CorvusFarm
Songster
I was active here years ago when I first started raising chickens. Since then, I have moved from a hobby farmer with a handful of pet hens to a full-time farmer on a certified-organic farm. In addition to the market garden, I raise chickens, ducks, and rabbits. My first foray into farming was in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. And I dealt with bobcat, mountain lions, foxes, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, dogs, hawks, and owls.
In my new location, my predator issue is heavily tilted toward coyote, birds of prey, and bobcat.
As I've read through the forums tonight, I've seen more than a few "shoot, shovel, shut up" advocates pushing for the elimination of predators. While I understand the emotional response to protecting our beloved feathered families, I also believe in not killing predators outright as a general rule. So here is what I've encountered.
For both rabbits and poultry, the bobcat proved the hardest to deal with. They were the most agile and most determined. They also didn't care when I would pursue them. And they'd return faster than other predators.
Coyotes were constant threats. I lost several birds to coyotes, who primarily took targets of opportunity.
Skunks focused on uncollected eggs and generally left my birds alone.
Mountain lions bypassed my chickens for larger prey, like deer and goats.
Moving to a new farm and building from scratch, I've been able to plan things differently.
1. I have a 2400-square-foot run enclosed with a 10-foot deer fence from 3' to 10', and hardware cloth from 3' to the ground. The coop is inside the run, and is 1200 cubic feet of space. The coop has a locked latch, as does the gate to the run.
2. I have a skirt along the outside of the run out to 3 feet. This skirt also is hardware cloth, and is attached to a 2x4 kick board along the bottom of the fence and staked down.
3. Feed and water are kept away from the fence perimeter, so nothing is on the fenceline where a raccoon can reach in and grab them.
4. I have a combination of classic, heavy breeds and flightier types that enjoy free ranging. The ducks are a great warning system and are vocal about threats.
5. The coop and run are about 100 yards from my house, and I can see everything from my porch.
6. I have barn owls nesting right at the corner of the run.
So, coyotes frequent the run and test my perimeter. I've scared these off when I see them. But I also am active in the run. My morning routine includes walking the property, checking each hen, evaluating the fence integrity, etc. I have also included hides and shelters in the run, as hawks generally dislike landing in an enclosed space (a 10'-tall fence is a deterrent, even without a top).
My total cost for this run was under $5k. I know that is a lot of money, but the birds and rabbits are my responsibility and my livelihood. Rather than blaming the predators for going after an easy meal, I made my chickens and rabbits a very difficult one. The rats in the apple orchard are easier. And that is a win-win.
I am sure I will lose more birds to predators in the future, and I will learn from it. I hope others will feel inclined to share their experiences and success stories here, as well as sharing tips and suggestions.
Good luck!
In my new location, my predator issue is heavily tilted toward coyote, birds of prey, and bobcat.
As I've read through the forums tonight, I've seen more than a few "shoot, shovel, shut up" advocates pushing for the elimination of predators. While I understand the emotional response to protecting our beloved feathered families, I also believe in not killing predators outright as a general rule. So here is what I've encountered.
For both rabbits and poultry, the bobcat proved the hardest to deal with. They were the most agile and most determined. They also didn't care when I would pursue them. And they'd return faster than other predators.
Coyotes were constant threats. I lost several birds to coyotes, who primarily took targets of opportunity.
Skunks focused on uncollected eggs and generally left my birds alone.
Mountain lions bypassed my chickens for larger prey, like deer and goats.
Moving to a new farm and building from scratch, I've been able to plan things differently.
1. I have a 2400-square-foot run enclosed with a 10-foot deer fence from 3' to 10', and hardware cloth from 3' to the ground. The coop is inside the run, and is 1200 cubic feet of space. The coop has a locked latch, as does the gate to the run.
2. I have a skirt along the outside of the run out to 3 feet. This skirt also is hardware cloth, and is attached to a 2x4 kick board along the bottom of the fence and staked down.
3. Feed and water are kept away from the fence perimeter, so nothing is on the fenceline where a raccoon can reach in and grab them.
4. I have a combination of classic, heavy breeds and flightier types that enjoy free ranging. The ducks are a great warning system and are vocal about threats.
5. The coop and run are about 100 yards from my house, and I can see everything from my porch.
6. I have barn owls nesting right at the corner of the run.
So, coyotes frequent the run and test my perimeter. I've scared these off when I see them. But I also am active in the run. My morning routine includes walking the property, checking each hen, evaluating the fence integrity, etc. I have also included hides and shelters in the run, as hawks generally dislike landing in an enclosed space (a 10'-tall fence is a deterrent, even without a top).
My total cost for this run was under $5k. I know that is a lot of money, but the birds and rabbits are my responsibility and my livelihood. Rather than blaming the predators for going after an easy meal, I made my chickens and rabbits a very difficult one. The rats in the apple orchard are easier. And that is a win-win.
I am sure I will lose more birds to predators in the future, and I will learn from it. I hope others will feel inclined to share their experiences and success stories here, as well as sharing tips and suggestions.
Good luck!
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