How to "free range" chickens now that bobcat is around?

[lagrange chicks]

They are easy to trap and you could sell it to pay for some fence.

 

[Penpal]

For now, you might want to try using predator urine. I don't know what will deter a bobcat, possibly anything. You can get wolf, puma, probably others as well.

 

[Krugerrand]

just curious, do you have any roosters?

 

[McChooky]

We had a large male bobcat almost catch one of my hens a couple weeks ago .She was outside the electric fence when he rushed her but she flew back in the yard. That's all that saved her.

 

[SamLockwood]

I posted a few days ago about two of our girls going missing without a trace (aside from some feathers).

We ended up finding my bluebell's feathers in a different spot where we have a camera. A bobcat got both of them. If you look at the back of the picture below, I already have a run setup but the girls are miserable. I am NOT going to free range them (despite that being their life for a year and a half) because I will not let any more of my girls get hurt. But long-term, I want to figure out what my options are.

My condolences. I thought I was really good at predator control until a bobcat showed up. I lost four hens before I got wise and put the flock on lockdown.

- I can't get rid of the bobcat. I spoke with a friend from a sanctuary who suggested those "whacky inflatable arm" guys. She said she went to a seminar in Montana and they use those to keep big predators (wolves, cougars, bears) away. If anyone knows of any other way to keep bobcats away, I'm all ears.

I'd be curious to see where they got their information on the subject. A meso-predator like a coyote or bobcat is not a deterrent to an apex predator like a wolf or cougar any more than a house-cat will keep a bobcat away. Bobcats can and do kill domestic cats easily.

In fact, recent studies have shown that re-introducing wolves in various states has pushed meso-predators from wilderness areas into human inhabited areas: https://www.newscientist.com/articl...r-predators-into-deadly-conflict-with-humans/

- I can't keep my girls in their current environment. All they do is pace. In addition to the two remaining hens, I have three ducks (also in the run) and 6 chicks and 3 keets (in the smaller coop currently). I want to figure out how to utilize a huge part of the backyard (like half an acre) while keeping it predator proof. I haven't really found anything online. The moving runs aren't an option for us, the girls do not like them. Ideally, I can build something stationary on .5 an acre. Does anyone have predator proof, quarter-acre to half-acre builds? I had put the girls in with one of our goats for a little bit but watched them fly right out again.

Short term, your options are not good. I had success with keeping the flock locked down for a week, and then I started staggering the release time figuring that not having a routine might throw it off.

I also tried pretty hard to kill the sucker: I bought a large coyote-sized trap, set up a blind and some ambushes, even tramped around all over my 16 acres (about a third of which is pretty densely-overgrown wetland) and never laid eyes on it. I did find what might have been its lair, found plenty of tracks in the mud, and a couple times I heard it but I never laid eyes on it.

About a week after I ended the lockdown I got one last picture of it on a trail camera with a dead squirrel in its mouth and I haven't seen any sign of it since. I don't know if me hunting it scared it off, somebody else shot it, or it just moved on because I left my scent around its home.

If you're not willing to dispatch the 'cat, the only way I can see you being safe is to have a fully enclosed run like my setup:

The wire is 17 gauge, which is heavier than most hardware cloth. Building something like that on a 1/4 acre is going to be costly. The wire alone for that setup was $149.

Some sort of electrified fence is going to be your "best" bet, but I wouldn't bet my chickens on it unless your location has no trees anywhere near the fencline or you're going to clear all the trees within 10 feet fence because bobcats can do things like this:

And this:

 

[McChooky]

Keeping chickens up is the easiest way to protect them.Mine were free ranging on the hill behind us when a bobcat attacked a month ago. They've been in lock down ever since.

 

[TaylorGlade]

A wildlife rescue recommended putting ammonia soaked rags around too. It makes the cat think there is a larger predator. If you like dogs, a livestock guard dog may be an option

 

[RnRRidgerunner]

I posted a few days ago about two of our girls going missing without a trace (aside from some feathers).

We ended up finding my bluebell's feathers in a different spot where we have a camera. A bobcat got both of them. If you look at the back of the picture below, I already have a run setup but the girls are miserable. I am NOT going to free range them (despite that being their life for a year and a half) because I will not let any more of my girls get hurt. But long-term, I want to figure out what my options are.

- I can't get rid of the bobcat. I spoke with a friend from a sanctuary who suggested those "whacky inflatable arm" guys. She said she went to a seminar in Montana and they use those to keep big predators (wolves, cougars, bears) away. If anyone knows of any other way to keep bobcats away, I'm all ears.

- I can't keep my girls in their current environment. All they do is pace. In addition to the two remaining hens, I have three ducks (also in the run) and 6 chicks and 3 keets (in the smaller coop currently). I want to figure out how to utilize a huge part of the backyard (like half an acre) while keeping it predator proof. I haven't really found anything online. The moving runs aren't an option for us, the girls do not like them. Ideally, I can build something stationary on .5 an acre. Does anyone have predator proof, quarter-acre to half-acre builds? I had put the girls in with one of our goats for a little bit but watched them fly right out again.

View attachment 3704239

I suggest that you try trapping that critter and give it a case of "lead poisoning". I understand they love skunk. First you will have to collect a roadkill skunk. You will need a bucket with a lid and plastic bag inside. Something disposable to collect it into the bucket. Something to hold your nose from the smell too. Go you tube and find how to set a paw trap for a bobcat. Place the bait so the bobcat will approach it and not notice the trap. Of course if you have dogs or pets that will get caught in your trap then that won't be an option. A live trap will have to be used in that case. Your bobcat now has learned that you have a chicken buffet and it will return. I have made a free standing no dig 25 ft x 50 ft run which can be easily moved by one person. You will have to special order the 4 way horizontal and one vertical opening fittings and the pvc is readily available in your local HD or Lowes or whatever. I used plastic fencing at first but had to use chicken fencing 2 feet high because of the squirrels chewing through it. So perhaps a 4 foot high chicken wire would do better. It will make it a lot heavier. I also added 3 strands of wire and electrified it. The 4 way and 5 way fittings are found on line as they are not a standard fitting at the local stores. I do indeed have bobcats, fox, coyotes, and the usual possums and raccoons , even a few Puma in the area which I have never seen.
Best of luck feel free to ask me any questions you may have. Hope this helps.

 

[RnRRidgerunner]

As you can see the run is 25 feet wide and 50 feet long and everything is movable. Small coop was my first and I couldn't get in very well at my age so I built one I could actually stand in on top of a old boat trailer. I have only lost two chickens from a big hawk in the run. I have lost 4 or 5 when they are out running around the place. Never found a feather with those.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

I would worry about the fact that this bobcat now knows there is a chicken buffet in the area,

I have more lynx in my area then bobcats, so am not much help, i would suggest trapping or shooting the animal.