Predator help

[bobbi-j]

did you figure the cost for 164 feet to compare exactly? The life of a wire fence would far surpass poultry netting.

No, I did not compare. We haven't bought wire for a few years, but I'm willing to bet a roll of fence wire is less expensive than a roll of poultry netting of the same length. The wire fence we had around our horse pasture was up for several years. We'd get a deer that would tear it down now and again, but otherwise it had a good, long life.

OK, so I did just find one price for electric fencing. One of the links you had for poultry netting was $179 for 164' of netting. Here is one price I found for a roll of electric poly tape: http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/powerfields-premium-standard-electric-polytape/0000000046713

 

[jeanetteiacovon]

Not going to poison but how about this idea??? I do have a very large cage that I can move the girls to at night while they are sleeping. It is 6 feet high by 4feet wide by 3feet deep. I would put it on my screened porch and put my 8hens in it only at night. If I leave the coop open and let them play for a few month in it at night maybe they will not view it as a food source. Any thoughts???? I https://www.instagram.com/p/BISLM0sD_ei/am going on 7nights no sleep with 2 to 3 hours after dawn so my thinking is a bit fuzzy. I am just trying to coexist. You know live and let live if that is possible. One more questions do you think the girls would be safe if I pad locked the door, spacing is 1/2 inch by 1 inch. Thank much ps I checked out the electric fence and I am on disability and would cost at least a few months of checks and the wire is also expensive for me at this time. But thank you for giving me the info

 

[loswickers]

i think its dog

 

[pennyJo1960]

Not going to poison but how about this idea??? I do have a very large cage that I can move the girls to at night while they are sleeping. It is 6 feet high by 4feet wide by 3feet deep. I would put it on my screened porch and put my 8hens in it only at night. If I leave the coop open and let them play for a few month in it at night maybe they will not view it as a food source. Any thoughts???? I https://www.instagram.com/p/BISLM0sD_ei/am going on 7nights no sleep with 2 to 3 hours after dawn so my thinking is a bit fuzzy. I am just trying to coexist. You know live and let live if that is possible. One more questions do you think the girls would be safe if I pad locked the door, spacing is 1/2 inch by 1 inch. Thank much ps I checked out the electric fence and I am on disability and would cost at least a few months of checks and the wire is also expensive for me at this time. But thank you for giving me the info

There is no way to ignore and to lock the girls with padlocks yes you can but best if it is 2 top and bottom
I am on disability also and understand hardwire is not very expensive we have it here for 15.00 for a 36 x 10
to put under the coop we cut it in half down the middle to make 20 feet from one roll

 

[jeanetteiacovon]

Well poisoning is probably the least humane thing you could do, so if you have to prioritize put your husband's idea at the bottom of the list.

He is not poisoning anything EVER. It is not even on the list. I could never let an animal suffer like that, neither could he. He just didn't think about it enough plus I wouldn't want a neighbors pet to get caught in the cross fire of that s@-$t storm, no way.

 

[dekel18042]

Not going to poison but how about this idea??? I do have a very large cage that I can move the girls to at night while they are sleeping. It is 6 feet high by 4feet wide by 3feet deep. I would put it on my screened porch and put my 8hens in it only at night. If I leave the coop open and let them play for a few month in it at night maybe they will not view it as a food source. Any thoughts???? I https://www.instagram.com/p/BISLM0sD_ei/am going on 7nights no sleep with 2 to 3 hours after dawn so my thinking is a bit fuzzy. I am just trying to coexist. You know live and let live if that is possible. One more questions do you think the girls would be safe if I pad locked the door, spacing is 1/2 inch by 1 inch. Thank much ps I checked out the electric fence and I am on disability and would cost at least a few months of checks and the wire is also expensive for me at this time. But thank you for giving me the info

Raccoons have very maneuverable handlike paws. Depending, they may be able to tear through your screening on the porch. As far as the cage, what is it made of and what is the spacing on the outside walls and roof? Wire. I know of several cases where raccoon pulled chicken parts through fencing and killed the chickens or left them horribly mutilated. In one case they got underneath and pulled the chickens' legs off. In another the rooster was against a wired in window and they pulled his wing through and off and in the most recent chain linking was used along the side of a coop and a full grown rooster's head was pulled out.
The only thing good I can say about coons is if they are healthy they shouldn't be out during the day and if you can protect your flock at night hey should be OK. All the chicken deaths by raccoons I know about happened at night.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Quote: @jeanetteiacovon get the two padlocks make super sure coop is secure
if neither of you can kill it win the battle

 

[bobbi-j]

Not going to poison but how about this idea??? I do have a very large cage that I can move the girls to at night while they are sleeping. It is 6 feet high by 4feet wide by 3feet deep. I would put it on my screened porch and put my 8hens in it only at night. If I leave the coop open and let them play for a few month in it at night maybe they will not view it as a food source. Any thoughts???? I https://www.instagram.com/p/BISLM0sD_ei/am going on 7nights no sleep with 2 to 3 hours after dawn so my thinking is a bit fuzzy. I am just trying to coexist. You know live and let live if that is possible. One more questions do you think the girls would be safe if I pad locked the door, spacing is 1/2 inch by 1 inch. Thank much ps I checked out the electric fence and I am on disability and would cost at least a few months of checks and the wire is also expensive for me at this time. But thank you for giving me the info

I would not put them in a small cage at night. First off, minimum recommended roost space is 1' ft. per bird. Over crowding can cause a plethora of other problems. If you can put them in a secure coop at night, they should be fine. I just have a hasp with a clip from the end of an old lead rope on it. We do have a lot of raccoons where I live, and they haven't figured it out yet. Dekel is right about raccoons getting into your porch. My mom had a family of them tear into her screen porch to get to the dog food she kept out there. I will say it again - your best bet is a secure coop and run. You can't spend the rest of your life sitting outside guarding your chickens all night.

 

[jeanetteiacovon]

The bird cage is huge. The wire spAce is 1/2 inch by 1inch like the wire cloth. I only have 8 hens but you have a piont about them getting into the screened porch. My husband keeps telling me I look like I am getting sick and I need sleep. I know I can not watch over them forever but I can not help it. In 2 days my flood lights will be here and the can of as scar. By then I will have the coop reeforced with strong hardware cloth in all the right places. I guess that is the best I can do for them. I can not bring them in the living room every knight. At some piont it will be in Gods hands. If anyone thinks of anything else please let me know. Btw the issue with the wire is not just the materials I would need, I also need an electrician, we have problems hooking up cable after we paint and had to move the tv. Thanks everyone. I will keep you posted with everything I am doing hopefully as an entirety it will work.

 

[jeanetteiacovon]

Ca

I would not put them in a small cage at night. First off, minimum recommended roost space is 1' ft. per bird. Over crowding can cause a plethora of other problems. If you can put them in a secure coop at night, they should be fine. I just have a hasp with a clip from the end of an old lead rope on it. We do have a lot of raccoons where I live, and they haven't figured it out yet.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Dekel is right about raccoons getting into your porch. My mom had a family of them tear into her screen porch to get to the dog food she kept out there. I will say it again - your best bet is a secure coop and run. You can't spend the rest of your life sitting outside guarding your chickens all night. 

n you explain what a hasp clip is please? I never heard of that . Thanks