Predator deterrent cheap and easy

[DIMBY]

Hello, reading the posts about predator protection, my two neighbors might have some good ideas. We have coyotes, foxes, coons and maybe even ferrets to contend with. These may seem drastic and judgement needs to be used as to the "corridor" width you'll need and used in areas where your chickens (or other pets) aren't roaming about.

One neighbor uses a 4-foot-wide corridor of broken glass, large, sharp chunks, around her run - obviously the outer portions where she -- or the chickens - do not need access. She swears by this and I can see why it would work. She has 38 or so chickens and hasn't lost one to a predator in years. She admits this may be harsh on the neighborhood cats....

Another neighbor's solution is similar but perhaps not as drastic. She combs yard sales, Goodwill, Salvation Army for metal forks. Then she pushes the handles into the dirt, leaving the tines sticking straight up, spaced about 1" apart. Her forest of forks is about 2 feet wide. Looks odd, but who cares? This works well for her garden, too.

 

[horsejody]

The only problem is that it would make it hard for people or pets to walk around too, and impossible to mow.

 

[possumqueen]

I'd really like to see the fork forest! Any pics?

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

That would be an accident waiting to happen for me and my husband. We would surely be found at some point impaled on those forks, half-eaten by the predators we were trying to deter.

 

[CMV]

Quote:

 

[twentynine]

Two words---- electric fence. Safer and looks better. And I dare say more effective. Ain't nobody around gonna tell me a junk yard gansta racoon would be the least little bit deterred by a few broken bottles and the tines opf a garden rake sticking out of the ground.
Besides that, I can take an occassional hit from a juicetricity fence. Falling down on all that broken glass and fork tines, that's a trip to the hospital, stitches and tetanus shot.
Just picture a child walking up to look at the chickens, not me I don't want to be responsible for that even if the kid didn't belong there. Same kid bumps an electric fence, it will sting him, scare the sweat bejezers out of him, but no scars and no permanent damage done.
I've seen a plain old dumb house cat equipped with a bell on his collar, learn how to stalk a bird without the bell ringing. A house cat would be able to navigate the broken glass with little trouble. Your neighbor hasn't lost a bird because of her fool proof deterants. She ain't lost a bird yet because the coons and coyotes ain't been hungry enough. I could very easily see a coon thread his way through those obsticles without the loss of a hair.

 

[DIMBY]

Please read my original post:
"These may seem drastic and judgement needs to be used as to the "corridor" width you'll need and used in areas where your chickens (or other pets) aren't roaming about."

I did not imply or state that these ideas will work for all, or for every area. I simply wanted to pass on the success others have had, in the hope that perhaps a few of you might be able to use these ideas or adapt your own.

 

[keystonepaul]

it is thinking out of the box- Keystonepaul

 

[DIMBY]

I guess that's what I was suggesting - think outside of the box. Reading the posts for the last six months, folks have a justified concern about these varmints.

Many of us live in 'no-shoot' urban areas (actually, a good part of my county has designated no-shooting zones) so taking the rifle out in the middle of the night is not allowed and strictly enforced.

Some years ago, I tried an electric fence to keep a fence-jumping dog in, but tree and shrub branches shorted it out and so it did not work. An electric fence will work well in an area that is clear of most vegetation.

I suspect that urban chickeneers may need to look at several resources and solutions, there may not be a 'one size fits all' idea that will work. For myself, the broken glass idea won't work since I need good access all around my run. However, I am looking at the fork idea for one area in the corner outisde my chain link fence that may be vulnerable and where human access isn't required.

 

[twentynine]

If you don't maintain any fence it ain't gonna work, electric is no different.
No shoot. Got to be awake to shoot, very few people would be awake and alert everynight. So that doesn't mean much.
What I am telling you-- with out a doubt in my mind. Fork tines and broken glass is a minimal deterant at best. At worst it would be none to a truly determined predator. A coon, snake, possum, coyote, could penetrate such a barrier at will.