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

[TioBollio]

In 8 years We have never lost a chicken, to predators or anything else.

That is an amazing track record!
In 10 years, I've lost a few to hawks, maybe 5 to raccoons, and a lunatic coyote took half my flock a few years ago.
Most issues (except for the hawks) were my failing to protect them.
The coyote? Sometimes free range can be dangerous.

 

[KnARanch]

I've never thought of some of these things!

 

[The Good Grumble]

Tough chickens, a dog, thick vegetation, and multiple layers of fencing (perimeter and several areas of interior fencing with chicken holes for their free movement). This has solved 99.9% of all predation. They sleep outside in trees and I never worry the slightest bit about any of them

How do you find their eggs?

 

[No Coop No Problem]

How do you find their eggs?

I make nesting boxes for them that they lay their eggs in. If you make a comfortable nest in a convenient, safe, secluded spot they'll probably use it. If not just pick the nest up and try somewhere else

 

[CountryTimeVA]

Predators are one of the greatest fears a chicken farmer has. They can be cunning, fast, and very sneaky. Your chickens will be drawing in predators from the next county over! Well, maybe not that far, however somewhere back in these predators' ancient memories they have eaten wild chickens at some point and will come snooping around for a meal day and night. So keeping them safe from predators should be on every chicken keeper's top priority list.

How Do You Protect Your Chickens From Predators? Place your votes above (you may select more than one)

Feel free to share any other ways you keep your chickens safe in the comments section below.

View attachment 2517029

Further Reading:

Top 10 Chicken Predators
A Checklist To Avoiding Casualties In The Flock
Predators & Pests

(Check out more exciting Official BYC Polls HERE!)

This last year was hard on my flock, we started with 18 hens, 4 ducklings, and one rooster... currently we have 3 hens, 2 ducks, and the same rooster, plus about 20 peeps and 2 guinea cheaps. We've fenced in a quarter acre with 6' 2"x3" fencing with 2.5' chicken wire ground skirting. For over a year this seemed to have fixed all predator problems; except for the aerial kind, but our vigilant rooster keeps them safe from everything but the occasional falcon.
Unfortunately, from mid-May through July something (we think raccoons) took out the flock. We added a security came with an ability to hit an alarm at will and does real time viewing, and motion activated flood lights.
However, we think the two decades old boom box that's serenading the flock 24x7 is really keeping everything away. The station we set it to has a talk show for about 3hrs a day and music plays the rest of the time.
Our four oldest nest high in the trees so I can't lock them up in the coop for safe keeping... we're hoping this will change again come winter.

 

[Molpet]

This last year was hard on my flock, we started with 18 hens, 4 ducklings, and one rooster... currently we have 3 hens, 2 ducks, and the same rooster, plus about 20 peeps and 2 guinea cheaps. We've fenced in a quarter acre with 6' 2"x3" fencing with 2.5' chicken wire ground skirting. For over a year this seemed to have fixed all predator problems; except for the aerial kind, but our vigilant rooster keeps them safe from everything but the occasional falcon.
Unfortunately, from mid-May through July something (we think raccoons) took out the flock. We added a security came with an ability to hit an alarm at will and does real time viewing, and motion activated flood lights.
However, we think the two decades old boom box that's serenading the flock 24x7 is really keeping everything away. The station we set it to has a talk show for about 3hrs a day and music plays the rest of the time.
Our four oldest nest high in the trees so I can't lock them up in the coop for safe keeping... we're hoping this will change again come winter.

Radio worked for awhile. Then the game camera showed fox, coyotes, racoons and opossum.

 

[BDutch]

This last year was hard on my flock, we started with 18 hens, 4 ducklings, and one rooster... currently we have 3 hens, 2 ducks, and the same rooster, plus about 20 peeps and 2 guinea cheaps.

Sorry for all your losses.

We've fenced in a quarter acre with 6'

You need to add another foot and bend it outwards to keep the flock safe from most predators. And keep it free all the way around.

Our four oldest nest high in the trees so I can't lock them up in the coop for safe keeping... we're hoping this will change again come winter.

I had a few who liked to roost in a tree too. Going out with a container with mixed grains every evening, about 1/2 hour before sunset and scatter grains to lure them. I scatter them in a safe run (could be in a coop too) and lock them up for the night. It took me about 4-6 weeks to break the habit.

Now the chickens all come if they hear me clucking the treat song , even during the day. Very handy I want to lock them inside.

 

[Guardihen]

I made my own sky dancer sensor and I haven't had any attacks since it was installed 9 months ago. It senses the motion above and turns it on for 30 seconds. Anyone else use a sky dancers? Thoughts on this method?

 

[BDutch]

I made my own sky dancer sensor and I haven't had any attacks since it was installed 9 months ago. It senses the motion above and turns it on for 30 seconds. Anyone else use a sky dancers? Thoughts on this method?View attachment 4218492

Its not just a sky dancer. It’s an eagle!