Tell How Predators Got Your Chickens. Save Somebody Else From The Bad Experience

[okallthis4eggs]

If you need help you can get lots of help and good advice from people here. I'm new to chickens too but these people have led me in the right direction and been very helpful answering all my questions. Don't give up just come back stronger and more determined.

 

[bruno1972]

Thanks, I dont plan on giving up yet! I just got done builing a bnig sturdy coop! I plan on spending alot of time here reading and getting info and advice so the next round won't turn out nearly this bad.

 

[jnjmanning]

I agree totally about the coons! This is my 1st year with chickens. I hatched my whole flock, 12 birds. I was wiped out on Sunday night. What they didnt eat the simply murdered! It was a horrific site. I was ready to tear down the coop and pen but regained composure and decided the coons will not win. So far I have trapped and killed 2 coons. I am planning on hatching again in a couple weeks. Right now we are making our chicken coop and yard as secure as Fort Knox!

 

[prettychicks]

I agree totally about the coons! This is my 1st year with chickens. I hatched my whole flock, 12 birds. I was wiped out on Sunday night. What they didnt eat the simply murdered! It was a horrific site. I was ready to tear down the coop and pen but regained composure and decided the coons will not win. So far I have trapped and killed 2 coons. I am planning on hatching again in a couple weeks. Right now we are making our chicken coop and yard as secure as Fort Knox!

So sorry to hear of your loss. It is heartbreaking to come out and see that. Happened to me years ago with my own dogs. Out of 25 Buff Orps, I had 7 left. After I invested in the hardware cloth and got rid of the chicken wire, I never lost anymore. Got rid of the dogs and decided, no more bird dogs. They were labs and killed them for sport. They had been around those chickens for 2 years and never did anything like that, but one day... Can't trust your own dogs. Hard lesson to learn.

 

[Hamstery]

It's awful to hear of all these losses...and I feel for everyone. But this is a great thread to keep people informed of what can happen.
We lost our four hens to a weasel. We didn't have our vents covered because we didn't think they were big enough for anything to get through.........until one night something got in and killed our first two hens. We then closed off every tiny space with chicken wire and 2x2 welded wire. Being new to chickens, we had NO IDEA that a weasel could get through chicken wire. Weasels will keep coming back until there is nothing left. And it did. That night it came back and got through the chicken wire and took our last two hens.
We learned a big/hard lesson. We now have everything covered in hardware cloth.

 

[featherz]

Lost one chick, two pullets and one of my favorite NN hens to a fox within the last week. My fault, they were free ranging and I mis-read the predator. Thought it was a hawk that took the pullets (we had seen hawks out that day) so everyone was kept penned for a few days when I let only the older ones with a good rooster out. I've only lost one hen over three years with chickens to predators so I wasn't vigilant enough..

Well, even a good rooster can't help much with a fox. Fox took one baby chick and even though I was standing outside only a bit away he managed to get a full grown hen. He did fail at getting two other hens although he spread their feathers everywhere.

Moral of the story? We are installing electric fencing and no one goes out without supervision for a looong time. =(

 

[lynn1961]

Roaming dogs were problem, had to put electric fencing around bottom and top of foot fence that surrounds the chicken yard, cost about $200.00 , used to have a problem with a dog digging under the 5 foot fence, then the dog figured out how to tear a hole in the fencing, fencing is 2 inch by 4 inch welded, dog was a pit mix. Dog is no longer a problem for any of the neighbors.
Use the electric fencing on the top and bottom both, lots of predators climb, bob cats, racoons, possums, just to name a few, and the roaming dogs will let you know when they try out the electric fence, really gets them to yelping when they get into it.

 

[urban escapee]

This was my recent experience with coyotes.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/656318/such-a-disappointing-day

We are back to free ranging now with some roosters that my husband got free. They stay close to the goats at night and roost much higher up. But I am constantly doing a head count to make sure they are all there.

 

[Ragingsun]

Just wanted to post a Thank You for everyone and Im sorry to hear about the losses over the years. We are in the planning stages for a coop for our 4 chicks. My hubby wanted to put the coop away from the house but I think it is a better idea to use the cement slab out in the fenced back yard. Smart preadators can still get into the backyard but my dogs would keep them guessing. I now know that even if I train my girls to accept the chicks I cant fully trust that their prey drive wont kick in. So we will be watching the perros very closely. THANKS Everyone for all of the information I will internalize it and build a safe place for my four (hopefully) girls.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Can't say it enough. Use hardware cloth. Best advice I can give anyone to keep predators out.