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

[okallthis4eggs]

I believe the only safe way to keep your chickens in a tractor is by using hardware cloth, preferably the 1/2" by 1/2" or no bigger than the 1/2" by 1".

Take it from me, I lost 8 eight week old's to a predator because chicken wire is not sufficient to keep anything out. All it does is keep the chickens in and therefore makes the tractor a death trap.

I had to rebuild my tractor and make it as predator proof as I could before I allowed myself to do this again. It is hard going out into the backyard and finding all your chickens dead.

x2...

 

[Missa Chickabee]

I believe the only safe way to keep your chickens in a tractor is by using hardware cloth, preferably the 1/2" by 1/2" or no bigger than the 1/2" by 1".

Take it from me, I lost 8 eight week old's to a predator because chicken wire is not sufficient to keep anything out. All it does is keep the chickens in and therefore makes the tractor a death trap.

I had to rebuild my tractor and make it as predator proof as I could before I allowed myself to do this again. It is hard going out into the backyard and finding all your chickens dead.

My understanding is that a weasel can weasel his way through an inch. I guess that's why we have that expression. I would not let it get as big as an inch......and you are soooo right about chicken wire.......preds can go through it like jello. A raccoon pulled back the 1/2 " hardwire of our coon Havahart trap and just reached around and tripped the lock. Maybe he was (still is probably) stronger than most.

 

[Donna Lynn]

I live in the middle of Suburbia surrounded by five houses behind and beside me.

My DH tells me we do not have raccoons around here. He grew up here, I didn't. We do have rats and I am doing my best to keep those nasty things at bay. There are coyotes out in the Hills but we live 5-10 miles from the nearest rural area literally surrounded by subdivisions and strip malls and concrete (yuck). And neighborhood cats that my neighbors can't seem to keep inside as I do with mine.

I have an A frame chicken coop (see photos of my coop) with 1/2" hardware cloth, sitting on dirt hardware cloth more dirt and then 12" blocks covered with pine shavings, DE and PDZ. The wire and block extend out roughly 2-2 1/2' except for close to the privacy fence which is about a foot. I have put double hooks with the spring latches on the doors. I put extra boarding around the doors besides the frames. I close the girls up at night in their upstairs coop with their door/ramp. It has some cracks around the edges maybe 1/4" and hardware covered vents close to the top.

During the day and only when I am home, I put them in a chicken wire covered play pen that I move around. (Photos also in My coop pictures). I have a small grass area in the back yard, a pool, a patio, etc. The back is completely fenced in but the front gate does have a gap under it. I keep an eye on them and ear out. I also take them fresh water and greens several times during the day. We do have hawks around sometimes but if I hear them I put the girls back in their coop just in case.

Do you think my girls are safe? I have to say I only have three for eggs when they begin to lay but they are my babies and I'd be devastated is something happen to them. Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[SistaChick]

My understanding is that a weasel can weasel his way through an inch. I guess that's why we have that expression. I would not let it get as big as an inch......and you are soooo right about chicken wire.......preds can go through it like jello. A raccoon pulled back the 1/2 " hardwire of our coon Havahart trap and just reached around and tripped the lock. Maybe he was (still is probably) stronger than most.

I am not sure a weasel can go through 1/2" by 1" hardwire cloth but I think they can reach through it and grab the chickens. I may be wrong though. I lock my chickens up very tight at night. Personally I went with the 16 gauge 1/2 by 1 inch hardware cloth because it felt much stronger than the 1/2 by 1/2. I feel my chickens are safe.

 

[silkiechicken]

I live in the middle of Suburbia surrounded by five houses behind and beside me.

My DH tells me we do not have raccoons around here. He grew up here, I didn't. We do have rats and I am doing my best to keep those nasty things at bay. There are coyotes out in the Hills but we live 5-10 miles from the nearest rural area literally surrounded by subdivisions and strip malls and concrete (yuck). And neighborhood cats that my neighbors can't seem to keep inside as I do with mine.

I have an A frame chicken coop (see photos of my coop) with 1/2" hardware cloth, sitting on dirt hardware cloth more dirt and then 12" blocks covered with pine shavings, DE and PDZ. The wire and block extend out roughly 2-2 1/2' except for close to the privacy fence which is about a foot. I have put double hooks with the spring latches on the doors. I put extra boarding around the doors besides the frames. I close the girls up at night in their upstairs coop with their door/ramp. It has some cracks around the edges maybe 1/4" and hardware covered vents close to the top.

