We have 10 acres, probably a little more than 1/2 is pasture and the rest is wooded. The funny thing is that on this property our land backs up to another parcel about the same size on the road that runs parallel to ours. In the old property we had 8 acres, most of it wooded, which backed up to 100(ish) acres of protected tree growth. There we lost maybe 2 chickens to predators, once a hawk and another I to something smaller. Here we have lost several to hawks and now this tonight. We free range our birds during the day and I close them up at night. I don't usually close them up until 7 or so each evening. Clearly that wont work for us anymore. I really dont want to pen them up, but if thats the only way to keep them safe then I absolutely will. I have always liked the idea of having a guard animal of some sort, I just have no experience with that sort of thing. Up until the chickens, every animal I have ever kept has been for companionship only. Someday, when I finally get my husband to give in, I would like to have a few alpacas and a guard llama for them....but thats a whole other story. Right now I am seriously mulling over the idea of adding a LGD of some sort, even if just for the simple fact that we all play out there and something dragged off my roo that was the same size as my youngest daughter. That worries me.
to be honest, we had a budgie when I was a kid (I know they are a far cry from large parrots) and that was my only experience with birds. I never thought I would like them around after that. Now, having had my chickens I can totally understand how one would become attached to such a long time companion!
