Predator protection advice please!!

[LaFermiere]

I wanted to add that of the 40 or so raccoons that have been caught in my yard or nearby yards over the years, not one was rabid.

Even the most aggressive of them, one that was here last week that we caught because it was so unusually aggressive and brought to Animal Services, was killed and tested and was NOT rabid. They said that very few are.

Raccoons and foxes visit my yard and many yards every day, but they don't eat the chickens because they can't. One good fence lets you sleep a lot better. It also keeps them calmer. My previous flocks used to freak out about little things, for good reason. They had seen a lot of brethren slaughtered.

 

[janvansickle]

I have raised chickens and am about to start again. As for your fox problem, I have 4 acres of woods on a lake and a whole lot of predators. My son shot 13 fox that were going for our chickens. We also have owls, hawks, coyotes, feral cats and who knows what else in the woods Now I have 4 mastiffs and I'm afraid they love the chickens. They guard them from everything...all I mentioned and more. We got them as puppies and raised them together. Nothing comes after them when I had them, We had a severe raccoon problem. Those little bandits like to pull the chickens heads off. No more. I think any dog you get and raise around them is going to protect them. Mastiffs are not a first choice for inexperienced dog owners but there are many good breeds that will protect property and you. Dobermans were a favorite of mine Another thing you might try is a big ole' rooster. A good one will defend his flock. Mine (named Pimp Daddy due to his harem) had HUGE spurs. He took on and killed or drove off everything if the dogs were inside. Finally he lost to an eagle but he put up a good fight, Wish I knew what kind he was but he was a "box warmer".

To try to come to my point..lol..any large good dog will do it, so will a big rooster. If all else fails have your DNR trap them. I hope you get a little use out of my ramblings !!! Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

 

[fiddlinvet]

We have snow fence around the chicken run and coop. While it seems to keep the coyotes, and foxes and skunks out, it does not keep a bear out. 3 days ago a youngish bear pulled 4 chickens out of the coop, killed them and had started to eat them when we noticed the commotion (within 3 minutes). We chased him away and when he came back after a few minutes we burnt him with rubber shotgun pellets. He has not been back yet. However I am thinking of putting up electric fence as well as the flashing lights.....do those lights really deter bears? Or should I save my money.....

 

[Inez Austin]

Yearling bears, esp. males are like gang members, a lot of them are scared of nothing. Electric fence helps, klaxon horns help (me, and I live a 1/4 mile from a neighbor), security lights that are motion detection help. But reality is they smell food, and now this one smells chickens. Sadly some folks feed the young bears and that means they have to be shot rather than relocated, because once they equate folks with food campers and hikers arn't safe.

Try 3 strands of electric fence at different levels.

But mostly make sure there is no garbage, no food, no bird feeders they can find. I keep my hen feeder under a tarp, I had just put it out a few times a day, but the hens on the low end of the pecking order went hungry.

I had thought a radio would help, but it hurt because then the hens couldn't hear the bear coming. AND predators are silent.

I have a 5' area around the OUTSIDE of the fence with lots and lots of twigs and branches. Bad in case of fire, but a noise maker. My hens really watch.

But bottom line they seem to form a flock and walk slowly in front of the bear, no idea why, so the slowest get slaughtered.

 

[fiddlinvet]

Thank you. Yes, unfortunately , in my valley are many retirees who think it is cute to feed sows with cubs...... We have made sure bears do not think our house is a food provider, but we are about 100 feet from a bear path so I suppose this young one heard the chickens or decided to check them out. He did not bother with the chicken food at all, but went straight for the coop, which, I admit, was open, so they would not get too hot over night.
We close it now, so since have had no visitor.....Apparently rubber shot does hurt quite a bit. Electric fence will go up ASAP and I do have the window open and will hear if there is noise.

 

[Inez Austin]

Put some of those crawl space vents in the coop, they work well, and get at least one driveway alarm ($15), they will even wake you when you are asleep.

 

[Rainleor]

You didn't mention when these attacks occur. Are your chickens inside a run at the time or free to range your property? If they are in the run and you think the predator is going over the fence, then add angle brackets to the fence all around...on each fence post...then string bird netting Horizontally from bracket to bracket and tie edges securely on each bracket as well as the top of the fence. Varmints and birds can't get footing on it. I used this successfully to keep possums from eating layer feed each night. For the ground, though, I would use rabbit wire extending out 3 feet, securely fixed to the bottom of your runs fence. Weigh it down initially with bricks until the grass grows up and locks it in place

 

[Rainleor]

I agree. Besides, how much effort, cost and energy goes into trapping an endless stream of varmints. As soon as you trap, shoot or relocate one, another one pops into the picture. I'm not interested in expending time, vet bills and other monies raising and maintaining dogs. If one builds a secure henhouse and secure fencing with over and under protections, it's a big initial effort but will last a decade or more with no anxieties about coyotes, fox, Hawks, possum. I line the dirt floor of a new plan for chicken yard with cattle panel and layer that with rabbit wire. I lay down railroad ties on top of the long edges, then fold cattle panel hoops over the top. Check out the chicken coop section on this website showing the detail on building the hoop pens ... Best and securest configuration I've ever used.

 

[Folly's place]

So true! There's no substitute for a safe coop and run. Mary

 

[cmf12230]

You didn't mention when these attacks occur. Are your chickens inside a run at the time or free to range your property? If they are in the run and you think the predator is going over the fence, then add angle brackets to the fence all around...on each fence post...then string bird netting Horizontally from bracket to bracket and tie edges securely on each bracket as well as the top of the fence. Varmints and birds can't get footing on it. I used this successfully to keep possums from eating layer feed each night. For the ground, though, I would use rabbit wire extending out 3 feet, securely fixed to the bottom of your runs fence. Weigh it down initially with bricks until the grass grows up and locks it in place

they are free ranging during the day for these attacks. My run is hardware cloth on all sides and we've never had an issue