Hey I'm in Boulder City ISO Predator Advice

[QIA]

I know BC has coyotes, hawks and owls. What works for you as far as keeping them away? I'm new to chicken raising and will get my first flock saturday. Come on....I know there's people out there....Don't be shy.....

 

[azygous]

Hot wire around the coop and run. It's the best thing you can do to insure the security of your new flock.

Hawks, however, are almost impossible to protect against other than to cover your run. You'd find that desirable anyway so you don't have to deal with snow removal.

 

[Trish1974]

Hot wire around the coop and run. It's the best thing you can do to insure the security of your new flock.

Hawks, however, are almost impossible to protect against other than to cover your run. You'd find that desirable anyway so you don't have to deal with snow removal.

X2. Its impossible to keep predators away. Best to focus on securing your flock than tricks and gimmicks to try to keep predators away.

 

[azygous]

Hot wire baited with dabs of peanut butter will condition predators to stay away. A curious tongue or nose on a electrically charged wire will send a powerful message. That predator will not want to have anything to do with coming up to the buildings.

How do I know? Last night I forgot to take in a carton of scratch grain I had intended to store in the run. I left it on a bench by the coop. Before I began using the hot wire around coop and run and keeping it on at night, that scratch grain would have been gone.

There was fresh bear scat 50 yards from the house and coop and run so I know the varmints are around. They just don't come up to the buildings because they have experienced pain associated with them.

 

[Trish1974]

Hot wire baited with dabs of peanut butter will condition predators to stay away. A curious tongue or nose on a electrically charged wire will send a powerful message. That predator will not want to have anything to do with coming up to the buildings.

How do I know? Last night I forgot to take in a carton of scratch grain I had intended to store in the run. I left it on a bench by the coop. Before I began using the hot wire around coop and run and keeping it on at night, that scratch grain would have been gone.

There was fresh bear scat 50 yards from the house and coop and run so I know the varmints are around. They just don't come up to the buildings because they have experienced pain associated with them.

I totally agree with that; I was referring to there always being NEW predators coming along. Yes this year's fox or coon may have been shocked well enough not to return, but there will be new ones coming along next year, and so on and so on...

 

[QIA]

Hot wire around the coop and run. It's the best thing you can do to insure the security of your new flock.

Hawks, however, are almost impossible to protect against other than to cover your run. You'd find that desirable anyway so you don't have to deal with snow removal.

Hot wire baited with dabs of peanut butter will condition predators to stay away. A curious tongue or nose on a electrically charged wire will send a powerful message. That predator will not want to have anything to do with coming up to the buildings.

How do I know? Last night I forgot to take in a carton of scratch grain I had intended to store in the run. I left it on a bench by the coop. Before I began using the hot wire around coop and run and keeping it on at night, that scratch grain would have been gone.

There was fresh bear scat 50 yards from the house and coop and run so I know the varmints are around. They just don't come up to the buildings because they have experienced pain associated with them.

I totally agree with that; I was referring to there always being NEW predators coming along. Yes this year's fox or coon may have been shocked well enough not to return, but there will be new ones coming along next year, and so on and so on...

I'm in the desert so I don't have to worry to much on snow, bears and foxes. I'd be scared $hitless knowing a bear is lurking....But a hot wire seems like a good idea for the coyotes! I do plan on putting up an ariel netting over a bigger run in a week or so to keep out the hawks and owls. Now I have to make very hard decisions every week concerning purchasing quilt and chicken supplies. Before it was just the quilt supplies, but I think I can manage that.

 

[QIA]

I totally agree with that; I was referring to there always being NEW predators coming along. Yes this year's fox or coon may have been shocked well enough not to return, but there will be new ones coming along next year, and so on and so on...

Oh yes, I can certainly expect that.