I hate predators!!!

[SpringChickens]

Just wanted to vent! we lost 11 (out of 13 total) meat birds last night to some kind of predator

They got pulled through the fence and that was the end of them. We do have a dog which keeps the predators away well from most of our chickens, but our meat birds were way across the yard from the rest, and a long way from where my dog likes to sleep, so I think she just didn't hear anything.

Grrrr!! We were going to process them this Saturday, too. Oh well, guess we'll start again in the fall cause it's sure too hot to do any more this summer

 

[bryan99705]

You probably had a coon reach thru the wire. If you line the lower section with finer hardware cloth, it should stop him. Remember they are climbers so be sure the top is secure as well as the coop (on all your set ups cause he will be back!) Nice thing about the extra wire at the botton of the run is it let's you release fuzzybutts out earlier an won't let them slip thru the wire openings.

 

[greymane]

That is too bad. We have only had the girls for a few weeks now, but we have lost one to a fox (I think) already. That is when we shifted from thinking free range to thinking a nice big run. It was built the next day.

 

[wvfoxhunter]

When you get more chickens you should try putting electric fence around the top and the bottom of the run. What ever it is that got your chickens wont come back for a while once it gets shocked really good a couple of times