the prairie. I have EVERY predator, and they all LOVE chicken. One coon left a note, please leave BBQ sauce, I am tired of them plain

I had a trapper come in, and when he caught that granddaddy of a coon, the trapper said it was the biggest coon he had ever gotten. Some type of predator control can help, if they really have you staked out.

What has worked the best for me, is a fort knox coup/run combo, mine is totally enclosed. Now I do let them free range but I mix up the schedule, not exactly the same everyday. Some days, especially if I won't be home till after dark, they stay in. Sometimes they get out at 7:00 am, and sometimes 11:00 am. If I lose a hen, then I keep them locked up for a couple of days, cause I don't want what got the one to think 'Ah this is the place" The predator gets hungry and moves on somewhere else.

By mixing it up, predators seem to move on, instead of waiting for the daily buffet. When I first started, I never had a hen grow old, cause I would lose them here and there. Drove me nuts. This batch of layers I have kept pretty successfully, lost two in the last year. I have heard some here claim a dog will help, but our 'head of night security' does not seem to get this idea.

This year, I am trying a rooster, however, I will keep my schedule or rather my mixing it up. Mrsk

 

[buckaroo's wife]

Thanks Mrs.K - at least someone is as frustrated as I am! I should have mentioned that I do have a rooster as well, and he hasn't earned his keep. He's a gentleman to be around - but I've almost lost more hens since I've had him! I will be leaving everyone locked up tomorrow, and covering their run ASAP. This will have to last them until I can expand their yard, hopefully this weekend. I like the time change idea - right now we are all on a pretty set schedule (they go out when I leave for work, and get locked up at dusk)

 

[cybercat]

This is why people build pen to a coop. I got hit by a fox for a week till I locked them in for a week. Fox moved on. Their are many deterants but taking food source away and having a good dog are tops. If you are getting hit in the day it can be most predators from fox to coon. One thing that might halp is marking teritory with human urine. A sound sensor for another, it works like a light sensor but send out a sound. But easiest is just build a large pen and make sure wire goes below ground.

 

[SlowRiverFarms]

I agree wholeheartedly with the other posts - keep them chicks inside for a few days to break the predator's feeding cycle! I have lost chickens to many types of predators, and have found you just have to try many things.

Our chicks are pastured, so they can wander freely but there is a fence. We have three fenced sections which combined total 1/2 acre and we rotate where they can roam. Good fencing with wire 2' into the ground. Plenty of covered areas not only for shade but hawk protection. Walk my two dogs around the perimeter daily to pick up smells and to leave their "smell". And since my coop has electric run to it, I have a $10 motion sensor light for the night hours - even though they are secure in the coop, I don't need some varmint spending 8 hours trying to get in and keeping my girls awake.

Good luck!

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

I run turkeys and geese with mine. They alert and protect the chickens. I also have winchester to help protect my free range chickens

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

I also have 3 live traps I set at night around the house. I use cat food for bait and usually keep coons, skunks, and opossums to minumum

 

[buckaroo's wife]

Wayne&Kim1963 :

I run turkeys and geese with mine. They alert and protect the chickens. I also have winchester to help protect my free range chickens

We have that winchester too and it's pretty handy.

Found out that the second hen that I "lost" this week actually went broody! We found her under the horse trailer. So, that makes me feel a little better!​

 

[Kim_NC]

Mrs. K :

I know exactly what you are going through. I don't leave mine locked up 24/7, but I don't let them out everyday. I have had chickens for 4 years now, and live on the prairie. I have EVERY predator, and they all LOVE chicken. One coon left a note, please leave BBQ sauce, I am tired of them plain

....

Oh Thank You! That was hilarious. I'm still laughing.​

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:

Oh Thank You! That was hilarious. I'm still laughing.

LOL, LOL, never lose your sense of humor! You need it with chickens.