Predator protection advice please!!

[Timotiyos]

I am surprised that one suggest setting traps. We have bigger problem with raccoons. Trapping took care of them. We have not seen a predator in months.

 

[Timotiyos]

I am surprised that no suggests setting traps. Trapping sure took care of our raccoon problem. We will do the same for a Fox.

 

[Inez Austin]

We have an unending supply of critters, like racoons and the bears that think dead ones are yummy. And I don't want to deal with dead or hurt animals. Far easier to think of ways to protect my hens. I suppose traps would work for an urban area as long as kids were kept away.

 

[RnRRidgerunner]

I am surprised that one suggest setting traps. We have bigger problem with raccoons. Trapping took care of them. We have not seen a predator in months.

The trouble with trapping critters: 1. Now what? It is p o'd and wants out!

2. It is illegal to transport somewhere else (most places).
3. If ya whack it ya got to bury it ( I got rocks with some dirt sprinkled in) ha ha
4. coons and possum can be eaten (jus saying)

I like, and am in the process of installing an electric fence around my 25 ft X 25 ft portable run. I close up the critter proof coop (wrapped in 1/2 inch wire and fortified with another layer of 2 x 4 14 gauge welded wire fence, bottom has only 2x4 fence on the ground. ) at night which I forgot a couple of times and got lucky, until.....the raccoons got two of my 6 hens. I still have guilt feelings about it.
I am literally in the woods and we have all the predators up to and including mountain lions. NO bears....yet...they have been sighted a couple of counties away. I have bees and they already have a electric fence on t-posts. Love those solar charged ones from TS. Did I mention feral dogs and pigs. I am sure pigs like chicken. I will post pictures in a couple of days on the fence when finished.

If traps work great. Critters are smart and avoid obstacles and learn quick. I like the deterrents best. On that point has anyone used Milorganite around their gardens to deter critters, maybe it will work around the chicken coops as well. It does stink. LOL

 

[chickengeorgeto]

We have an unending supply of critters, like racoons and the bears that think dead ones are yummy. And I don't want to deal with dead or hurt animals. Far easier to think of ways to protect my hens. I suppose it would work for an urban area as long as kids were kept away.

First and last, urban or at least suburban areas "enjoy" larger and much more robust Raccoon, Coyote, and Fox populations than us ignorant rubes living in areas with a more natural environment have to deal with.

Every time i read someone's heart felt statement about relocating predators like, coons, foxes, possums, etc i can't help but wonder if that poster will be keeping chickens in 5 years. I strongly doubt it.

I get a kick out of someone who coddles chicken killing vermin calling themselves farmers. Out there in the real world were real farmers live and work a real farmer is prepared to do what is necessary to protect his crop, whether that crop is eggs, apples, wheat, cattle, or strawberries. Farming by its very definition bends, and forces nature to do the farmers' bidding.

The correct action of farmers when dealing with farm pests is called "Integrated Pest Management." IPM's intent is to manage the pest which means either killing or marginalizing enough of them to reduce the predators' or pests' economic impact to a low enough level to allow the farmer to survive without most of his crop going up in pest poop or else the farmer spending more in control/prevention measures than the cash value of the crop that farmer is trying to produce. This includes but is not limited to crop rotation, planting bait crops, proper crop planting timing, planting the best crops or best varieties of crops to reduce the pest load, (including GM crops) and finally killing as many pest that will result in avoiding a monetary loss while ensuring the best monetary return on the farmers' investment in time and money.

 

[Inez Austin]

My, what a lecture. I think we all have different ways of dealing with this problem and by posting them we all learn. As a First Nations person I think we need to share info and respect those "vermin" you speak of but that is just my way. Lots of room for lots of opinions.

