has anyone used a baby monitor to alert for predators

[WthrLady]

Ahhhh the wide open tree-less prairielands : actually, the only raccoon I've seen here, even with game and security cameras, was laying in the road.

 

[Howard E]

Hmmm.......last night I was up around midnight doing what old guys have to do in the middle of the night and heard our driveway alarm go off. Went to look and sure enough, big ol coon about the size of a bear cub strolling down the driveway headed in the general direction of the barn AND chicken house. What to do??? What should I do???

I went back to bed. Got up this morning and all was fine. Birds waiting by the pop door to be let out for the day. Same as every other day.

Point is if you build a secure coop, bordering on fortress, it doesn't matter much what goes bump in the night. At least I'd say that is the case for most of us small flock BYC growers. Bigger, more extensive flocks, yeah that could have been a problem.

BTW, A#1 weapon of choice for close quarters combat with a fast moving varmint at night is a shotgun. At close range, even a dinky little .410 will take most of his head off. Just saying.

 

[centrarchid]

Hmmm.......last night I was up around midnight doing what old guys have to do in the middle of the night and heard our driveway alarm go off. Went to look and sure enough, big ol coon about the size of a bear cub strolling down the driveway headed in the general direction of the barn AND chicken house. What to do??? What should I do???

I went back to bed. Got up this morning and all was fine. Birds waiting by the pop door to be let out for the day. Same as every other day.

Point is if you build a secure coop, bordering on fortress, it doesn't matter much what goes bump in the night. At least I'd say that is the case for most of us small flock BYC growers. Bigger, more extensive flocks, yeah that could have been a problem.

BTW, A#1 weapon of choice for close quarters combat with a fast moving varmint at night is a shotgun. At close range, even a dinky little .410 will take most of his head off. Just saying.

Remember, most people do not enter into poultry keeping with many years of experience directing construction of a Fort Knox. They start unprepared and usually proceed through a series of stop gap measures. Those that do not adapt kill a lot of birds and drop out. From what I have seen, most drop out, even in our area of central Missouri. Help them take the baby steps.

 

[WthrLady]

Remember, most people do not enter into poultry keeping with many years of experience directing construction of a Fort Knox. They start with unprepared and usually proceed through a series of stop gap measures. Those that do not adapt kill a lot of birds and drop out. From what I have seen, most drop out, even in our area of central Missouri. Help them take the baby steps.

I could NOT agree more.

 

[Howard E]

Agreed. My daughter went through that, losing the better part of two flocks before we got the carnage stopped. The little coop she had, with integrated run, was lightly built, so didn't offer much protection at night, and none in the day when she opened the door to let them free range.

So we trapped and shot while I got busy reinforcing the coop. No losses after that......until she opened the gate again and she went back to free ranging.

I guess the intent of my post was to put the notion in folks heads to eschew.....forget about the electronic gimmicks that don't do much......and point them in the direction of stout, physical barriers that are going to be reliable almost 100% of the time with NO effort on the part of the grower, past what it took to build it the first time.

 

[centrarchid]

I have close to half a dozen poultry keepers within a mile of me on the west side of Holts Summit. Two years ago a similar number kept chickens, but only one is a member of both groups as others dropped out. Most have been employing free-range or used very large runs that are not covered. Getting them to take the baby steps towards better protection is beyond hard. Part of blockage comes from contrarism and getting information from sources that are not ahead of them on the learning curve.

I would like to do a study on poultry keepers and how they keep birds relates to losses and time they keep birds before dropping out. That could be put out there as easily accessible reading for newbies getting in so they can see what paths are most likely to lead to success. They need to talk to each other more as well, not just via the internet.

 

[Folly's place]

I started with chickens, bantams yet, in 1992. Got terrible advice from the nice neighbor who provided those chickens, there were no good sources of information for small home flock, and carnage happened often.

We learned, and are stubborn people, and here we still are, with Ft. Knox, some free ranging, and few losses now.
This site is an excellent resource, and there's just more good information out there now. Unfortunately there's also a lot of misinformation, and it takes that learning curve and experience to sort through it all.
Mary

 

[WthrLady]

I don't rely on electronics, and wouldn't. I have Ft Knox, and use the electrics to keep up with the weird goings on when I'm not looking. Plus it give my family 1000 miles away a chance to watch and listen to the goofiness of the farm!

Now I get phone calls, from 1000 miles away:
Are they cold? Look at the thermometer. - They're fine Dad.
Do they have water?-They're fine Dad.
Why are they all bunched by the door? -They're sleeping in the sun. They're fine Dad.
What's that weird squeaking noise? -It's the cockerel. He's going through puberty. They're fine Dad.
Why are the alpacas all laying down? -They're sunbathing. They're fine Dad.
I don't see any animals. And the coop door is open. - The herd is in the barn eating. The chickens are out free-ranging. They can't open the door on their own. They're fine Dad.
The webcams are down. Are the animals ok? - Sigh. We don't have power. There's a blizzard/wind storm/sunspots. We're find dad.
There's someone in your hay field. - That's me Dad. I'm mowing.

Hmmm. Maybe I should change my password. HA!

 

[NewBoots]

The obviously sick neurological raccoon in my barn went straight at me, but I was ready with that 22g, further than your bat would have been!
Mary

Once we move to the new place we'll get a 22 for predator issues but knowing little about guns, do you think a shotgun would be a practical choice?

I will go hand to hand with a 30-pounder, no fear of raccoons here.

You're a braver man than I am Gunga Din. (extra points if you recognize that )

 

[WthrLady]

Tonight.

They're pecking something to death! -they're fine dad. It's a head of lettuce on a string.