In spite of trying to keep them safe, have lost a lot of chickens over the years to a vast array of predators. But never like this and never more than one or two in a week. Until a couple nights ago.
My flock is locked in their house at night, which is attacked to a small run, that also is closed and locked. They spend their days in a large area, where there is patches of tall grass to hide from hawks if necessary. That area is behind a 4ft chain link fence. I honestly thought they would be as close to bulletproof as they could get without being locked up in a cage 24/7. However, Thursday night around 9pm, I went out to lock them in for the evening and right inside the chain link gate is a little body. So sad, but these things happen, especially to the animal at the bottom of the food chain. Then, I saw another. Then, another and another....
I lost 19 out of 20 chickens that night. Only Wowie remains. I didn't know what the predator was until last night when we saw the giant raccoon try to come back over the fence. We set a live trap, but it's not interested.
So my questions are:
1. How can I beef up security in the chicken yard? I can't leave Wowie locked up forever. and
2. Does anyone know how to catch a raccoon? Because I will avenge all the carnage and savagery.
Thanks in advanced,
Nichole
My flock is locked in their house at night, which is attacked to a small run, that also is closed and locked. They spend their days in a large area, where there is patches of tall grass to hide from hawks if necessary. That area is behind a 4ft chain link fence. I honestly thought they would be as close to bulletproof as they could get without being locked up in a cage 24/7. However, Thursday night around 9pm, I went out to lock them in for the evening and right inside the chain link gate is a little body. So sad, but these things happen, especially to the animal at the bottom of the food chain. Then, I saw another. Then, another and another....
I lost 19 out of 20 chickens that night. Only Wowie remains. I didn't know what the predator was until last night when we saw the giant raccoon try to come back over the fence. We set a live trap, but it's not interested.
So my questions are:
1. How can I beef up security in the chicken yard? I can't leave Wowie locked up forever. and
2. Does anyone know how to catch a raccoon? Because I will avenge all the carnage and savagery.
Thanks in advanced,
Nichole