Need some opinions...

[georgialee]

I'm trying to decide whether or not it's worth the risk to put my chickens on my land which is several miles down the road. We already have horses there surrounded by a 3 string electric fence, but no other animals (or humans). Problem is that our land is on the backside of a ridge... and there's no houses, etc. for several miles on the other side which means there are predators galore. I know for a fact we have fox, coyotes, lots of racoons and maybe even a badger (plus some dogs and cats that run loose from time to time). I'm worried that despite the precautions I would take in building a coop and run that eventually something would happen. Most likely the coop would be built right next to the barn, using the side of the barn as one of the walls (inside the electric fence).

Right now our chickens are in our backyard on 1/3 of an acre in the middle of a subdivision. I'm planning on starting to breed so I'm not sure the neighbors would appreciate multiple roosters, lol!

Any opinions or thoughts?

 

[mdbokc]

Multiple roosters? You have no choice as I see it. You will have to have a Ft Knox run and coop with no people around.

 

[CMV]

The money you would have to put into a coop and run making it safe enough would eat up any profits you intend to make. Horses surrounding the coop would be a deterrent to some predators, but not all. I fear you may be setting yourself up for failure. That's just my two cents, so feel free to ignore me.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
Any opinions? hah...... I gots lot. Yes, you should move/place your chickens on a larger area for them to roam etc. Yes you will get predation-----grin and bear it, make reasonable precautions and hatch enough each year to allow for losses. Eventually something will happen, thats life and nature,

 

[charlieschickens]

I know this is going to seem like a random suggestion, but get a llama to run with the horses. Llamas make great guard animals and will quickly put an end to a fox or coyote.

 

[georgialee]

Thanks guys! That's just what I needed. Still need to figure out what I'm gonna do but y'all gave me some good ideas.

 

[Ozark Chicken]

I suspect llama's are good gaurd animals. In my personal experience donkeys are most amazing predator terminators around. We have routinely watched ours stalk coyotes and foxes then with great malice and possibly glee stomp them to smitherens. Early in april we saw him run down a yoddle dog with a good 100 yd head start. That yote never had a chance. Contrary to popular belief donkeys dont just bray at intruders, they kill them and that includes coons and skunks and possums.

 

[dieselgrl48]

I've heard llamas are good.I dont have anything on 4 legs now unless you count my AWOL pygmy goat.He free range's between my 2 neighbor's cow and horse field's now.Hmmm some help he was!I have about 2 acre's that We really don't use and its hillside and a lot of critters come in there.Most of my coops are close to house cept big one on hill and we just fixed up there so hoping to keep the coon's fox and coyote out of there at least.Racoon repllelant is like $35 for 5lb

. Hmmm how much that be for 5 acres? I will keep setting my live trap and .....

. I need some stupid setup like that crazy guy on that movie that ran the rats off with a sonic device baaaaaa.