Weve had chickens in the past, Ive lost chickens to foxes and I lost my last two chickens to a skunk. One of neighbors had enough with the skunks and began shooting them thankfully, but there are still a couple around that wont make themselves known, we know because we can smell them and one took our duck a few months later. Our most recent loss was to a racoon who took our last duck. We also have a major fox issue but luckily the foxes are in the back feild and dont tend to come up near our barn...however, I have no doubt once my new chickens are grown enough to go outside they will begin to make there way up here. Our chickens will be free range and simply locked in the barn at night. I would love to build a pen for them but its not my property and im not able to build without permission so my chickens will have to fend for them selves sadly...on the flip side I happen to think if a preditor ever got into my pen it would be a massacre, atleast with them being free range some may be able to escape. It doesnt help that our neighbor has a swill pile by her garden for the "wild animals", it attracts everything from fishers to bears...im not impressed but thats her land and she can do with it what she pleases and I just have to do what I can to keep my critters safe. Anywho thats a long story lol....mostly what i would like to know is if there is anything I can plant, spray or spread to help keep preditors away?? I also see that they have a light that flashes to scare preditors...does this really work? I have some time to prepare before my chicks are grown and ready to be turned out. Thanks in advance! 
