Predators and free ranging

[abraga]

Oh...another idea that might work for you better...let them out to range a couple hour b4 roosting/thier bedtime. That way..they will only have a couple hours out and won't go to far. You can plant some really nice chicken grazing spots around your coop to...there are mixes of grass seed u can plant/buy specifically for chickens. Plant ur chicken grazing area on the opposite side of ur yard away from the irresponsible dog neighbor. Hens live nice fresh baby plants to munch on. So..by planting a chicken grazing area and letting them out a few hrs in late afternoon you will be able to free range them some but keep them safer

 

[abraga]

I can't imaging living in fear of a neighbor's free ranging dog who threatens me, much less my animals! Animal Control would be involved, and then the dog would be gone. For the chickens; free ranging is always a risk, but the birds so enjoy their time outside, I think it's worth it. Usually. "Good fencing makes good neighbors" is totally true!!! Electrified poultry netting works for most land predators, or multiple strands of electric tape, with a very good charger.
I do like having roosters in my flock, but only keep individuals who are polite to people! Mary

That's what I ended up doin when I had issues with the very uncooperative chow/pitbull neighbor! I fenced in my property and adopted two rottweilers !

 

[jvls1942]

what you need for ten acres is a puppy like I am selling. he will keep those preds away.
Maremma LGD.

 

[Chickassan]

I can't imagine having to deal with a problem dog that isn't even mine. I just would not do it, not even for a hot second. The electric fence will work wonders on ground predators but you're still going to have sky threats.Keeping your rooster will at least give a nice alert for that if he's any good. I personally don't clip wings I think they need every escape advantage possible. You will probably still lose a bird now and again but that's possible even if you have them penned.

 

[Folly's place]

When you have a raptor attack, it's best to confine your flock to their coop and covered run for at least a week (or three!) until that bird gives up and moves on. Don't let your chickens out at all for a while!
A dog can be a huge help, but not instantly! The best ones need training time, sometimes over years. Mary

 

[GardenTillers44]

centrarchid: "Most of the time the fencing will keep the fox out. Keeping fence hot and taught is important."

x2
And also keeping grass & weeds, leaves and deep snow clear of the fence to maintain max voltage. We mix a gallon of apple cider vinegar with 1/2 cup of salt and a squirt of liquid dish soap and spray the fencerow after mowing tight to the ground to keep down growth for a while. We have extra plastic stakes to take any sag out of the fence. We use a voltmeter to make sure we are running 8,000v. It seems we need at least 4000-6000 volts to get the attention of the critters intent on a chicken dinner.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

I don't free range where i live (about 10 acres i think) too many predators. We have the fur bearing ones. Weasels coons and coyotes. Then we having the flying ones hawks eagels and owls

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Back in my misspent youth I belonged to a fox hunting club. On Trade Days and First Mondays my fox hunting buddies and myself looked for guineas to buy. They were then released free range on our fox hunting club land, you know the better to feed mama and baby fox.

You probably wouldn't want to do that up here now. They're worth $30-$50/bird...lol.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

Well, I nearly lost a chicken late today to a large bird of prey. Half of the chickens were in my backyard (they hop the fence) and the rest were on the other side. I had just gone in the house and was talking to my mom in the back porch. All of a sudden this bird swoops down and makes a grab. Luckily Butter Butt attempted to fly into the shrubbery and the bird didn't get a good hold on her. This happened so quickly that there is no way a rooster or dog could have helped her.

I rounded everyone up and into the run, much to their disapproval. It wasn't quite time to go in yet. They always take themselves home to roost just before dark. I did a quick head count and gave Butter Butt a going over and no injuries.

I know we have all kinds of predators here, and made sure their house and pen are tight and secure as possible. I've never had the predators during the day, but now they know the chickens are here. So, this just may be the end of free ranging for the foreseeable future. Covering the entire property with poultry netting is not possible. They are going to be very unhappy being cooped up. This makes me very sad as well. Maybe some short, chaperoned jaunts in the yard, but probably not for a few days because that bird is likely going to return.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

It really depends on your environment and luck.

But, in my opinion, with the environment you suggest, you will absolutely have to do something about the risk with the neighbor's dog. More flocks have been decimated by an uncontrolled neighbor dog. I would not let the birds free range until that situation is under control unless you are willing to go out to dead birds.

I have hawks, raccoons, opossum, and an occasional coyote....with some fox in the area to boot.

I do not live right next to heavy woods. (That makes a big difference in your risk factor.)

At first, I had no losses. For several years I had no losses.Then the wild animals figured out we had chickens. I inadvertently left a coop open. That's when the killing started. I've gone to locking them up tight at night if I want birds.

I have friends who have had their flock cleaned out 3 times over by a coyote, in a similar set up as yours.

I have other friends who lost their flock twice, and can't keep a rooster more than a few months if they let them free range.

Mine free range on my 1/3 acre. I have lost generally a bird a year to hawks. I won't free range my bantams or any grow outs any more until they are full sized as those were picked off too easily. I lost small birds almost as fast as I set them out.

In farm land, the poultry savior is electric fence or netting and livestock guardian dogs.

Some dogs will do the job. Others will not. I've had a string of dogs, and know how to train dogs, but not every pet makes a good livestock guardian.

So my recommendation to you is talk to that neighbor or call Animal Control then put up electric netting and lots of hawk netting or be prepared to lose some birds on a regular basis....maybe not right at first...but soon.

LofMc

Livestock guardian breeds are the best option...some herding breeds are a close second. My heeler is excellent and she is a herding dog. She's actually not even pure heeler, she's mixed but she inherited the drive.

Bless her heart I cannot thank her enough for what she does for my flock.

Crooked chicken, a good dog will have seen it in the sky and come for it before it even started down- and most birds will not come down to a yard with dogs in it, and if they try once, they get run out fast and if they grab a bird it is usually at the expense of their life- a dog will be on the hawk very fast. I watched a guardian spaniel who ran hawks and that dog knew the property line. As soon as hawks hit the line he ran beneath them, foaming and barking. He followed to the edge of the line and stayed until they were out of sight. No bird could have come down in that yard with him in it. He was a beast.