living in the city, what predators do you deal with?

[Graphite91]

I have 2 1/2 acres in a pretty suburban area, my property was once one of the only properties in my area, before the town moved closer, surrounding it. We are a little farm island in the middle of a city! My property is between a fairly busy road and a pallet factory. Red foxes, raccoons, and cats live in the factory (basically a million wood pallets stacked twenty five feet tall filling up an acre of space.) I have also seen hawks pick up mice out of our fields. I want to free range my chickens, but I am scared of the predators (and the cars).

 

[zazouse]

I have 2 1/2 acres in a pretty suburban area, my property was once one of the only properties in my area, before the town moved closer, surrounding it. We are a little farm island in the middle of a city! My property is between a fairly busy road and a pallet factory. Red foxes, raccoons, and cats live in the factory (basically a million wood pallets stacked twenty five feet tall filling up an acre of space.) I have also seen hawks pick up mice out of our fields. I want to free range my chickens, but I am scared of the predators (and the cars).

I would be scared to let them out also, sometimes things just are not safe.

 

[subhanalah]

I've never seen a skunk or raccoon around here, but I've SMELLED lots of skunks even right around my house.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I am in the country, but i have friends that have had issues w/ all the predators I have out here.. skunks, raccoons, opossums, ..

 

[Jo Anne]

Hello!! i live in the city, a few blocks down from a park on one side, and a few blocks away from a busy road on the other side. I have a garden and a fenced in backyard, and i have been trying to be observant of possible predators in my neighborhood.
my yard is pretty much concealed so i only see the occassional squirrel or small bird.... and when i'm driving through my neighborhood i see a few cats, but none near my house.

... if anyone lives in a neighborhood or in the city i was wondering what predators you deal with??
I really don't want to put a roof/top fencing on my run but if other people in similar areas as mine i surely will. my chicks are in the brooder now but i'll need to have my yard ready in a few weeks to let them loose!

Any tips or stories about your experience in a city/close neighborhood please let me know!
and, i'm in Florence, SC
Thanks!

Hello Tincher I live in the city limits. I am raising 3 laying hens, lost one last year. I don't recall having any issues last summer which was my first year. BUT last night my lab dog was making small barking noises every so often, it was only when I heard my chickens cry - mind you this was around 1 am - I ran outside, if you notice we have a chicken tractor well one of the sides was down and 2 racoons were staring at me from the tree ! ugh! I cried out thinking they had gotten my girls. But they had taken refuge and got away. I quickly grab them up and put them in the house, I had more trouble keeping my 4 mth lab away from them and me cuz I fell backwards still holding my hens. oh what a night. Today I am going to price an electric fence. and secure the foods.
I really hate racoons, although when in South Carolina one of my co-workers hit one on the way to work and we cooked it lol I really don't want to do that this time. And we can't shoot them in the city either.

 

[subhanalah]

 

Hello Tincher I live in the city limits. I am raising 3 laying hens, lost one last year. I don't recall having any issues last summer which was my first year. BUT last night my lab dog was making small barking noises every so often, it was only when I heard my chickens cry - mind you this was around 1 am - I ran outside, if you notice we have a chicken tractor well one of the sides was down and 2 racoons were staring at me from the tree ! ugh! I cried out thinking they had gotten my girls. But they had taken refuge and got away. I quickly grab them up and put them in the house, I had more trouble keeping my 4 mth lab away from them and me cuz I fell backwards still holding my hens. oh what a night. Today I am going to price an electric fence. and secure the foods.
I really hate racoons, although when in South Carolina one of my co-workers hit one on the way to work and we cooked it lol I really don't want to do that this time. And we can't shoot them in the city either.

you can buy live traps at many feed stores. Then you can cook them up and eat them.

 

[superdeluxe]

A couple of cats harass our girls. There are raccoons, skunks and possums around but not around during the day. Day time hawks are a concern but we have crows that harass them and caw really loud, it's like a early warning system.

 

[SusanPC]

I live in a suburban area with a 6' privacy fence and my chicks have only been in their coop for 2 weeks. I have already smelled skunk one early morning and have already had hawks circling close when the girls were out in the backyard with me. I only let them out of their run when we are outside. I'm even afraid to run inside for a second to grab something. I've heard too many stories of hawks swooping down. Maybe when my girls are bigger (they're only 6 weeks now), I'll feel safer, but it only takes one moment for regret.

Although hawks are my biggest fear, I know that we will eventually get visits from raccoons, possums, skunks, rats, mice, and snakes. Therefore, we tried to anticipate and predator-proof our coop as much as possible. Attached run is hardware cloth all around and all latches have "dog-leash" type clips on the latches. Girls are locked up in coop overnight, even with secure run.