Keeping predators away - DOES THIS REALLY WORK???

[feather13]

Do not attract cats to your run. Your cat may be fine but most aren't. A few years back I had 3 get into my coop and they killed 41 out of 42of my layers for sport, one bite was taken out of all the kills.

Sorry if I offend, but I hate, hate, hate stray and feral cats (and stray and feral dogs). They kill millions of wild birds a year and harass our chickens every day. I'm so sorry you had so many chickens killed by cats. Our shelters are full and they spay/neuter and release anyway, so there's not much that can be done about them where we live.

Seconding the coop security suggestions. Our coop and run are totally covered by a shingle roof, corrugated steel roof, and hardware cloth in different areas and covered completely on all sides by chain link covered in hardware cloth. The hardware cloth is held together by wire and plastic zip ties and I check for any gaps almost every day.

Our predators are raccoons, opossums, hawks, dogs and cats. There are coyotes in the area, but they seem satisfied so far with rabbits and stray/backyard dogs and cats. We're looking into electric fences just to be on the safe side and lock up our flock every night after they free range during the day.

 

[WestTNriverrat]

I’ve seen calf’s get tangled and die whether from the electricity or stress who knows. I think if used properly and maintained electrical fences and netting are a valuable tool to anyone trying to keep livestock contained or areas protected from wildlife. Nothing is fool proof. I think the difference in environmental situations and quantity of fencing used is a variable that cannot be overlooked when making the best decision for one’s fencing needs.

We use mostly barbed wire but do have electrical lines running around our hay barns to keep horses and cattle from leaning to hard or testing too much.

 

[Birdsonghill]

A well protected flock lays more eggs and you sleep better,too! I echo your concerns on cats and dogs. The feral and ranging pet cats have eliminated quail from our plentiful and once, near ideal habitats for them. At my mini farm of the last 26 years, I have watched them disappear, from playing and running under my holly bushes and calling from the fencerows and fields all day, to nothing now in years! At the same time I was moving here, a lot of nearby city development began to push the suburbs close to this area. As the human population density raised up, so did the roaming cats and dogs. Dogs have been responsible for killing several thousand dollars worth of my animals over the past 26 years! (sheep and goats) despite good fencing with added electric fences. Cats , however, have been the most devastating to the overall wild environment! Many of our once plentiful birds have disappeared or are greatly reduced, but especially the ones who ground nested or nest/lives in low bushes/brush. The quail in my neighborhood disappeared within a period of two years after two new neighbors,close by, harboring several free ranging cats moved in! I commonly see cats roaming the edges of my property or hunting the creek that runs through or my back paddock. I am sad for the loss of all the birds and the cats, many now feral, who often become food themselves or live hard short lives.

 

[Brown Chick]

I heard a fake hawk in your yard will keep them away. Did not keep them away we had an attempted attack 20 feet from where we were standing. And probably 30 feet from the fake hawk.

 

[Birdsonghill]

I heard a fake hawk in your yard will keep them away. Did not keep them away we had an attempted attack 20 feet from where we were standing. And probably 30 feet from the fake hawk.

Feral cats or worse, domestic pet cats, allowed to roam freely are far too intelligent to be fooled for long by any non animated device. Even then, moving fake owls,hawks,scarecrows or snakes only slightly extend their effectiveness. I put up with them now, because they are living creatures and my neighbors do not understand the danger their pet is in, from other predators or from stock owners! I did live trap a bunch in the past and return them to neighbors who were sometimes maybe bemused? or drop them at the county shelter. But it was a non ending task and made people think I was cruel, instead of themselves! I feel pain in my heart for every stray pet I see! I have owned dozens of rescued animals over my life. But the unfortunate or ignorant pet owners who allow their pets to roam or fail to keep them properly supervised and protected, should not be denouncing people who ask only for responsibility and compassion in regards to all animals. That responsibility and compassion is the duty of the pet owners to animals they harbor or encounter! Do not apologise to people who have unresponsible attitudes about cats or dogs! I love both. But letting your cat roam freely outside is often dangerous for them, and is usually a disaster for the local environment! Everybody, I know like that, says "my Fluffy never kills any birds!" Or "the few birds Fluffy kills, makes no big deal!" They are delusional. They are shallow. They are ? well, not being considerate at the least!

