Hi, I am new to the forum :)

[DobieLover]

Thank you, dobielover! I love the dog in your profile

So do I! That's Bella.

 

[416bigbore]

I am not sure if I thanked you yet. I appreciate the very warm welcome. I know those here are much more knowledgeable than I am. I look forward to learning from all of you. It is certainly a journey

Your very welcome, your on a great Poultry Forum and will have lots of fun on your journey. There is always someone around who will be able to help you or point you in the right direction. Best of luck and please keep us posted.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

 

[cmom]

I am rural on several acres. We have about every predator there is so my birds stay in their nice large covered pens with electric wires around the coops and pens and concrete under the gates all due to losses from predators in the past. There are many ways to entertain the birds even in their pens. Pecking at things is their most favorite thing to do. You will find a lot of good information here Good luck with your plans and have fun...

 

[JillRA]

So do I! That's Bella.

Aww...she is precious. Dogs are special . I love her name. My little girl's name is Tina. My son named her after a game character called Tiny Tina. Her brother's name is Charlie. In some odd way, their names fit them LOL. Tina is only five or so pounds. Both are chihuahuas. I was not a chihuahua person until I got these two, ha. I have had large and small dogs in my life. I loved them all!

 

[drumstick diva]

Dogs ARE SPECIAL, I used to breed, show and groom - Cockers mainly.

 

[DobieLover]

I love her name.

I changed it to Bella when I adopted her.
Her registered name is...
Thou Shalt Not Kill Sweet Betty di Altobello.
I thought that was a bit of a mouthful.

 

[JillRA]

I am rural on several acres. We have about every predator there is so my birds stay in their nice large covered pens with electric wires around the coops and pens and concrete under the gates all due to losses from predators in the past. There are many ways to entertain the birds even in their pens. Pecking at things is their most favorite thing to do. You will find a lot of good information here Good luck with your plans and have fun...

Thank you SO much for the link to the articles. I might find that chickens lure predators I haven't seen. I will worry about the fawns born here yearly if so. We have a doe that finds it safe on our land and has twins every year. I may need to put a cam where she beds down at night. We enjoy watching them. It is legal in my state to feed them. I have a mineral block out there and am going to set a place where they have water access. We get a small herd sometimes, but that one doe is here all the time. It may be the one who approached us, unafraid. My neighbors see coyotes and bears. The womsn across the street said that coyotes had a den nearby, but I knew foxes had one. I think I would hear them if they were. We have large foxes around here. There was a fire on a nearby mountain, so it would not surprise me to see coyotes and bears. I have never seen them or heard coyotes yipping. However, one day, I did see a canine leaving our property that could have been a coyote. I barely caught sight of it. It could have been a dog, but I am willing to do the same as you have, just to be safe. I will put cameras in there too. I figure the geese I will get might wake me if there is an intruder. We will probably have guineas too. They are hard to wrangle up for the night LOL. They liked our trees when we had them. And our roof LOL.

I may get a livestock guardian dog. The woman who runs a horse rescue across from me knows where I can get one that someone dumped off at a shelter that is a full guardian breed. She said many don't know that the dogs need a "job" and find that the dog is not what they expected and tgere are many dumped off. I will look into it. I will have to see how it all goes. I would need one that is young because of my son with autism. He is an adult and very animal friendly, but I am just wanting him to not be afraid of it and for it to love him.

I will probably put concrete all the way around my coop. I am thinking 4 to 6 inches deep and 12 to 18 inches out? Is that a good measurement? I will use rabbit wire instead of chicken wire. I hope it is like a fortress. I might use dibby wire on the inside for separations I need for trios and such. It is all in my mind, but all of you may have better ideas that I love. I know you all are more experienced than I am. I saw a man make a really nice wading pool with a drain for his ducks inside their enclosure. I am turning ideas over in my mind. Some may be bad ideas.

I will definitely use electric fencing. I will turn it off around the coop during the day while I am out there. I have been "bitten" one too many times by that type fencing LOL. I want it around the perimeter fence too. I watch coyotes in videos jump over high fences. I will DIY coyote rollers with PVC pipe and hope it isn't too unsightly. It is cheaper. The electric fence may be good enough. I hope that it can be because I will have to do this in stages because of the cost. I need things easier now that I am not a spring chicken anymore, ha. When I say, "I will..."...I mean that a handyman I hire will do the building

Thanks again for the articles link!

 

[JillRA]

Dogs ARE SPECIAL, I used to breed, show and groom - Cockers mainly.

They give those sad eyes and make us melt I had one cocker spaniel. She was a sweet dog. I think my favorite breed is boxers. My two little ones were unexpected. I wanted another boxer, but I ended up with chihuahuas. I adore them, though. I would foster dogs if I were set up for it. Maybe one day. I bet you enjoyed what you did. I see the people who show them behind the scenes and see how much they love it.

 

[JillRA]

Thank you so much!