If you think it can't happen to you please think again!

[mmtillman]

Thanks for the heads up...I getting to thinkin we are ok as far as being secure from predators, in the run.
(Coop is Fort Knox...no worries there)
But a coon or fox during the daylight hours could catch me unprepared...
So I will keep an ear and eye open and my .22 handy, during the day...thanks!

 

[CallyB57]

I am so sorry about your birds.

One time my neighbor gave me 5 black chicks and I raised them up and at about 6 or 8 weeks old put them in a chicken wire & pvc pen. About a week later a dog nosed up under the pen and killed them all. Now I have 6 standard chickens and 6 Silkies. Each have a predator-proof hen house with a secure pecking/roaming pen, completely enclosed even on the top..very costly on my puny paycheck, and I did not want to pen up my chickens, but no matter where you are, they have to be locked up at night (all they do is sleep, anyhow) and secured by fence during the day. The last thing I do every single night is check the hen doors, latches, etc to make sure all is secure. We have all the aforementioned predators and even though I am often tired and do not want to walk back down the hill to double-check everything, I do - because I have neglected to close the little hen door a couple of times. I know you are devastated about your birds..but you will recover and you will OUTWIT the predators!

 

[Uppity Peon]

I am so sorry! What an awful experience.

I have seen foxes within 20 miles of here, so I'm sure they are a potential threat to my flock. My question is what types of fencing are effective on foxes?

 

[Judy]

When frightened away, a fox will return within a short time to claim his prey. If I had known this when I ran off a fox from my BA roo, the fox would not have seen the end of that day.

 

[saddina]

Quote:
I've actually shot those on accident. I used to shoot at a local gun club for the junior ata, then the canusa games and one of the local's sponsored me, and I was using his gun, his shells etc.. anyways I walked up to the line, yelled pull and pulled the trigger..... Dewey said Oh POOP, that was a pooter shell ....... spit some tabbacy juice and got me a different box of shells. The wad did fly out, but practically dropped 5' from my feet.

You seem to know all the "intresting" people Boyd.

 

[mxpres]

I have killed many squirrels with the 22 short,they don,t make any noise hardly at all and have more than enough energy to put a possum down at 20 yards,works on a groundhog if you make a head shot,,

 

[justmeandtheflock]

I'm so sorry

. My neighbor just told me yesterday that a fox tried to take one of his hens while he was out in the yard with them. He chased the fox and it dropped the hen (she is OK) but they really are brave taking the birds with people 30 feet away.

 

[Boyd]

Quote:
I've actually shot those on accident. I used to shoot at a local gun club for the junior ata, then the canusa games and one of the local's sponsored me, and I was using his gun, his shells etc.. anyways I walked up to the line, yelled pull and pulled the trigger..... Dewey said Oh POOP, that was a pooter shell ....... spit some tabbacy juice and got me a different box of shells. The wad did fly out, but practically dropped 5' from my feet.

You seem to know all the "intresting" people Boyd.

Ya know I hear that alot.... ????

My first job was at a sportsman club where they did sporting clays and trap shooting. At 12 I was able to hit around 18-20ish of 25 clay pigeons that came out. I actually worked there to pay for my shells so I could learn to shoot better. I think it was that Christmas that I got my own shotgun... and still have it! A Mossberg 12 gauge with 3 barrels. There were a couple of guys who saw what I was trying to do. they took me under their wing, and one of them asked me if I had ever shot in a competition and of course it was a no.. So he ended up working with me for a couple of months, payed for my entry into the CanUsa games for trap and field after I tried out.

I actually got the jitters being in my first competition for shooting and ended up coming in dead last. I never regret it though, I met a great group of people with a lot of the same values that my family advocates, and they always had time for a wet behind the ears kid who wanted to listen to all the old war stories, play poker with them. They were like my family away from my family!

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Oh yes, it can and has happened to me. Mine don't free range. I had a coon that got into the coop and run and killed every bird I had. It's been two years since that happened though and I'm getting a little antsy thinking that odds are it will eventually happen again.
We just built a new run for my teenagers and the next plan of action is to completely shore up the older coop. I'm buying new hardware cloth to go over the top of the already existing wire and I'm going to bang it in with some "U" nails.

It's a horrible feeling.

I'm sorry.

 

[rnoyster]

Quote:
Sorry to break your bubble, but a primer does indeed create enough pressure to send the shot charge and wadding out of a 12 gauge shotgun. I've done it for years and it is very effective in handling problem pests with little or no noise.