 

[feather13]

The feral and ranging pet cats have eliminated quail from our plentiful and once, near ideal habitats for them. I am sad for the loss of all the birds and the cats, many now feral, who often become food themselves or live hard short lives.

This is just so sad, frustrating, and infuriating. Sorry to hear about the quail in your neighborhood. That's really heartbreaking.

Peter Marra's book, Cat Wars: The Devastating Consequences of a Cuddly Killer, really opened my eyes to the devastation cats cause to wild bird populations (and, here in California, also all kinds of indigenous mammal and lizard species). I've also seen a visible decline in wild bird populations over the past decade, most likely from cats, habitat destruction, avian illnesses, and pollution (poor air quality from the fires here last summer exceeded what is lethal to any living creature).

I grew up in a hunting and trapping family, but never kill wild animals, even the opossums and raccoons that have killed our chickens before we thoroughly secured our coop. But if it were legal, I would have no problem trapping and killing "outdoor" cats.

 

[Birdsonghill]

In Tennessee, despite some local attempts to thwart state law, it is legal to use deadly force to control any pet or feral domestic pet that threatens, harrasses or attacks your livestock. It is not legal to kill most wild animals without respecting the state hunting rules. I do not like killing animals, needlessly or if it can be avoided by any reasonable means. I particularly hate killing a domestic pet animal, because I love and have owned so many great friends. However, Feral cats probably should have a hunting season open year round. But sadly, so many beloved pets would get killed due to people allowing them to roam outside freely(many unfixed!). What a quandary for caring people who respect life!

 

[cmom]

In Tennessee, despite some local attempts to thwart state law, it is legal to use deadly force to control any pet or feral domestic pet that threatens, harrasses or attacks your livestock. It is not legal to kill most wild animals without respecting the state hunting rules. I do not like killing animals, needlessly or if it can be avoided by any reasonable means. I particularly hate killing a domestic pet animal, because I love and have owned so many great friends. However, Feral cats probably should have a hunting season open year round. But sadly, so many beloved pets would get killed due to people allowing them to roam outside freely(many unfixed!). What a quandary for caring people who respect life!

It's the same here in Florida. I'm rural on a dead end road. In the past we have been the recipients of others relocations. We are old people. Some of the neighbors are selling off parcels of their land and people are building new homes. At one time a dirt road ended at our house but eventually got extended and more property being sold. Now the main road which is still a side road was paved. Many of the people around here are elderly and do not need the acreage so they sell off parcels. Out of the blue I get offers from unknown's who want to buy my property, but it's not for sale. I do raise my birds and am getting ready to set up more breeding pens so I have to move birds around. I do selective breeding. I'll hatch out 200/300 chicks knowing around half will be males. I do grow them out and keep the best as my future breeders. Now I sell most of the males I don't want to use for breeding. In years past I did process some but now I can get more by selling the live birds which helps offset the cost of feed. I go through around a half ton a month. I have a butcher down the road and I get my meat from him. My females go into general population coops and pens for their eggs. Come breeding season I pick out the best looking for qualities I want in my birds.I sell my excess eggs. During hatching season I do sell some fertile eggs to people who are looking for my lines of birds. All of my birds are pure (heritage) breeds. They are listed in my signature. I have had many different breeds over the years. Here are a few pictures. Please post some pictures of your setup. Here are some of my champion RIR's and a White Leghorn male, and my outer coops.
One of my male RIR's and a female RIR on champion row waiting to get her picture taken.

 

[The Brick Coop]

7,8,11,13 all work. Ditto on electric netting, I have seen a horse get tangled and fall panicking with the step-in post metal point at her belly like a bayonet ready to go in just as she finally realized she should wait for the people to do something and stopped moving. the power was broke-disconnected by then and I was the only one with a knife to cut her free on that trail ride. She was cut free within 1 minute whew. I do not like the electric nets OR the non-breakable hardly visible single polybraid. Use wide (super-visible) tape and big shock or use non-powered sturdy temporary fence at camp. Do not use any kind of netting around horses at your home property if you are tempted because you want to use it for your chickens too. Horses get loose sometimes and it is too big a hazard to have netting near them.