During the day and only when I am home, I put them in a chicken wire covered play pen that I move around. (Photos also in My coop pictures). I have a small grass area in the back yard, a pool, a patio, etc. The back is completely fenced in but the front gate does have a gap under it. I keep an eye on them and ear out. I also take them fresh water and greens several times during the day. We do have hawks around sometimes but if I hear them I put the girls back in their coop just in case.

Do you think my girls are safe? I have to say I only have three for eggs when they begin to lay but they are my babies and I'd be devastated is something happen to them. Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Coons THRIVE in the city... there was a video, I think aired on the BBC, about how radio tracked coons lived out their entire lives 1 or 2 city blocks. Just because you have never seen them, does not mean they are not there. A black bear and cougar have shown up in down town Seattle before... wildlife can move further than one may think.

 

[backyardahen]

When we lived in Nevada the Skunks were terrible. They killed our Ducks and babies but did not eat them, just killed and left them. They also killed many Chickens. I borrowed a live trap from the Animal Shelter and set it next to the Chickens locked entry hole. I used pop corn for bait.. The first nite I cought the nastiest looking and smelling Skunk I had ever saw. That solved the preditor problem for a short period of time. Sence then we retired in central Alabama on our small farm. We have chickens also skunks, opossums,racoons, coyotes, and fox, and a variety of hawks. Finally we lost every thing.

I have just completed a new chicken house and pen so my wife bought Jersey Giants for a start. My wife awoke this morning as 1 am, said she herd noise from the chickens. There was a very large Coon trying to get into the coup but she scared it off. Tonite I will be waiting for him with my shotgun.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Agree coons can and do thrive in the city. They will live in storm sewers, attics, crawl spaces, trees, and under sheds and decks. They eat pet food thats left out at night or raid trash cans, dumpsters, and gardens.

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

When we lived in Nevada the Skunks were terrible. They killed our Ducks and babies but did not eat them, just killed and left them. They also killed many Chickens. I borrowed a live trap from the Animal Shelter and set it next to the Chickens locked entry hole. I used pop corn for bait.. The first nite I cought the nastiest looking and smelling Skunk I had ever saw. That solved the preditor problem for a short period of time. Sence then we retired in central Alabama on our small farm. We have chickens also skunks, opossums,racoons, coyotes, and fox, and a variety of hawks. Finally we lost every thing.

I have just completed a new chicken house and pen so my wife bought Jersey Giants for a start. My wife awoke this morning as 1 am, said she herd noise from the chickens. There was a very large Coon trying to get into the coup but she scared it off. Tonite I will be waiting for him with my shotgun.

Thats how we do it in bama 12 gauge & .270 at the back door. Did you get your giants from Hanners Feed by chance?

 

[Donna Lynn]

Thank you for the replies everyone. Do you think with 1/2" hardware cloth on the run and underneath with 12' sq stones and my girls locked up in their upper coop they'll be safe? ANd should I do anything to further secure the pop door that is pulled up at night? If so, what? It is inside the run. Again this is an A frame with the coop above the run and I'll do whatever it takes to secure it.


I'd shoot anything after my girls but I live in a tight neighborhood. I've spent many an hour back home in FL shooting squirrels to keep them out of my pecan trees and bird feeders but here in Central California I couldn't get away with it. Sigh...

Thanks again,

Donna

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Thank you for the replies everyone. Do you think with 1/2" hardware cloth on the run and underneath with 12' sq stones and my girls locked up in their upper coop they'll be safe? ANd should I do anything to further secure the pop door that is pulled up at night? If so, what? It is inside the run. Again this is an A frame with the coop above the run and I'll do whatever it takes to secure it.


I'd shoot anything after my girls but I live in a tight neighborhood. I've spent many an hour back home in FL shooting squirrels to keep them out of my pecan trees and bird feeders but here in Central California I couldn't get away with it. Sigh...

Thanks again,

Donna

Pictures of your setup would be helpful. One thing I did notice just reading. You have a dog and no matter how harmless you think he is don't temp him by giving him access to your chickens. Dogs are in the top three on the predator list. Many have lost chickens to dogs who never dreamed their dog would do such a thing.