Leghorns -19 weeks to first eggs

[Kiki]

It just sounds to me the same as the circling hawk alarm! I wish I could tune it out but our raptors are horrid this time of year and I am ready to run to them and do triage if needed.

Refresh my mind.
They are free range?
Not in a covered run?

 

[AllenK RGV]

Refresh my mind.
They are free range?
Not in a covered run?

Yes all mine are free rangers, I rarely even close the coop door at night however I have the last 2 nights due to having a bad feeling about the warm night time temps and racoons/possums. They have plenty of cover over the entirety of our yard due to plantings whether orange bushes or other things.

edit----- surely I am doing this entirely wrong! Fortunately my birds haven't paid the price.

 

[Kiki]

Yes all mine are free rangers, I rarely even close the coop door at night however I have the last 2 nights due to having a bad feeling about the warm night time temps and racoons/possums. They have plenty of cover over the entirety of our yard due to plantings whether orange bushes or other things.

edit----- surely I am doing this entirely wrong! Fortunately my birds haven't paid the price.

O man don't tell me this.
You are looking for trouble Mr.
Close that door at night...you are going to walk into a nightmare one morning if you don't.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I really hope you are wrong, but I know how defenseless they are on their roosts. I'll try to be better just when it was cold I never had to stress over the 4 legged predators. Now that we are warming up my pineapple killers will be back and I am sure with a taste for fresh chicken.

 

[Kiki]

I hope I am wrong too but I have read hundreds of posts on here about how "My chickens are safe...we don't have predators where I live...etc.." and they wake up to dead birds every where and wonder how it happened.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I have yet to enjoy a ripe pineapple I have grown myself. The raccoons always get to them before they turn brown and ripe!

 

[AllenK RGV]

I hope I am wrong too but I have read hundreds of posts on here about how "My chickens are safe...we don't have predators where I live...etc.." and they wake up to dead birds every where and wonder how it happened.

I will never wonder as I know how many we have around here. The raptors are the worst, but the 4 legged are the most persistant once in season.

 

[Kiki]

Killers don't just strike at night either ya know....I have seem possums kill in broad day light.
Allen...lock those birds up before they disappear please.
I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight now, knowing this!

 

[Kiki]

I have yet to enjoy a ripe pineapple I have grown myself. The raccoons always get to them before they turn brown and ripe!

Maybe this year you'll get to eat one....once they taste chicken they will forget about the pineapples!

 

[AllenK RGV]

I will never wonder as I know how many we have around here. The raptors are the worst, but the 4 legged are the most persistant once in season.

I can take some solace in my cat he took 3 possums last season. Hopefully, that momma has moved on. This week he only brought me a bunny and a large rat. Regardless he isn't part of my chicken defense plan.