Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[eggoland]

THANKS!! I'll look into to the hot wire & burner. One or two strands? Will this hurt the horses or my dogs? They aren't any danger to the chickens, they just like to watch them.

 

[Opa]

I would use two strands. One about 8" and the 2nd at about 24". It's not going to hurt your animals but once they've hit they will definitely avoid it.

 

[hennyandpenny]

i change my vote to dog i just lost 6-8 birds to a dog or two i am definitly investing in electric fencing

 

[fowlrus]

Dog wipe out my whole flock couple years back 190+ chicken, duck, geese... I came home from work one afternoon, the whole yard was like killing field, dead bodies every where. Only thing left standing was a pitbull with a bloody face. I ran inside the house and grab my shootgun, end of the story.

 

[Gresh]

Dogs are the worst predator I know of because some animal rights activist or misinformed neighbor could have your head for picking a dog off

I also despise dogs, so that sways my vote

Coons would definitely be second because of their brutality and extreme intelligence.

 

[fowlrus]

I second that.

 

[mayc]

i,m scottish member here badger worst (fully protected), then fox, the feral / wild cat, then pine marten

 

[frank53061]

I have in the last 2 days have lost 7 laying hens to what I think is a Raccoon 4 the first night and then 3 more sac um to serious injury's.
I hope that we don't loose any more.
In the picture below you will see at the very right end a wooden box the hen on top of the box about 5 feet off the ground is were the possible Raccoon tore its way threw the chicken wire making a hole about a 18 inches across.
Its probably my fault in the past we had gone out every night and made sure all the chickens were secured in that wooden box for the night then let out each morning.
The favorite place to roost was on top of that box so we started just securing the coop and let them stay on top of that wooden box during the worm months.
I have 2 roosters and 5 hens left other than 8 chics in another area secure.

 

[IslandChiks]

Never lost a bird to predators. I lost a Turkey that wandered onto the highway and got run over.

 

[Toyman Tim]

Out of the nine we have lost over the past three years only one did we find evidence of a predator. I found paw prints from a yote and a pile of feathers. All the other chickens disappeared without a trace. We have Bald Eagles, Hawks and Turkey Vultures and I have seen all of them in the trees around the house. I am guessing they are responsible for the other missing chickens.

The good part is that since our roo has been around we have not lost anymore.