I have questions. 1) When can i start to send my chicks outside? What age? 2) Do I have to shut them up every night when living in town? It seems like everything I read relates to rural living. Thanks, Lisa
I take my chicks outside when they are fully feathered and put them in hanging wire pens where I keep them for 2 weeks or more. But everyone has different set-ups. I live in the country and I dont put anybody up but my goats. But if you are sneaking chickens you better put them up. And they wont be quiet.
LOCK THEM UP... I thought the same thing then I had raccoon attack whipped out half my flock. his was after 6 months of not locking them up and them free ranging living in town we face different predators. Once that are use to human noise and seeing us. I have battled skunks & chicken hawks too.
Chicken is a prime prey critter. Everyone looovvees the taste of chicken!! When other meats are compared -- it is always compared to the chicken. Example: Hey what does squirrel taste like? Answer: just like chicken! The best way to make sure you see them in the morning is to tuck them safely in their predator proof coop at nite.
Quote:Yes, you will want to shut them in. I live in a suburb of a major city. A wildlife count of what I've seen in my yard or within one block in the last few months includes (not a full list) Deer (right in my front yard close enough to my house to get the motion sensor security lights) Fox within one block Raccoons inside my privacy fence Opossums (within the block, many times) Armadillos within a mile (though not a threat to chickens) Snakes, many times - big enough to attempt to go after chicks or young chickens Hawks & Owls, Crows/Ravens, Blue Jays (Jays are dangerous to young chicks) Skunk - haven't seen them, but have smelled them Feral/Stray Dogs galore Feral/Stray cats I suspect there are coyote in my area, as well (yes, in town) & wouldn't be surprised about other animals, such as bobcats I have even seen beaver & muskrats right in town, but not right near my place. Of course, they aren't a threat to chickens. The gist of this is that any animal that is a predator threat in the countryside can also be a predator threat in town. The ecosystem near your home will determine how much variety there is in the wildlife that could threaten your birds, but be assured that there ARE animal threats out there.
As said above, there are PLENTY of predators in the city. I would think they might even be more likely to attack in the suburbs/city since they are so used to humans. Definitely put them in the coop at night.
City predators do NOT wait until dark to come looking for food. I've seen many raccoons out in broad daylight in the middle of a big city, just going about their business like all those people weren't even there. I came out of a friend's house one day and caught a raccoon trying to climb in the window of my car! Lock up your chickens especially at night, but keep an eye on them during the day too, if they are free ranging.
Quote:Good point. The fox I saw most recently WAS out in broad daylight...trotting along the side of the road. (And, though not a threat, I saw deer twice yesterday within a mile of my house. I think I saw a total of 9 or 10...)