 

[baah]

Oh sister, an LGD is a MUST! Even the best coop can't do the same thing as a live 24/7 hr protection dog. We live in east TX where it is very hot in the summertime & we use fortified hog panel lined with chicken wire on our coops but there is always room for something to slip through if it is determined or hungry enough. Fox, raccoon, feral cats, snakes, etc. are all very crafty when it comes to robbing the hen house but they will meet their match with a dog. The only prob with a dog is that it's DEFINITELY not a "quick fix". It takes time to develop a dog into what you want but once you have it in place you will never lose another chicken (or goat or sheep or whatever) again & you will be sold. Best to read up on LGDs and breeds in advance bc everyone has their favorite. Mine is the Akbash, an amazing Turkish breed; but there are people who are sold on Pyrs, Anatolians, Maremmas, you name it. The most impt thing to remember is that you really can't convert any dog (like a Lab) into an LGD. You can't go get a rescue dog from the pound & put it with your chickens & get it to guard. NEVER accept someone else's problem dog either. You really need to start from the beginning with a puppy & you need a breed that has hundreds of years of genetic history at guarding livestock to do the job right and well. Also, you can't expect an LGD to be your pet & also guard your livestock in their spare time. In other words, the dog has to live among the animals for which it is responsible all the time. That means it never sees the inside of your house, rain or shine, hot or cold, it is out with the chickens. If you make it your pet it will guard YOU, not your livestock. This can be TOUGH to do especially with a cute little puppy, but you must make it a home in your barn. Most LGDs don't reach maturity until about 18 mos of age so prior to that time they are goofy, don't usually treat the livestock with respect & can seem to be more of a hindrance than a help. It will take a lot of supervision, patience & guidance to keep it in line but have faith bc something magical happens once the dog hits that 16-18 month old mark & starts to mature. I have seen it countless times & it's a marvel to behold bc all of a sudden they "get it". Once that happens you will be doing the happy chicken owner dance & never look back on those days when you used to lose chickens to predators!
Good luck!!

 

[WildAnimalGuy]

well if your birds are important to you ..set up a dozen snares and catch these animals or your birds will die .. because animals can learn to get around the fences or under them . And alot of people think that you dont have to hurt any animals , but what happens is that animal overpopulate and get sick..rabies and large round worms are a major factor.

 

[LaFermiere]

Predators are ALWAYS a problem with chickens, and the only solution I know of is good fencing. GOOD fencing. Not chicken wire, but good strong galvanized wire, or hardware cloth, dug into the ground 12 inches, or folded so an animal cannot dig under it. They will dig under if you don't. And you will need to use the fencing across the top as well.

Some readers may give you their experiences with dogs, but I have not used one so I don't know.

Nearly ever predator can go over the fence, so putting your fence only six feet high won't stop them. You need to cover the top as well. We have lost chickens to fox, raccoon, hawk and possum. Nearly everything eats chickens, and they are not able to protect themselves against animals with teeth and claws and strong legs like this. If you build a good strong fence - on the sides and above, they get to enjoy life. Without a good fence, slaughter happens very often. But the good news is, once you build it, it lasts, and so do they!

Sometimes if I am going to be outside working near them , I let them run out of their pen. But foxes watch. I lost two this spring when I went inside to use the bathroom, or get a phone call. Last week, a raccoon came during daylight hours, and was not scared off by me, even as I got close. Fortunately they were all in their pen at the time, because that raccoon was so aggressive, even if I had been near them, he would have killed at least a few very easily.

But with a good fence they get to run around, AND stay alive.

 

[LaFermiere]

Foxes will not go into a trap. I am sure there are stories out there of foxes that have, but you will lose a lot of chickens waiting for that one fox who will.

Raccoons are easy to trap. But trapping and relocating isn't the answer. You will lose a lot of chickens. Yes, some are rabid, but very very few. They just want to eat too. And really, do we want to kill every species that might be a threat, and have only bunnies and mice and rats and crows in our surroundings?

After 30 years of keeping chickens, and trapping many raccoons, and losing many hens to these and other predators we have found that a good strong fenced in run has worked best of all. The chickens live long, good lives; they are outside as much as they like, they get to peck and preen and take dust baths and eat bugs, and the area around us has a more natural balance of animals.

We need predators in our environment. We can allow them to live without losing our flocks.