Nite Guard update

[yinepu]

I got my lights from Amazon the other day. So far this year we have lost over 30 ducks and chickens (and 1 guinea) to predators.
I know some people swear by them.. and some people say they are junk.. but this is what we have experienced so far.
We had a predator issue as recent as this week.. so it's not like they were here and just moved on. Mom Fox has gotten one bird a night just about every night.. and the raccoons thought my younger birds were a buffet.
The new coop isn't done yet.. so a lot of the free range birds were at risk.
I only ordered 4 lights since I knew that was the minimum for the area I needed to protect. I also researched the locations and knew how high they needed to be set off the ground for coons and foxes.
The lights arrived on Tuesday the 28th. I set them up right after they came.
Now I have been "going out on patrol" off and on every night.. so I have seen the predators.. they have seen me.. they were not impressed (even our deer will spend hours people watching for fun).
Between Tuesday night and Wednesday night of last week we lost 13 chicks (6 week old birds)
Thursday night had coons biting the toes off some orpington chicks through hardware cloth .. and a fox (i believe) got our guinea
Friday through Monday we lost a bird every night to predators
Tuesday the lights arrived and so did the new live traps... lights were set up and so were the traps
Tuesday night 0 losses.. 0 critters in the traps (though we had a lot more deer in the yard checking out the lights.. 8 instead of our normal 4.. guess they thought those low to the ground flashing red lights were kinda cool)
Wednesday night 0 losses.. 0 critters in the traps (didnt see any deer last night.. I guess the novelty wore off)

Now maybe it was a fluke.. or maybe they do work.. but either way I am not going to complain.. 0 losses works for me regardless of the "why"
I will continue to set out the traps every night with fresh bait and every few weeks I will move the lights around to see if it makes a difference.

 

[reereechickens]

Keep us updated on these!

 

[yinepu]

I will..
to be honest the first night I went out and looked at the tiny red lights..and I thought to myself that there was no way they would do any good.. I wasn't impressed... but the next morning everyone was accounted for.. so I thought MAYBE it was a fluke.. then last night no losses again.. so for now I am happy with the results.. but I will continue to use the live traps and monitor the situation.. I know animals can "get used" to things.. so I'll see if they get used to the nite guard lights or if they are going to continue to avoid the areas where I have them set up

 

[La Mike]

The best night guard is a Pyrenees or a 22. I have had critters caught on cam looking at the light and going right along with its business.
Hope they keep working for you

Sounds like your trying hard

 

[gale65]

Quote:
But with the 22 you need a person as well and most are probably not wanting to sit out all night with a 22 on their lap. lol

 

[Dennq]

The predators will get used to them and will be back to killing soon.

Move the lights around every few days. It will help

 

[kcfuerst]

We have hawks, coons, possums and skunks where I live on a regular basis. Before I got chickens four years ago, I trapped a lot of coons, ferral cats, and possums. I put up the night guards three years ago and have seen no signs of predators at all. In fact, I had a giant beaver trying to knock down a mature cherry plum tree (my property abutts a large year round creek), so I put on right on the base of the tree about beaver eye level. No sign of him either.l

I am a believer.

 

[La Mike]

Quote:
But with the 22 you need a person as well and most are probably not wanting to sit out all night with a 22 on their lap. lol

Thats where the Pyrenees comes in she tells on

everything

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
I have both.. unfortunately my Pyr can't patrol all of the property since some of it isn't fenced. Now if I could teach her to use the 22 things would be perfect!

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
That's pretty much my plan. We are way out in the country.. so the critters aren't used to flashing lights like they might be in the city. But I also know that after a while they can get used to pretty much anything.. so I do intend to mix things up on them every few weeks. When I installed the lights I only wired them to the stakes.. so I have multiple stakes set up(and can add more) which will make moving the lights a lot easier.