PSA: It Only Takes ONE Mistake, ONE Time...

[Fontaine]

I have a 50x50 non sturdy metal fence surrounding my coop. My chickens real defense is 3 electric wires ( different heights) running parallel to the fence. I first night I put the chicks in the coop I watched on my ring camera 2 raccoons walk up anticipating a great kill and race away after being shocked. I can only see the front side of the fence on my camera so I don’t know what other predators have approached. But there’s no sign of anyone digging anywhere to get in. And I live in 2 1/2 acres of forest full of threats. I really recommend an electric fence for the ground predators. I am so sorry for your loss. I can’t even imagine that happening. I just lost one of my favorite birds to fatty liver and that was absolutely Devastating.

 

[rod5591]

After half a decade of chicken-keeping, I had never lost a chicken to night-time predation until now. I'd lost a few in the day while free-ranging (foxes, dogs, and hawks), but that's a risk I don't really take anymore unless I'm there 100% of the time to monitor them.

This time I stupidly didn't latch the door to one of my runs properly after collecting eggs yesterday afternoon. The door is quite light and opens with the wind. I suspect it had blown open just ajar and that's all it took. I'm rigging up a spring system today to ensure the door can't open with the wind again. I'm normally so vigilant with my night-time checks, but with a 3 year old and 6 month old in the house, I was a bit sleep deprived this week and conked out on the couch so didn't get it done.

• 10 of 16 chickens got out and likely roosted outside at ground level. 6 were still in their enclosure this morning.
• 1 hen somehow got into the run next to hers - safe. I can't find the entry point so I have absolutely no idea how she got in there...there's no ground level gaps, so maybe through a small gap in the roofing wire? The rooster in there is having a great day with a new hen visiting!
• 1 hen and 2 roosters were still out and about - now safe. I'm unsure how they survived the night.
• 5 hens and 1 rooster are missing and there are feathers absolutely everywhere in all of their colours. I followed the trail until the scrub got too thick; no carcasses.

So I lost 6/16 from that run. The rooster that was taken was way too loud and always crowed at night, so I was looking to rehome him anyway--he was otherwise a near-perfect black-mottled D'uccle and would have been easy to rehome. Two were incubator filler hens that were backyard mixes, but they were the last 2 chickens hatched from my favourite rooster Robare that was taken by a hawk a month ago so I'm a bit bummed about them being missing. The other 3 were two D'uccle's / Satin Silkie mixes, and 1 pure black Satin Silkie. I highly suspect it was a fox or two and they ate like kings last night.

None of these chickens were named and to be honest I wasn't super attached to any of them like I was/am my original flock, but I'm really annoyed at myself for being human and making a stupid mistake. It only takes one weak point one time; even if your coops and runs are Fort Knox!

Anyway, I'm thinking it's time to surround the runs with a 3 point electric wire fence as an outer perimeter; that way if any do get out, the chances of a fox getting them is slim. And I'll order some game cameras too so I can see whether the foxes are still hanging around.

Sorry for your losses!