Official BYC Poll: How Do You Protect Your Chickens From Predators?

[cluckmecoop7]

1. hardware cloth
2. covered run
3. coop raised off ground

other small things but those are the main things

 

[cmom]

We are rural. I have electric wires around my coops and pens. Nothing has penetrated. When a predator touches my wires, I want them to know it. I have accidentally touched them and it really hurt. I put a cutoff switch below my fence charger to disconnect the power. I check it every evening when I go out to collect the eggs to make sure it's working. I have heard predators touch the wires and they don't do it again. Most predators first explore with their noses. Here most of the predators roam at night. I think the adults teach their young that a chicken isn't worth getting zapped for. At least 7000 volts will keep most predators away.

 

[Birdsonghill]

I have had coop Knox and no predator losses for 26+ years. (I am building a new small coop/covered run now)Before that I had a long learning curve. Of course I have raised chickens and other livestock in less secured manners in the past, due to size of the herd, flock or the size of the building, money considerations or acreage included! I experienced a lot of different predations over the years, to several different livestock species. The last ones were to sheep and goats about 10 years ago, from mostly large dogs who came right over good tall woven and electric fences. The acreage involved prevented me from doing anymore than I had done! Chicken losses ended when I became a hobby chicken farmer at home and decided to make things as predator resistant as I could afford. I then built safe coops and runs for my small flocks. No losses for going on three decades, makes me happy! I sold off the other livestock due to the predator attacks and a sudden illness a few years ago. Now , I am turning the back three acre paddock into a mini wildlife preserve and just enjoying all the life around me!

 

[PFZ in KC]

We have every predator one can imagine:hawks,owls,bald eagles,bobcats (seen on security camera),raccoons,opossum, foxes(family), neighbor dogs, cats, etc. Although I have never seen a weasel, I've heard you don't see them until they get your chickens. Therefore, I need Fort Knox-type protection. In addition to the hdw cloth (everywhere including perimeter), electric fence, etc., I have installed netting over the entire chicken yard. The run has a roof over it, but this area is in addition to the coop. So far it is all working. I did notice one day that something tried to attack them through the netting. It was suddenly sagging in a straight line from one end of the yard to the other and the chickens were all cowering inside the run. I checked the camera and there was no incident recorded that would explain what happened or what it was. I suspect it was a hawk or fox and my husband said bobcat. I hope we never find out and it has left in discouragement and never returns.

 

[PFZ in KC]

Aviary netting (nylon not plastic) is pretty cost effective. The bigger cost was putting 12ft posts into the ground to keep the net up nice and high.

I agree. I'm pretty sure it saved my chickens at least once this past Fall. I didn't pay a lot for it either.

 

[PFZ in KC]

i have posts for the fencing but how big are the sheets of netting? my run is 175x200’. will snow fall through it or pull it down? do i need posts in the middle?

I got a 50' x 50'. They do make bigger, but I'm not sure how much. Your chickens are very fortunate you have that much space in your run. Yes, snow will fall through it and it is very durable. I did upgrade from zip-ties to hog rings because I heard the zip-ties will deteriorate.

 

[The Brick Coop]

My coop is elevated with a lock on the people door. The chicken door is very heavy I’d say around 20 pounds and very hard to lift from the bottom so we don’t have it locked. The run is just a chain link dog pen with a tarp over the top. No wire under the sidesor anything. We have very few daytime predators so the run is less of a concern. Also all gaps in the sides of the coop have hardware cloth to prevent snakes from coming in.

Aren't you worried about the snakes, young raccoons, weasels, mink, rats, and young skunks that might come through the chain link at night? They come through my chain link but did not until we had chickens for about a year. Our snakes have plenty rodents and do not bother the chickens or their eggs, but the young raccoons and mink can squeeze through whatever their head fits through. We had to add wire to the dog kennel all over and under.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Aren't you worried about the snakes, young raccoons, weasels, mink, rats, and young skunks that might come through the chain link at night? They come through my chain link but did not until we had chickens for about a year. Our snakes have plenty rodents and do not bother the chickens or their eggs, but the young raccoons and mink can squeeze through whatever their head fits through. We had to add wire to the dog kennel all over and under.

They are locked in the coop before it gets dark. I have to go down and let them into the run in the morning.

 

[CLSranch]

Aren't you worried about the snakes, young raccoons, weasels, mink, rats, and young skunks that might come through the chain link at night? They come through my chain link but did not until we had chickens for about a year. Our snakes have plenty rodents and do not bother the chickens or their eggs, but the young raccoons and mink can squeeze through whatever their head fits through. We had to add wire to the dog kennel all over and under.

Always look for snakes. As they can fit through anything and with PLENTY of rodents to eat. They learn a pattern. At my old place they simply liked eating the eggs every night while I was gone. I work on the road. At that time only a week or 2 at a time. A friend took care of them and took the eggs every few days ALWAYS got the same amount of eggs no matter how many days in between visits. When I came home the same number of eggs.
After I wasn't working I found I got that many eggs every day. Then I got more chicks. After they were older I started leaving the brooder box open. Then I started losing chicks. Pondered me for a awhile, wet heads none missing, random dead chicks not in the "coop" of the brooder box. Then locked them up and later found the smaller of the 2 rat snakes I got the next 3 days my profile pic on a 4 month old RIR. The next day or the day after I got a 6 footer on it's way.

 

[CLSranch]

ANY coon, snake, possum, I DON'T CARE predators learn an easy meal. If you ever find a problem start trapping, hunting whatever to get rid of it. Not live trap a coon or possum and let it go 2,3,5 miles down the road. They'll b back tomorrow.