Help

[awineman]

We have free rang chickens In our yard! We think that an owl is killing them we found some owl feathers along with our dead headless chicken?? Hey do have a coup to go to but not I in closed! What should we do? Please help

 

[centrarchid]

What I understand you to have is a run without a cover. If it is an owl, you can usually beat it by simply keeping birds confined to roost until an hour or so after sun up but get them back in before dusk. If it is actually a hawk, then covering run is needed.

First, look into deer netting as a cover against hawks and owls. It will not be effective against raccoons so other options will need to be considered for that.

Show a picture of your setup so we can pick it apart looking for weaknesses so they can be addressed before next round of losses starts.

 

[Judy]

Free range chickes are vulnerable to a number of predators, and there is more than one that will just take the head. You can provide some protection with a well trained dog, though if you just turn an untrained dog loose on chickens, it will very likely kill them quickly. Perhaps you should consider building an enclosed run, if by "coop" you mean a small sleeping and nesting building.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/18670/poultry-predator-identification/0_20

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/163417/please-show-me-your-hot-weather-coops/0_20

 

[awineman]

Thank you we have Ben coupling them at night with a cover!! Seems to be working appreciate everyone's help