New poster from SW Washington

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Yeppiecup

Yeppiecup

In the Brooder
6 Years
Feb 13, 2013
12
0
22
Vancouver, WA
After moving from a house with a postage stamp size yard to a house on 3/4 acres a few months ago, we decided it was high time to try raising some chickens for egg production. So here we are, joining the growing number of urban chicken owners. Thank God for Google, or I'd be completely lost!

We purchased 4 pullets three days ago, one each of: Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock, Pencil Laced Barred Rock, and an Ameraucana. We have a smallish coop that we plan on expanding out and building a large run off the side of it so they have room to roam. Hopefully that will be done this weekend. My worry right now are raccoons and coyotes, both of which we have seen in our yard on occasion. Any tips on keeping out predators will be welcome!
 
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from California, make sure you use hardware cloth rather than chicken wire especially with the predators you've seen already. Hardware cloth is actually super strong mesh wire. Double and triple check your coop for access points and make sure you lock them in the coop at night! Good luck.
 
Welcome to BYC from California wine country in the Western Sierra Foothills.

I forked out the money to buy several "Nite Eyes" units, which charge during the day and flash two red LEDs all night long. I've got four set up on or near the coop and several more placed on my property's perimeter fence. I tested these when I first got chickens in another location FULL of raccoons which got to my Koi pond every single night. Pond was next to the chicken run back then... The night the first units were set on the run perimeter, no raccoon depredation even in the pond. I swear by 'em, and they work up here where there are larger predators, too.

I've got just under two thirds of an acre. Deer, foxes, 'coons, opossum, and a young bear have all been seen passing by my property. I have to worry about aerial attacks and other daytime predators like stray dogs and the darned next door neighbor's cat because I do let my flock range freely over the whole property.

That cat stays away, now - any time it's seen walking by, the two geese alert and all the ducks quack like mad until it's out of sight. The roosters crow and the younger pullets hunker down in bushes. It has taken to walking on the OTHER side of the street unstead of slinking along the fence line, so fewer hens dash under cover, but they do freeze in place until the roosters call all clear.

You are so gonna love your chickens!
 
Greetings from Kansas, yeppiecup, and
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! Happy you found BYC!! I agree with all three posters above: hardware cloth, a strong coop and Nite Eyes are money and time well spent. And not just for the safety of the chickens, but for the peace of mind you get knowing they are safe outside! Good luck to you and enjoy your flock of four!
 

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