Mountain Lions in CO

[Chick-n-Colorado]

I don't have any chickens yet, but have already built a 6'x12' run out of chain link fencing topping it with same right behind our house. We have wire fencing underneath. We have almost all of the predators on the chicken predator list in our neighborhood, including mountain lions, plus bears. I currently have 2 dogs: 100 lb Akita & 24 lb Nordic Spitz. Last week, the smaller dog got attacked by a pair of mountain lions near dusk. Luckily he survived with only whiplash & some puncture marks, & my husband was able to scare the lions off with a gun before they attacked the Akita. However, I am now concerned that if I have both chickens and dogs, that the lions will think I have an open buffet. Can any of you give me advice? I want to keep my dogs & add some chickens. Can I safely do it?

 

[wilds of pa]

well i would certainly put some elec fence or wire around the chicken run house etc. As for the dogs i would supervise there outdoor activity..

other than that check to see if the mtn cats are protected by your state and see what can be done about it..or call your local game comission and tell them about it and see what they would sugg...

Charlie

 

[Zookeeper9000]

Well I would apply the 3 S's

shoot it
shovel it and
shut up about it

You could try the red tape first

 

[gila_dog]

Where I live the predator problem is similar to yours, except we also have wolves. I keep my goats and chickens in a strong, high pen, and hope for the best. Lions that kill local pets and livestock get hunted down, here. My next door neighbor is the local lion hunter that people call on when necessary. I'm kinda counting on his hounds smelling any lions, bears, etc messing around the neighborhood and raising hell, hopefully scaring the predator off, but also alertiing us that there are bad guys around. Good luck to both of us.

Oh, by the way, a guy was killed and eaten by a mountain lion in SW New Mexico a month ago. But some idiot in the guy's neighborhood had been feeding the lion. I guess he liked seeing it hanging around. Of course it lost its fear of humans, and then found out how easy the are to catch and kill.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I would definately look into an electric fence. If it can keep bears out, it'll keep mountain lions out.

-Kim