Predators worse this year???

[ChickiKat]

This is only our second year of chicken husbandry, but I wondered if predators are worse this year. Last year the only trouble we had was with the neighbors dog. He got two of our girls and that is kind of because our fence was not as secure as it should have been. This year with the new and improved coop and run fence, things have seemed better. Up until the last month. We have seen a coyote twice. Didn't have the gun ready to try and eliminate that. Then, yesterday I was out in the yard and I heard such a commotion. I look to the run and I see someone flying out to the east. And all the chickens are doing the, "oh dear God, we're all gonna die", song. I figured it was one of the big girls, we have had one find her way out recently. So when I go down to look for whoever flew the coop, I see a medium size hawk on one of the fence posts. I run back to the house and shout to DH, "get the shotgun, we have a hawk"!!! He comes out just as the hawk takes flight away from the run. He fires a warning shot, he won't shoot to kill in the instance of a hawk because they are endangered. So that afternoon we went to TSC and got some deer fencing. We have that over the top of the run. We are going to hang something from it so that the hawk can see the netting. But I just wondered if some of you that are more seasoned chickeners have noticed more predator activity this year. Maybe because of the insane heat....
Tks Kathy

 

[Ole rooster]

Hawks are not endangered. They're protected by our glorious federal government. Crows are not endangered but they are protected too.

 

[ChickiKat]

Crows are protected??? Whaaaa!

 

[mulewagon]

We're seeing a lot more predators and vermin this year, mainly snakes. We had severe drought for several years, and now that it's let up, there's just a lot more of everything.

On the bright side, the hawks seem to have plenty to eat, so they aren't perching over my pen this year...

 

[Chinchilla2]

I'd be willing to bet the weather has a lot to do with it. Here in Texas the wildlife is coming out of the parched and occasionally charred wilderness looking for anything and everything they can get their paws and teeth into for survival. As dry as we are, other states are also suffering. Add that to those states that flooded earlier this year, chasing the wildlife into new territory to escape the rising water and you wind up with conditions being ripe for predators creeping around.

 

[sourland]

Actually, for me the predators are less this year, but I have been around long enough to realise that this is just an illusion. It's been a good spring/summer here. Lots of naatural forage for those preds that are also omnivores-- lots of rabbits and meadow voles. When they get hungry they will be back trying to get into my coops and lofts, and I will be prepared.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
it has been not so bad here either but I knock them down hard during trapping season

and I have bait piles in a coupla places that keep them away from my birds

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
they are not protected here by much we have a "program "for them here LOL no hungry possums

 

[ChickiKat]

Quote:
it has been not so bad here either but I knock them down hard during trapping season

and I have bait piles in a coupla places that keep them away from my birds

So you who are having a good year... good for you.. I know we have been lucky and I am sure there will be good years and bad years... And one thing I didnt think of was the flooding. That would displace alot of critters like coons and such for sure.....