Predators or chickens?? I need idea's.

[Ole rooster]

Naw........I would call it beautiful at all. But neither would I call it a predator. It does take eggs but that makes myself question what kinda of security is being used to keep the snakes out. It seems to me a nest box on the ground in a barn would indicate eggs are not a priority. I don't kill the rat snakes but I do kill the one that can hurt you. Then if free range is the order of the day, the nest just have to be checked more often or keep a good rat terrier around.

 

[ginbart]

Quote:
Just to let you know what ever it is, is not taking the eggs out of the nesting boxes. My hens are laying the eggs on the floor of the barn that's why I moved the boxes lower. I thought they were to heavy to get up in them. I think I said that in my first post. I check for eggs at 8am, 1pm, and 5pm. Should I do it more? I wish I had a good rat terrier.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Maybe you could make a ramp they could walk up to the nest boxes, maybe they are just confused about where to lay their eggs, my 3 hens just startedd laying, some times 2 in the same nest, sometimes 3, then 2 and one on the floor next to the box, (in a straw nest) the next on the next level?????I'm just letting them work it out, at least all 3 are laying much closer to the same time..
You should watch, and wait and I think you'll figure out what is happening, it may not be a snake (I think that was just a funny post) because the snake would be too fat to get away, it may be rats and the chickens don't wanna be around there - I don't know your set up so only you can figure it out, I would like to know - curious -either way rats and snakes can climb you know, I'd just rather have the eggs higher for my convience.

 

[ginbart]

Achickenwrangler#1 :

Maybe you could make a ramp they could walk up to the nest boxes, maybe they are just confused about where to lay their eggs, my 3 hens just startedd laying, some times 2 in the same nest, sometimes 3, then 2 and one on the floor next to the box, (in a straw nest) the next on the next level?????I'm just letting them work it out, at least all 3 are laying much closer to the same time..
You should watch, and wait and I think you'll figure out what is happening, it may not be a snake (I think that was just a funny post) because the snake would be too fat to get away, it may be rats and the chickens don't wanna be around there - I don't know your set up so only you can figure it out, I would like to know - curious -either way rats and snakes can climb you know, I'd just rather have the eggs higher for my convience.

I don't think it's rats because on the other side of the barn where the chickens can't get to I have posion out and none is gone. Now that I think about it, my DS is in charge of watering them. I don't think they had water yesterday. He'will be beaten ( My DS) and put on the clothes line until he can say uncle backwords. As soon as he comes home from school he will be made to go to the barn and I'll WATCH him do it. We will see what happens in a couple of days. Boy that really makes me mad to think they weren't laying because they had no water, and that they had no water. I'm more mad that they had no water then them not laying.