I'm all done....(remaining) chickens for sale...

[gila_dog]

I've told this story on another post, but I think it's appropriate here again, since everybody is recommending roosters to protect their chickens from hawks and other predators.

I found one of my big hens dead one day, headless. Other predator attacks have left mangled chickens laying around, or they were just gone. I'd never seen this before. While I was standing there thinking about it, a little hawk, about the size of a pigeon swooped right over me and made a grab for one of my hen's head. She ducked just in time, or he would have snatched her head right off. She was just so heavy he could have never picked her up, but he was going so fast he would have just popped her head off. A rooster would have just been a bigger target.

Roosters do help to warn the hens of approaching predators tho. The one I used to have made a particular alarm call when any danger came around and the hens would take cover. When my dog would hear the rooster's alarm call, he would go tearing out to the chicken pen, hoping to catch the coyote or whoever it was messing around out there. Really cool!

Unfortunately, the rooster was too rough on the hens. He had a couple of favorites that he would jump several times a day. He had them so tore up, we finally had to make enchiladas out of him.

 

[Jakenhoss]

I have a total of six chickens, 4 hens and 2 roosters, and they live in a 25' X 15' pen with a coop in the middle back. The pen is made out of chain-link fencing with chicken wire and 1/4 inch square fencing around the chain-link. I put rebar going through PVC pipe across the top with chicken-wire on the top of that. The rebar helps hold the chicken-wire up. I have covered 3/4s of the top with shading material for protection from the weather. In Arizona, it gets real hot in the summer and they need more than under the coop for shade. When it rains I put a tarp over the top tied down with bungee cords along with a lot of straw on the floor. It doesn't keep it completely dry, but it helps a lot. As far as the gate, I put chicken-wire between the top of the pen and the top of the gate to ensure nothing can get in the pen. The little sparrows can't even get inside. They try, but to no avail.

The cost of this pen and coop was around $1000.00. It is a lot but completely worth it because I never worry that something is going to get inside and kill my chickens.

I keep my birds in the pen with the exception of a couple hours a day I take them out to roam, but I stay with them to avoid the possibility of the eagles and hawks getting lunch.
I live in a very rural area so there are plenty of predators out and about looking for a free meal. I had a coyote lurking around for awhile, but my dogs finally ran him off. My main problem is the neighbors cat. Luckily the chicken-wire on top has saved the chickens many of times. I have gone out to the pen to find the cat laying on top of the coop trying to figure out how to get the birds.
My neighbor thinks it is funny and cute that her cat stalks my birds. One of these days, the cat and the neighbor is going to see how cute is actually is.

My roosters yell out every time there is something in the area that should not be there.

Joe, it doesn't take much to put a top on your pen. The picture is great. It is very similar to my coop.

Good luck to you.

 

[Jakenhoss]

Gila_Dog, I too have a dog that will go tearing down to the coop when she hears a different noise coming from the chickens. She has saved my chickens a couple of times. Not from the birds but from my neighbors cat!

I have five dogs, four of which will keep an eye on the chickens. All of my dogs are waiting for the day they can catch that cat.

As I said before, my neighbor thinks it is funny that her cat stalks my chickens, but I tell you, I think it is about time they both find out how funny it is. There are range laws that protect livestalk such as chickens from predators such as cats.

Take care and have a great day.

 

[luvnmyseramas]

Well I lost my prize serama day before yesterday, im just sick. I think there is a weasel, but i don't know what to do, he already got all my silkies. short of concrete walls i don't know what to do. Any suggestions??

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
I thought you were gonna warm one up for next weekend??? I could drop off eggs then go a town over and drop off roos. just waiting for the OK

Oh by all means bring some fertiles if ya got em. I'll warm up one bator and there
will still be 2 left for you and Joe to have a nice winter hatch with. All three have
the fan kits and turners. I even have plenty of water weasels.

In fact, we oughta have the kids paint one of the bators with BYC stuff on it. The goal
will be to pass it around to BYC members, always keep it running, and see how many
states we can pass it through. Much better than sitting in a closet unplugged or sold
on Ebay.

 

[ruth]

Hi Joe - I've read all the posts on your thread. I'm so sorry for your losses. However, I want to be the one to recommend something totally different from enclosing pen and adding roosters (though I'm sure those are great ideas). Instead, let those chickens out to run the woods all day long. Lock them up at night but let them do what comes naturally during the day. I've been doing that from day one and haven't lost one yet. I noticed your coop was near the woods. My girls love running the edge of the woods. They duck undercover whenever one senses something or sees a hawk. I don't have a rooster but you would be amazed at how naturally intuitive the chickens are at surviving. Our home in Covington bordered woods and creek and we had all sorts of predators but I didn't even lock or close the coop at night and run had no top. We moved last month to Woodville, MS and our property is surrounded by thousands of acres of woods and I'm told we even have bears. I was worried about letting the girls free-range here because I would see the hawks circling 10-12 at a time. Of course, we brought our German Shephard, Rex, our stray dog, Lucy and our 4 "guard" cats with us and I knew they would continue to keep furry predators away from the property but couldn't do anything about the hawks. Still, my girls were used to free-ranging and I love to see them come running from wherever whenever I walk outside. They run all around the house and you never know where they might be. Like you, I got them for the enjoyment of watching them be chickens, not locked up/caged up birds. So, I've taken the chance and let them out here. You know what, no losses here either. The chickens survive by having a place to run to. Even if a hawk got one, at least the others can run and hide.

I know this is long and goes against the recommendations of others but I still say - let them run lose. You'll enjoy them more and they will enjoy life more (even if it results in a shorter one - but then again, that's what's happened in the past anyway so why not try something different that you'll both enjoy more?) I get such a kick out of mine when they come running up to me whenever they see me step outside. It's like being greeted by 13 little friends - but they turn into 13 mad little monsters if I don't let them out of their coop in the mornings.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Joe is going to move his coop or build another one on the other side of his property.
It's too bad because his birds are beautiful. They are now with my flock. A few will
become permanent members and the rest are already spoken for and going to good
homes.

The Reds are to the left:

 

[Scrambled Egg]

I hope that works out for you Joe to move the coop, again sorry for the losses. I like the idea Ruth presented, course doesn't apply to mein the city but sounds reasonable. Don, where do all those chickens lay eggs in that run, I didn't see any nesting boxes, or maybe they are all too young? That is alot of chickens! Lucky Joe for you to watch them for him.

 

[azsandschool]

I'm putting together my chicken run now. We had a Harris Hawk perched in our tree watching the whole family. I am putting chicken wire over the top, but I just read of a guy who ran fishing line over the top of his run and that was enough to discourage his hawks. I'm putting poultry netting over mine to discourage bobcats, but thought I'd pass along this thought too.

az sand school

 

[jhm47]

Joe: Don't give up!!! In the words of the late, great John Belushi in Animal House, "We didn't give up when the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor".