Tired of predators

[indianaducks]

We stopped free ranging a month or two ago due to predator losses and now they are casing my pen and coop. I’m so tired of it. First was a raccoon and today was a coyote. Thankfully one of my dogs is very protective and chased it off.

 

[sourland]

Right now they are feeding/teaching young and are especially bold. Have you considered hot wire around your pen?

 

[indianaducks]

Right now they are feeding/teaching young and are especially bold. Have you considered hot wire around your pen?

Yes electric fence is on the list, it just wasn't in the budget this month.

 

[3bird]

I'm sorry for your losses. I'd begin with hardware cloth, as even in the run pictured, they are vulnerable to predators.

 

[indianaducks]

I'm sorry for your losses. I'd begin with hardware cloth, as even in the run pictured, they are vulnerable to predators.

I actually haven't lost any in a few weeks because we added a crap ton of hardware cloth and are still adding more. It's hard to see in the photo from this morning but that whole side is hardware cloth top to bottom and the entire roof is also hardware cloth. We have a few upper sides we need to finish adding hardware cloth to, but we took down roosting bars from any area that didn't have hardware cloth on the upper half.

I was mostly just venting this morning because I keep dealing with predators casing the run trying to find a new way to get my birds. I can deal with the smaller predators (raccoons etc) but now need to figure out how to keep the big ones (coyotes) at bay. I want a moat with sharks surrounding my coop LOL. But the husband says no, and amazon doesn't sell sharks with laser beams on their heads BAHAHAHA.
I'm going to add electric fencing surrounding the whole coop and to give them a free ranged area again, since they can't free range either right now.

 

[3bird]

I want a moat with sharks surrounding my coop LOL. But the husband says no, and amazon doesn't sell sharks with laser beams on their heads BAHAHAHA.

Love it!

Hopefully the predator pressure will back off a bit once the young have learned to hunt and moved on. Best of luck!

 

[indianaducks]

Also, thanks to all your suggestions, wasn't dismissing them. Was just venting and figured you all would understand
I had been dealing with a raccoon for a week and finally dealt with him yesterday. Then woke up to the coyote this morning and was just like WTF.

 

[indianaducks]

We lost a few to a raccoon a few weeks ago, so went on a hardware cloth and game cam shopping spree. And made a lot of modifications to keep them safe at night because we only had hardware cloth on the bottom half around the entire pen. So that's almost finished, (hardware cloth is expensive LOL). And finally felt like we were winning yesterday. Until I literally got up, looked out the window, and saw that bastard casing the coop and traumatizing my birds. GRRRRRRR

 

[theoldchick]

They just want to eat, too. But dang it, I get tired of it! The electric fence will be your best bet. Keep saving your pennies and buy the best charger you can afford- I like Parmak Solar Power chargers. I have one that is 40 years old.

 

[indianaducks]

They just want to eat, too. But dang it, I get tired of it! The electric fence will be your best bet. Keep saving your pennies and buy the best charger you can afford- I like Parmak Solar Power chargers. I have one that is 40 years old.

I get it (them wanting to eat). And ideally I want to live peacefully with them, but I'm so tired of losing birds. DAMN IT JUST EAT THE CORN IN THE GARDEN THAT THE DEER ARE ALREADY DESTROYING and leave my birds alone. LOL. It's just one of those days where I needed to vent LOL.