June Hatch A Long

[LilyD]

I have a pretty tiny coop like 5 feet by 3 feet including the nesting boxes but in the summer they free range all day and only use the coop at night. The winter the coop goes in our larger barn and they have access to a 20 by 20 room in my large hay barn where they can peck and scratch without having to deal with the snow.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I've been using the text book space allowance..lol. Living in AZ, they don't have to stay stuck in the coop all the time.

Not many chicken predators in Arizona? I may need to move...everything wants to eat my chickens here...even my brother.

I still let them free range daily but I'm constantly watching for hawks. I like my big fluffy chickens because the hawks don't seem to bother them but I'm still very cautious while they're young. I have a predator "proof" coop and run for nighttime against the owls, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, opossums, and bobcats but they just seem so much happier when I let them out.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I have a pretty tiny coop like 5 feet by 3 feet including the nesting boxes but in the summer they free range all day and only use the coop at night. The winter the coop goes in our larger barn and they have access to a 20 by 20 room in my large hay barn where they can peck and scratch without having to deal with the snow.

Nice! We don't get much snow here but on the few days we did the chickens stayed in their covered run and looked at me like I was crazy when I opened the door. lol

 

[LilyD]

Not many chicken predators in Arizona? I may need to move...everything wants to eat my chickens here...even my brother.

I still let them free range daily but I'm constantly watching for hawks. I like my big fluffy chickens because the hawks don't seem to bother them but I'm still very cautious while they're young. I have a predator "proof" coop and run for nighttime against the owls, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, opossums, and bobcats but they just seem so much happier when I let them out.

Our biggest predator here is large dogs. We get coopers hawks which are small but can take a chick but the larger hens and roos they won't try for. Never had issues with animals that weren't sick or starving for some reason. They are usually pretty wary of getting close enough to the house with 6 dogs that they steer clear.

I have the whole property fenced with electric fencing and field fencing so they can have free reign of the property. The only time I can't protect them is if they leave my property. Neighbors dogs are never leashed or contained and will kill them. We also do have coydogs that will take one if they are loose but won't come in the fence line to do it.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

Late to joining in (not surprising ) but I'm in! I have 13 eggs in the incubator. This hatch are mostly backyard crosses for our own enjoyment. I have silkie eggs, cochin cross, delaware cross, EE cross, mille fleur booted bantam and marans cross. Just a Heinz 57 assortment this time

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Our biggest predator here is large dogs. We get coopers hawks which are small but can take a chick but the larger hens and roos they won't try for. Never had issues with animals that weren't sick or starving for some reason. They are usually pretty wary of getting close enough to the house with 6 dogs that they steer clear.

I have the whole property fenced with electric fencing and field fencing so they can have free reign of the property. The only time I can't protect them is if they leave my property. Neighbors dogs are never leashed or contained and will kill them. We also do have coydogs that will take one if they are loose but won't come in the fence line to do it.

We have a 6' privacy fence around our entire yard and for the most part it seems to do the trick but I have a clever hen that lets herself out of the yard and can't figure out how to get back in, yet she's smart enough to peck the front door for me to come get her and put her back in the backyard.

I've been very fortunate and haven't lost any to predators yet because they mostly come out at night, but we have very large birds of prey. A Red Tailed Hawk grabbed one of my young Marans and flew up into a tall tree before losing its grip. It survived but I watched the whole thing happen and I'm still shocked the little guy made it! Scratched, bruised, and shocked but alive! A local friend wasn't so lucky on the other hand and last month a coyote killed 17 of her chickens.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Late to joining in (not surprising ) but I'm in! I have 13 eggs in the incubator. This hatch are mostly backyard crosses for our own enjoyment. I have silkie eggs, cochin cross, delaware cross, EE cross, mille fleur booted bantam and marans cross. Just a Heinz 57 assortment this time

Welcome! I'm excited that there are so many people joining us a little later because I've been talking everyone's head off here and they're sure to boot me at some point.

 

[jolenesdad]

Not many chicken predators in Arizona? I may need to move...everything wants to eat my chickens here...even my brother.

I still let them free range daily but I'm constantly watching for hawks. I like my big fluffy chickens because the hawks don't seem to bother them but I'm still very cautious while they're young. I have a predator "proof" coop and run for nighttime against the owls, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, opossums, and bobcats but they just seem so much happier when I let them out.

Hawks. they’re my only predators. I use a barn that was for horses previously but I moved them. There’s two 1/4-1/2 acre fields that are fenced with anti climb wire. I lost my sweetest birds about a year ago, and I think it was an inexperienced hawk. They went after my biggest birds and trapped them in the field fencing. They tried to pick up my buff Orpington and dropped her outside the fence on the other side of the field of the attack. She survived!!! She is a trooper.

I’ve been so nervous ever since. They’re SO much happier out... and it’s so hot here I want them to be able to seek out where they want to be. I just feel HORRIBLE for being responsible for their safety with a predator attack.

I don’t know why, it’s probably my anthropomorphizing that I’m working on. I can eat my meat birds, but I am WRECKED if they are living their best life and taken by a predator.

I keep them in now until lunchtime when theyve usually mostly laid for the day. Then I let them out and watch the skies as long as I’m home.

I lost my first two birds during rain with the hawks, so I keep a coop/run that’s big enough for 24/7 enclosure when needed and always lock them up in inclement weather. I have hawks and owls all over right after rain because there’s so many crawfish that come out.

 

[LilyD]

We have a 6' privacy fence around our entire yard and for the most part it seems to do the trick but I have a clever hen that lets herself out of the yard and can't figure out how to get back in, yet she's smart enough to peck the front door for me to come get her and put her back in the backyard.

I've been very fortunate and haven't lost any to predators yet because they mostly come out at night, but we have very large birds of prey. A Red Tailed Hawk grabbed one of my young Marans and flew up into a tall tree before losing its grip. It survived but I watched the whole thing happen and I'm still shocked the little guy made it! Scratched, bruised, and shocked but alive! A local friend wasn't so lucky on the other hand and last month a coyote killed 17 of her chickens.

My sister has red tails and they've even tried to take her cat before she also has possum and coon and minks that will go after hers. I have two feral TNR cats that live on the property but we have an understanding. They get to stay and keep the barn clear of mice and rats and they need to leave the chicks alone. So far they haven't bothered them. I think my dogs for the most part keep all wildlife away, but if the chicks are dumb enough to jump the fencing and go wandering in the neighbors yard with their two large labs they usually don't come back. I often wonder how many of my chicks end up being brought into the house by their dogs. Our outside fence is electrified with 14000 volts but if they can jump it without touching it the dogs will chase them off and I have one horse that doesn't like coydogs or foxes in the pasture and will chase them off too.

 

[jolenesdad]

Welcome! I'm excited that there are so many people joining us a little later because I've been talking everyone's head off here and they're sure to boot me at some point.

Never!