Im in shock right now

[Araucana Nest]

And two years later, and with very good fencing, that pair of dogs may do a super job for you. The very most expensive chicken protective measures, and only practical in some situations.
Great when in the right situation, not so useful in many backyard set-ups.
Mary

I don’t recommend LGDs for backyards usually. There are some that are born to be couch potatoes though and will be great in part time. Didn’t sound like this person is in a suburb. A top quality LGD pair of Kangal will be ready to kill a predator at 7 months. In this situation we’re writing about on this post I wouldn’t recommend less than two dogs.

 

[sformel]

The main problem I have is with owls (I think its owls). They mainly bite the head off and don't eat too much of the body. The odd thing is they sometimes apparently walk up the ramp and right into the coop through the small chicken sized door. When I forget to close the door. Does this seem odd to anyone else?

 

[Folly's place]

Not a suprise, and other critters will get in the same way. Rats also will take the heads off...
Mary

 

[McChooky]

It depends on the animal and the person. Some people just trap things and release them elsewhere; some people go for heavy-duty defenses and enclosures with stuff like electric wire to keep things out; some people just use a gun, patience, and take whatever is causing trouble off the census permanently.

You covered all bases with your answer! I liked that !Lol

 

[McChooky]

The main problem I have is with owls (I think its owls). They mainly bite the head off and don't eat too much of the body. The odd thing is they sometimes apparently walk up the ramp and right into the coop through the small chicken sized door. When I forget to close the door. Does this seem odd to anyone else?

After we lose enough we usually remember to close the door.Predators will take the path of least resistance to get a free meal.Easy enough to walk right in and get one.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I've personally known 2 people whose dogs were killed by a mountain lion. (The incidences took place 3 decades apart). The first was in colorado, where a mountain lion jumped an 8 ft fence and killed/pattially ate a rottweiler. The 2nd incidence happened in the Arkansas Ouchita mountain foothills, when a mountain lion kulled and ate my cousin's dog, ironically another rottweiler. But in this instance, my cousin had SIX rottweilers, yet a mountain lion was sucessful in killing one.

Ans does anyone remember the book/movie "Where the Red Fern Grows"? (My favorite childhood book). The book is fictional, but still... The protagonist's male hound lost the battle with the lion, despite two experienceed hunting hounds putting up a valiant fight.

I depend on my lgds to protect my chickens from woodland predators including coyotes, & they do a great job. But if they were confronted by a hungry mountain lion, i fear they would become its meal. A predator in this thread killed and ate an entire Donkey!

Based on described behavior, Im also curious if the canids Are in fact wolves, not coyotes. Especially if there were 20 in the pack. That's a huge number for a coyote pack, but not a wolf pack. (I also suspect lg dogs would lose a fight against 20 wolves Or coyotes.) My arkansas relatives began seeing black bears in the mountains decades ago, but claims by the Arkansas Game Comission were always "there are no bears here."" Finally, they admitted black bears had been reintroduced. Black bears are common now. Wouldnt surprise me at all if wolves have also been re-introduced.

Whatever the predators, you have a dangerous situation on your hands. Carry a big gun and stay safe!

 

[McChooky]

The few wolves that remain in the wild are forced to breed with coyotes if they can't find their own mates. Our coyote crosses hunt deer as their main food supply instead of small game.They avoid humans like wolves...

 

[McChooky]

Coyote got at least 2 dozen of my laying hens last night. I havent gotten a full count yet. I dont know how many chicks survived, but so far I only count 36 birds and there were 74 when I went to bed.

Edited: I've never heard of a mountain lion busting down a door. I originally suspected the locking mechanism had failed in the door but that doesn't explain how the door got bent.Love to know if the chickens are still roosting on the roof or if they're gone.

 

[microchick]

I've only been here 11 years, I'm from CO, AZ, NM. I call this "Planet MO," lol. But we had elk back there. Haven't seen any here yet.. back in NM there were areas and times they were wall-to-wall. Gorgeous beasts. Enormous. Yeah, they'll total you, you're not driving home with a dented fender! And you're right about raccoons. They look cute and cuddly and who didn't fall in love with Rascal of storybook fame? But there's a world of disconnect between Disney and my beheaded chicken.

Planet Missouri. I love that. Completely different world here than we had across the Mississippi. Here we called MODOC about a female fox terrorizing the neighborhood killing poultry to see if they wanted to trap and relocate her and her kits. Nope. They told me. Shoot her. She's killing livestock. She's a threat. Kill her....I saw her once. A beautiful big red fox but never got a shot at her. Found her prints and her kit's all around my run. Thank God for hot wires. No trespassing past that hot wire that is around my coop. Highly recommend hot wire. And to answer questions.

Yes, kids will touch it.....once.

Yes, pets will touch it.....once.

And yes free range chickens or escapees will touch it....and survive with only a few singed feathers.

Nobody will get killed from a hot wire. You will spit and curse but nope, outside of the offending appendage tingling for a bit no permanent damage.

My funniest encounter with it was when I was moving a hen into the run using our wire cage and I accidentally touched the hot wire with a corner of the cage. OOPS. I jumped and swore, the cage went flying out of my hands. The poor hen in the pen screamed and swore, but luckily I dropped the cage from only about 8 inches above ground so she was undamaged as was I. My husband, being no help whatsoever laughed at both of our responses.

But in all seriousness and back on subject, I highly recommend hot wire. One strand low at different levels. and one strand near the top for climbers who breach the lower strand. The strongest power pack you can find. There is a chart on what voltage you will need to ward off a bear if that is your threatening animal.

You get what you need to protect your flock.

We were in NM last in 07 and stopped at Boca Raton. We were amazed at the Prong Horned Antelope grazing right on the shoulder of the road. One was standing right on the gravel while I was driving. DH yelled at me to watch out. I didn't even see the beastie. Just blew right by it. But they were BIG old boys also.

I've had plenty of raccoons try to break into my feed buckets. They wind up in my live trap and feeding the fox and vultures on the far north edge of our property. Figure if I can keep the varmints as far away from the building compound, the better for all involved.

We had a raccoon here some 5 years ago that was so big that it traumatized our big Cattle Dog to the point that he tried to tear through screens trying to get into the house. Wound up with a damaged ear. We found scat on our drive that if it hadn't been full of seeds could have passed for the ACDs leavings.

Sorry. No such thing as a cute raccoon to me.

 

[aart]

Besides the door being bent and chickens missing I wouldnt have known anything happened. I didnt start finding feather until I went for a walk looking for tracks.

Bent?....metal door?...got pics?