Give up free-ranging?

[jdgbirds31]

We started in the spring with 4 chickens and 4 guineas... Made it all through the summer and most of the fall with no problems, but since thanksgiving we have lost 2 guineas and 1 chicken. The first 2 just disappeared (1 hen, 1 guinea) but today my husband found a dead guinea with what appeared to be a broken neck but no other injuries (what does that?). At this rate I won't have anyone left by summer! Do I just give up and keep the chickens in a run? Half the reason I got them (and in particular the guineas) was for tick control, but I hate to just be feeding our local predators... What do I do??? The guineas really shouldn't even be penned, so I'm really struggling.

 

[jdgbirds31]

I came home this afternoon from being out of town (with the dog) and all but 1 guinea are gone. There are tracks and piles of feathers in the snow. I feel terrible.

 

[bobbi-j]

Sorry for your loss, Chalk this up to lesson learned. You knew you had a predator and continued to free range anyway. The thing is, once a predator finds your chickens it will continue to return until the chickens are gone or no longer available. I would strongly suggest building a run for your guinea and your future chickens. Don't beat yourself up about this. Chicken keeping is an ongoing learning experience, and sometimes the lessons are hard.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Pardon my ignorance to the exact verbage of the law, but isn't it completely legal to shoot any animal (protected species or not) if it harasses your livestock/poultry, especially if it is on your own property? I know that if, for instance, a neighbor's dog comes on my property and chases my sheep, I am within the protection of Federal law to kill that dog dead...and the same goes for predatory birds, as far as I know. Granted, if a predatory bird makes a nest in one of my trees, it is against the law to move the nest or kill the bird, BUT, if I witness the bird killing one of my animals, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong), I am allowed to dispatch the offending bird. Is that not the case...?

No, it is not legal to harass, injure, or kill any protected species in the defense of any livestock, including chickens, etc. A domesticated animal, stray, feral, or your neighbors, or any wildlife that is not protected is totally different. Each state differs on exactly what is and is not legal in protecting your animals, some say chickens are livestock and some say they are not, but that is consistent throughout the States. Federal law states you may not harm, harass, injure or kill any protected species, unless you or another human being's life is threatened, and even then they want proof of that.
Thus the saying, the 3 S's...

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yeah, friends that use poultry netting usually have to rescue the hawks but at least the chickens have been safe - for the most part.

Good roosters have been my best defense against birds of prey and unmonitored flocks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Tough choice.

There are far fewer daytime predators but still everything likes the taste of chicken. Most likely your culprits are aerial or in the weasel family. Other daytime predators would take the birds or do more damage.

I certainly can feel your pain in losing your tick predators.
I lost about $4,000 of chickens to mink this past May. They took all the free ranging chicks in the middle of the afternoon over the course of 2 days. They killed every bird in a different coop each night.

As for what to do now.
Other than personally supervising ranging activities, I find that a good rooster will save lots of hens from hawks and will give themselves up to save them from a ground predator like coyote or dog.

I'm assuming you can keep a rooster with your flock. I recommend a large yet agile and wary breed of rooster.

 

[nab58]

I wouldn't have any birds left if I left mine out unattended. After loosing one to a fox right in front of me, we built a large extension to the coop that, although not predator proof, keeps them all in one spot and away from the more dangerous areas.
The pen we built is simply made from deer fencing and supported by movable fiberglass poles stuck in the ground. It's totally portable and quite flimsy but keeps the birds close to the coop so they can run back in if something threatens them.
We also never leave them out without someone within earshot.

It's just the way it is. Once a predator finds your flock they'll keep coming back until they're all gone.

You other option is to incubate and raise your own chicks to replenish your flock as they disappear.

 

[jdgbirds31]

I got the guineas in hopes of them playing the rooster role without the crowing, but perhaps I should consider one. I actually raised these birds fr chicks and was planning to get more chicks to replenish, so at a couple bucks a chick I'm not worried about the money, I just hate serving them up on a platter! They just seem so darn happy wandering around the yard Also, I'm sure it helped all summer that the kids and the dog and I were outside all the time.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A good LG dog that won't kill your birds is a good option.

I thought guineas were loud. I know they don't make the same sound as a rooster but IMHO, roosters aren't that loud. They're no louder than dogs and not as loud as lawnmowers, weed eaters, boom boxes or trains. When I'm in my house, I can't hear a rooster - I have 9. But I can hear the traffic and loud stereos going by, the powered lawn equipment and the train that's 2 miles away.

 

[jdgbirds31]

Haha - Yes the guineas are totally loud. In fact a rooster probably wouldn't be as bad... especially compared to the 4 of them. Any advice on introducing a new (young) rooster into the group?