I lost a chicken to a coyote 😞 What can I do to protect my hens from further attacks?

[Starburst]

Never get a run without a run cover. I’m sure you’ve heard this before but it provides many benefits. 1: the girls can’t fly out and become a meal for a predator 2: Overhead predators can’t get them 3: Lots of shade for the summer months 4: Rain can’t come in and make it muddy or stink up the poop. I’m so sorry you lost your girl, but as I soon as you come home I recommend you make some changes for the safety of your girls/guys

Thanks for your advice. I had just moved my chickens to a new coop with a large run I built around it. I had been working on getting some bird netting up, but didn’t get around to getting it up before I left. It’s a tricky run, it is, with several huge evergreens growing in the middle of it, but I had it all planned out and almost got it up the week before I left, yet unfortunately I became extremely busy. Now, as soon as I get back, I’m going to get a cover up.

 

[IamRainey]

Never get a run without a run cover. I’m sure you’ve heard this before but it provides many benefits. 1: the girls can’t fly out and become a meal for a predator 2: Overhead predators can’t get them 3: Lots of shade for the summer months 4: Rain can’t come in and make it muddy or stink up the poop. I’m so sorry you lost your girl, but as I soon as you come home I recommend you make some changes for the safety of your girls/guys

And it needs to be adequate cover. It should provide -- depending on what climate you're in -- shelter from rain and sun and climbing or flying predators. Raccoons, rodents and hawks are all as dangerous from above as below. So if the covering isn't a substantial roof it should still be strong enough and tight enough to keep them out.

 

[Starburst]

And it needs to be adequate cover. It should provide -- depending on what climate you're in -- shelter from rain and sun and climbing or flying predators. Raccoons, rodents and hawks are all as dangerous from above as below. So if the covering isn't a substantial roof it should still be strong enough and tight enough to keep them out.

Definitely agree. I live in Western WA, so I get a good amount of rain, but not too much sun. Going to put something like bird netting or something a little stronger over most of it with a covered part in the area that isn’t protected by branches of the trees and get muddy

 

[CHlCKEN]

Thanks for your advice. I had just moved my chickens to a new coop with a large run I built around it. I had been working on getting some bird netting up, but didn’t get around to getting it up before I left. It’s a tricky run, it is, with several huge evergreens growing in the middle of it, but I had it all planned out and almost got it up the week before I left, yet unfortunately I became extremely busy. Now, as soon as I get back, I’m going to get a cover up.

Good idea, I’m so sorry for what happens btw

 

[Starburst]

I am sorry you lost a bird, and especially while you are not present and able to do anything about it yourself. Other than that, I hope you are enjoying your vacation!

Thank you so much. Your kind words comfort more than I can express

 

[Starburst]

So traumatic to lose a bird you've cared for. I'm so sorry it happened.

If a coyote found a meal, they'll be back. And the memory of that success will probably last a long time as all they have to do all day and all night is feed themselves. I'd stop the free ranging for the foreseeable future and stick to daylight hours when you're there to resume it.

Then make sure your enclosure is secure. If you don't have hardware cloth dug in at least 12" to prevent a breech by digging then it's time to secure the perimeter 12" out. I use 12" concrete pavers for that. Butt them up tight to the enclosure and to one another. A load of heavy rock also works if you have that available.

If you need to add a roof, do that too. They can leap as high as 8'.

So sorry for your loss. Glad you didn't have to see it, at least.

Thank you for your kind words. I had just moved the chickens to a new, sturdy coop, but the run didn’t have a cover or wire on the ground, so I’m contacting my neighbor to see if he can do something for now at least while I’m gone.

 

[Starburst]

So sorry for your loss, it is so hard when this happens.
In addition to having a really safe coop and run, consider electric fencing or electrified poultry netting to expand their space during the day safely. neither protects from raptors, but will do well for most ground predators.
I also don't have my birds free ranging when there's a farm sitter situation; easier for the caretaker to have the flock in all the time, and safer for the birds. It's too bad that there was confusion about this, so next time have things in writing too.
Mary

Thank you for your advice. I will definitely look into electric fencing. I had all of the things the caretaker needed to do on paper as well, but I think she got confuses when we were talking and I was telling her I usually free-range the chickens and explaining that she shouldn’t unless she was with them, and her taking it that she should free range when she was at the home. I’ll make sure to clarify next time to not free range at all.

 

[Starburst]

So sorry about your girl! It is times like this that make you hate nature...
I second the vote of using pavers up against the edges of your run. I laid down hardware wire skirting, laid my pavers over the top of the skirt around the edges of the run, and secured them against the edges with landscape pegs so no animal could pull them backwards. Hope that makes sense! Try to enjoy the rest of your island time for the rest of us!

Thank you. I will definitely be getting that onto my run as soon as possible

 

[Starburst]

Yeah. That protection from digging is so important. And no one ever seems to warn people that chickens will dig from the inside too. When I first got my chickens I couldn't believe how deep they could dig into my adobe clay soil! But digging in helps them stay cool in my hot climate. I have holes all over my chicken yard this time of year. You have to be paying attention when you're walking around there!

I know what you mean with chickens digging! A lot of my chickens that don’t fly out dig their way out

 

[Starburst]

Buy a shotgun. Helps to protect your flock and home...

Good idea