My little Daisy hen was taken last night :-(

[Scoutinspace]

An apron shoud be attached to the coop and be buried a foot or more .Some extend it out from the coops perimeter about a foot or so(instead of burying it.Landscape staples attachs it to the ground to keep them from going under it or lifting it up.

Great idea - thank you! I will def do that. As for tonight and protecting my other hens and rooster - Im quite nervous.

 

[McChooky]

Great idea - thank you! I will def do that. As for tonight and protecting my other hens and rooster - Im quite nervous.

It's 1 o'clock in the morning but if by any chance you're wide awake and a wreck from worrying go in your kitchen cabinet and grab all the hot red pepper powder & cayenne pepper powder and spread it all around the bottom of the coop & run. If it tries to tunnel under the coop it'll get hot pepper all over its face & mouth & paws .

 

[Scoutinspace]

It's 1 o'clock in the morning but if by any chance you're wide awake and a wreck from worrying go in your kitchen cabinet and grab all the hot red pepper powder & cayenne pepper powder and spread it all around the bottom of the coop & run. If it tries to tunnel under the coop it'll get hot pepper all over its face & mouth & paws .

This is genius and I will totally do this tonight! Last night, I kept the lights on and tried to secure the coop more. Tonight--> peppers!

 

[Silkiesaz]

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Im so sorry that happened to your hen, too! Its so sad. we do have coyotes - thats a good point that it might be one. There was no blood, foot prints, etc..only feathers leaving a trail. Im worried about tonight!

When I found it it was a scattered path of feathers up to a little pile. No blood no tracks no noise from my flock. Just no hen. I walked back in the woods behind my house multiple times a day and the coyote never leaves the woodline now.

 

[McChooky]

I've got raised beds around my run(connected to the coop)The only problem is sometimes diggers dig up my plants.I usually spread cayenne peppers around to discourage the diggers.Most of my beds have hardware cloth under them to keep pests out of my garden and out of the chicken runs.A bird has made a nest in my grape vine making it difficult to spray them.I use neem oil so it won't hurt them but I don't want to get the baby birds wet.(edit: I spray neem oil to discourage black rot on my grapes)