Rooster Missing From Inside Area Protected by Electric Netting Fence

[thomasboyle]

I had my flock of 30 chickens and ducks out all day yesterday, and when I did my head count as they came into the coop for the night, I realized I was missing one of my two barred rock roosters. This morning I found a trail of black and white feathers going into the woods, so I know a ground predator got him. My coop is completely surrounded by electric netting, and the fence is testing between 6000-7000 volts. I have trail cameras set up to watch the coop area, and when I checked them, one had turned off somehow, so no pictures, and the other was pointing in the direction of where the trail of feathers started, but the motion sensor hadn't been triggered, so I have no idea what did it, but I suspect a fox.

There was no explosion of feathers inside the fenced in area, only a couple of feathers here and there in the woods in the dense underbrush. Any suggestions on how my rooster got taken? He has never flown over the fence before, but he is certainly capable of doing it. Would a rooster fly over a fence to take on a predator? I'm nervous that the fox jumped the fence, the rooster went to defend the flock, and he grabbed him and jumped the fence with the rooster in mouth, and now he can come and get a meal whenever he wants.

I have reset the cameras, and moved one to be closer to the fenceline where it borders the woods, and I spent 4 hours this morning clearing the woods back another 10 feet from the fence, so instead of a 5 ft border of yard between the fence and the woods, there is now a 15 ft border. This is my first loss since setting up the electric fence 2 months ago, and my illusion of safety has been popped!

 

[Hayduke27]

Sounds like the work of a fox to me

 

[APPA Member]

I find adult chickens outside my electric poultry netting often enough that it doesn't surprise me anymore. Today I watched one fly over the fence during a fight between two hens. Currently I use an Great Pyrenees LGD inside the electric poultry netting to discourage predators from breaching the fence. This was in response to a wolf breaching the electric poultry netting and enjoying a cornish cross meal.

 

[animals1981]

careful the wolf might kill the dog if it is not scared of going on property even a gr pyrnese. If its a true grey wolf not the eastern kind.

 

[neophyte17]

An Anatolian sheperd would be better. Anything you teach him to protect he will. Goats, sheep, chickens, people. They are big, fast, strong, and fearless. Skin is tough and they heal quickly.

 

[APPA Member]

careful the wolf might kill the dog if it is not scared of going on property even a gr pyrnese. If its a true grey wolf not the eastern kind.

Valid concern, however this arrangement has been in effect for several years now with no predation within the fence. Before that, I would even see hawks on the ground inside the fenced area. Whatever distresses the chickens, distresses the dog. Fortunately there is plenty of game available for these predators to look elsewhere.

I think people may be putting too much faith in electric poultry netting to stop predators. A large sheep farm down the road has thousands of feet of Premier 1 electric fence to subdivide pastures, however they still use LGDs within the fence for further deterrence.

 

[thomasboyle]

APPA, thanks for the advice. My long term plans call for a pair of Anatolians (my choice) or a pair of Great Pyrenese (my wife's choice) - I love the look and speed of Anatolians, and my wife likes the sheer size and "poofy-ness" of the GP's. I grew up with Labs and Dobes, and my wife grew up with a Dobe-Dane mix and a Weimaraner, so I think a paid of big LGD's is the answer - I want a pair so the odds are always in their favor! The most we have to deal with are bobcat, coyote, foxes and raccoons, although rumors still exist about a lone mountain lion and wolf in the area. But first I have to fence in my 14 acres so the LGD's won't wander off, so it will be another year or so.