I've seen a few posts about people putting on talk radio to keep predators away. Has anyone actually done this, does it actually work, and what kind of predators do you have where you are.
I tried using a radio a few years ago. I found that the noise close to the coop masked any noise a predator or person made as they came up to the coop. My ladies stress level went way up because of all of the surprise visitors. Radio programs I tried; N.P.R. didnt work , They quit laying because all of the product of their hard work was just givin to those that did nothing. Rush didn't work because they tired of the pressure to make every last dime for their product. Tom Sulivan made them happy, They saw a fair profit for their labor.
I would not depend on a radio to keep predators away. You have no way of knowing whether that coon is a Glen Beck fan or not.
I am a firm believer in a radio in the coop and have used one for years. It is on 24/7, on a talk show. I tried music stations and they didn't work. When the electric fence didn't work on a bear the radio stopped it about 20 yards from the coop. I watched this from my deck. When it went though the fence, it set off the alarm in the house to alert me. I came out on the deck to see the bear headed for the coop. Just as I put it in the sights, it stopped and looked a couple of times then started off toward a different fence. It didn't make it to the fence, I would of have to repair that one too. But bear meat does make good bacon. Yes, I think a radio works.
It would scare me to listen to it all night. I worry that if my chickens listened to NPR they would feel that laying for "The Man" was an injustice and they would quit. I think it would be worth a try, actually. We live in an area where there are bears from time to time, and I think it might make them think twice. Our pen is very stout and our coop a fortress. But if a large bear wanted in bad enough, it could eventually tear it's way through the siding. I like the idea of an alarm, what type do you use?
Radio does work depending on your area. We keep coons out of sweet corn patch because of the fact that they don't hear a human voice in the wild here. This is thier deterant. If you live in an area that has alot of people talking , They may get used to this and might not run away. CA has alot of blowhards so the coons are used to this sort of noise. Nothing against you Daidohead. Try the radio on a religious channel if you have one. They have a powerful voice and may be able to learn something too if you eavesdrop on a conversation that can make your life better.