 

[Birdsonghill]

It's the same here in Florida. I'm rural on a dead end road. In the past we have been the recipients of others relocations. We are old people. Some of the neighbors are selling off parcels of their land and people are building new homes. At one time a dirt road ended at our house but eventually got extended and more property being sold. Now the main road which is still a side road was paved. Many of the people around here are elderly and do not need the acreage so they sell off parcels. Out of the blue I get offers from unknown's who want to buy my property, but it's not for sale. I do raise my birds and am getting ready to set up more breeding pens so I have to move birds around. I do selective breeding. I'll hatch out 200/300 chicks knowing around half will be males. I do grow them out and keep the best as my future breeders. Now I sell most of the males I don't want to use for breeding. In years past I did process some but now I can get more by selling the live birds which helps offset the cost of feed. I go through around a half ton a month. I have a butcher down the road and I get my meat from him. My females go into general population coops and pens for their eggs. Come breeding season I pick out the best looking for qualities I want in my birds.I sell my excess eggs. During hatching season I do sell some fertile eggs to people who are looking for my lines of birds. All of my birds are pure (heritage) breeds. They are listed in my signature. I have had many different breeds over the years. Here are a few pictures. Please post some pictures of your setup. Here are some of my champion RIR's and a White Leghorn male, and my outer coops.
One of my male RIR's and a female RIR on champion row waiting to get her picture taken.
View attachment 2530250View attachment 2530251View attachment 2530253View attachment 2530254View attachment 2530255View attachment 2530257

It's the same here in Florida. I'm rural on a dead end road. In the past we have been the recipients of others relocations. We are old people. Some of the neighbors are selling off parcels of their land and people are building new homes. At one time a dirt road ended at our house but eventually got extended and more property being sold. Now the main road which is still a side road was paved. Many of the people around here are elderly and do not need the acreage so they sell off parcels. Out of the blue I get offers from unknown's who want to buy my property, but it's not for sale. I do raise my birds and am getting ready to set up more breeding pens so I have to move birds around. I do selective breeding. I'll hatch out 200/300 chicks knowing around half will be males. I do grow them out and keep the best as my future breeders. Now I sell most of the males I don't want to use for breeding. In years past I did process some but now I can get more by selling the live birds which helps offset the cost of feed. I go through around a half ton a month. I have a butcher down the road and I get my meat from him. My females go into general population coops and pens for their eggs. Come breeding season I pick out the best looking for qualities I want in my birds.I sell my excess eggs. During hatching season I do sell some fertile eggs to people who are looking for my lines of birds. All of my birds are pure (heritage) breeds. They are listed in my signature. I have had many different breeds over the years. Here are a few pictures. Please post some pictures of your setup. Here are some of my champion RIR's and a White Leghorn male, and my outer coops.
One of my male RIR's and a female RIR on champion row waiting to get her picture taken.
View attachment 2530250View attachment 2530251View attachment 2530253View attachment 2530254View attachment 2530255View attachment 2530257

Beautiful birds! You have an impressive thing going on down there ! Our properties situations are almost identical, about the new growth in the area and old folks selling off and more and more homes! My area now has lots of smaller lots, less than 4 acres. And now nearby subdivisions are popping up only a few miles away. When I moved here I was a smaller than usual property owner and most of my neighbors had between 20 and 600+ acres. Today, most are between 1 and 40 acres with only a few bigger properties left. I have also lost the use of adjacent land because of land subdivision and new owners. I am even on a dead end road, like you! My older coops were dismantled and sold, with my livestock a few years ago. I don't even mow all the old sheep paddocks anymore! Just letting them revert to wild mostly with some short walking/riding paths through and around the perimeter. I am, so uninformed about the new digital technology that I don't have a smartphone, nor do I know how to download pictures from my camera to the internet! I will try and get my grandson to come by and help me do that soon! Maybe , if I pay attention, I can learn how to repeat that myself! But since my short term memory is slipping, I have to use it a bunch or I will forget how, quickly! I guess it is more about what I really want to spend time on now. Thanks for the great photos of your place! I will take photos of the new coop and runs, when the weather gets better and I finish them out ! I do not have any chickens now. My first new birds in several years are set to come in mid May. I am praying for continued good health and being able to keep up with the basic gardening and the renewed chicken rearing, for at least several more years! I hope to see and read more about your chickens and experiences breeding them!