Starting run expansion today...

[JanetS]

Sadly, we lost our favorite hen two days ago to a bobcat. The girls were free ranging out in the backyard, with my teenage daughter watching them, when a bobcat jumped over our 6 ft privacy fence, grab poor Nugget and was gone in seconds. We know the bobcat will be back so we have decided to expand the run and no longer let them free range. We're not happy about this but feel its what we have to do to save the remaining chickens.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

We had a similar experience October of 2011. My chickens were out free ranging and a bobcat got one of them. My mother's screaming and arm waving frightened the bobcat away, leaving the chicken behind, but it died moments later. We saw the bobcat several times over the next week and I kept the chickens in their run. In December I flew to Memphis and purchased a 9 week old Anatolian Shepherd puppy and drove him back to Colorado. While I have not raised him to be a true livestock guardian dog, we spent about an hour outside with the chickens and our other dog every day when he was a puppy (cold during the Colorado winter) while the chickens free ranged and now I tether the dogs outside for about an hour a day while the chickens free range. Aslan, the Anatolian Shepherd is very much on duty during that hour, on his feet and barking at stuff he sees/smells/hears or perhaps just suspects is out there. However, we have not had a any more losses while the girls are free rangeing.

 

[JanetS]

Thank You.

 

[JanetS]

This is how it's going so far.

Burying patio stones in the ground to stop any digging predators.

 

[JanetS]

We should be done today with the new run.... Will post pictures later.

 

[JanetS]

Pics!!


Done with the new run. The girls are loving their new space. We are going to keep the two run separated by a door. While we are working/cleaning one
area they will be safely playing in the other. The smaller run also has a roof so on rainy days they will probably stay in there. Total run is 12' x 16'.


This is the door that separates the two runs. It can be opened from the outside by pulling on a rope. It will be like free ranging only they are safely locked in.The girls in their new run.

 

[JanetS]

This is the tie down for the rope that opens the door.