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

[Molpet]

This was my joke.
But there is also truth in dogs being predators. My mother had a dog coming into her chicken run twice And I heard of many more cases that dogs attack chickens. Even the chickens of the same boss/ they should protect.

LOL
Yes I read one time that dogs were the biggest chicken killer in urban areas.

 

[Cryss]

New neighbor started raising chickens free ranging them. He got a new puppy, not a small one, thinking of it protecting the chickens. When the wife got home she went out to see her chickens and saw a pile of dirt. The dog had buried the chicken. Alive.

 

[Cold-Blood]

New neighbor started raising chickens free ranging them. He got a new puppy, not a small one, thinking of it protecting the chickens. When the wife got home she went out to see her chickens and saw a pile of dirt. The dog had buried the chicken. Alive.

Oh no, did it survive? Or was it smothered?

 

[Cryss]

Oh no, did it survive? Or was it smothered?

She actually survived! They recuperated her in their home. And the dog is actually becoming a good guard dog. Chickens aren’t allowed to free range without supervision anymore though.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I have a secure run and coop but instead of cement floor I made a base with a wood frame and then hardware cloth floor the coop and run sits on the wood and I cover the hardware cloth with sod or sand. They don't get locked in the coop at night but will go in by themselves at 7:45 each night the rooster makes sure of that. They never free-range as we have countless preditor in our area

 

[FatherofChickens]

After three years of chickens, I've learned it's rough out there for a chicken. Mine are free range on a little hill top, deep in the woods and fields of rural MS. Coyotes bobcats hawks racoons possums skunks snakes rats cats wild dogs owls fox windegos you name it.

Here's my two cents on predators -

1. Get an automatic coop door
2. Keep a friendly rooster with long spurs who's not friendly to predators
3. Keep food and water stored securely where other critters won't be attracted to it
4. Don't be afraid to pepper coyotes and other wild chicken-eating-critters with a shotgun. Use bird shot at long ranges to pepper them and scare them off, firecrackers and bottle rockets work too
5. Keep yard overgrown with bushes in spots, cover, where birds rest in shade and can hide;
6. Keep yard trimmed enough to spot predators moving in from a distance - separate woods from coop with lawn
7. Walk at night around coop, around yard, do a head count.
8. Find a couple of stray pups and train them up to be bird guardians - Mine watch flock during day and walk with me at night. They've been known to chase off coons and possums.

Old school pro tip - Getcha a 5 gallon bucket and pee in it for a few weeks, get it good and rancid - then dip you some rags in there and hang them all over the place in and round the coop, outside, downwind, upwind - get the coop and predator entrance areas smelling real musky and those critters get nervous when they get a good whiff and get too close. They're like oh crap its the dude with the shotgun. Critters understand smells - its their language. My bird dogs even started marking the coop and the surrounding area strategically. Scent defense bro.

Make peace with the crows. My local crows are cool with me and the flock and hang around- welcome to the corn, and they watch for hawk and call in the calvary when he shows. King Hawk. I've seen him. Rescued grandma chicken from the clutches of his talons before. Literally, with a broom. Crows were going nuts , almost like a crow tornado, I'm charging with a broom bellowing like a savage, jump King Hawk, crows rode in like dive bombers swooped in and chased him away across the field, musta been a dozen crows and more on the way. King Hawk is gigantic, like a six foot wing span. I wouldn't believe it either unless I seen it myself.

Amen brother. Give your birds a good happy life - don't beat yourself up when something happens

 

[Dakota8472]

I'm so far only dealing with chip munks eating their food. there are 2 or 3 feral cats i chase out of the maintenance yard and let my dog harass, they see me managing the chickens so i think they know if they touch them they will be removed or taken out lol. I have soncidered catch caging them and dropping them off at a shelter or something. but my light brahma and male silkie give all the wild life shit now.

 

[Dakota8472]

After three years of chickens, I've learned it's rough out there for a chicken. Mine are free range on a little hill top, deep in the woods and fields of rural MS. Coyotes bobcats hawks racoons possums skunks snakes rats cats wild dogs owls fox windegos you name it.

Here's my two cents on predators -

1. Get an automatic coop door
2. Keep a friendly rooster with long spurs who's not friendly to predators
3. Keep food and water stored securely where other critters won't be attracted to it
4. Don't be afraid to pepper coyotes and other wild chicken-eating-critters with a shotgun. Use bird shot at long ranges to pepper them and scare them off, firecrackers and bottle rockets work too
5. Keep yard overgrown with bushes in spots, cover, where birds rest in shade and can hide;
6. Keep yard trimmed enough to spot predators moving in from a distance - separate woods from coop with lawn
7. Walk at night around coop, around yard, do a head count.
8. Find a couple of stray pups and train them up to be bird guardians - Mine watch flock during day and walk with me at night. They've been known to chase off coons and possums.

Old school pro tip - Getcha a 5 gallon bucket and pee in it for a few weeks, get it good and rancid - then dip you some rags in there and hang them all over the place in and round the coop, outside, downwind, upwind - get the coop and predator entrance areas smelling real musky and those critters get nervous when they get a good whiff and get too close. They're like oh crap its the dude with the shotgun. Critters understand smells - its their language. My bird dogs even started marking the coop and the surrounding area strategically. Scent defense bro.

Make peace with the crows. My local crows are cool with me and the flock and hang around- welcome to the corn, and they watch for hawk and call in the calvary when he shows. King Hawk. I've seen him. Rescued grandma chicken from the clutches of his talons before. Literally, with a broom. Crows were going nuts , almost like a crow tornado, I'm charging with a broom bellowing like a savage, jump King Hawk, crows rode in like dive bombers swooped in and chased him away across the field, musta been a dozen crows and more on the way. King Hawk is gigantic, like a six foot wing span. I wouldn't believe it either unless I seen it myself.

Amen brother. Give your birds a good happy life - don't beat yourself up when something happens

i always beg my dog to pee and poop near the chickens lol.

 

[pctechtx]

how can you make nest boxes the chickens can use during the day that will prevent snakes from accessing them?

 

[Dakota8472]

how can you make nest boxes the chickens can use during the day that will prevent snakes from accessing them?

tis a good question, snakes are quiet the slinking climby things. I think id like to hear any opinions on this question as well. Mine havent began laying yet, but i know this may be an issue down the road.