Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[ochochicas]

My chickens are locked up every night without fail. We used to let the roosters out before work, but one morning at dawn (around 7:00) I saw a coyote run through the yard and our best rooster was gone. Raccoon, coyotes, bobcat, weasels, dogs, etc...the poor chickens just aren't safe. Even when I lived in Seattle there were coyotes in the yard at night looking for cats to eat.

 

[Lil Go Peep]

My chickens are locked up every night without fail. We used to let the roosters out before work, but one morning at dawn (around 7:00) I saw a coyote run through the yard and our best rooster was gone. Raccoon, coyotes, bobcat, weasels, dogs, etc...the poor chickens just aren't safe. Even when I lived in Seattle there were coyotes in the yard at night looking for cats to eat.

I know the feeling - Our property isn't fully fenced yet, luckily I have our bunch in our small chain linked backyard with them being in a chain linked pens - We've had a coyote come around twice staring at them already, then our neighbors 4 Beagles and I don't know what the other one is come over and harass them. Raccoons so far I haven't seen one, nor anything else... but we have loads of coyotes that hang around the area.

 

[ShockValue]

I'm totally surprised we haven't had more interest in our coop from predators. There have been a few times that the pop-door didn't get closed, but to our relief nothing had bothered them in the night. Maybe the deer in the neighborhood know something we don't, because there is a group of 2-5 that always sleep about 20 feet from our coop. <shrug>

But I've personally witnessed opossoms, raccoon, coyote, stray dogs, eagles, hawks, and even a black bear on our property.

Every few days lately I've seen an eagle circling above; The chickens cluck-cluck and go under the trampoline. On 3 sides of our yard the bird would have to come almost straight down to get them though.. Perhaps that enough to make it not worth it unless they were desperate ... Or perhaps I've just gotten lucky so far..

 

[Lil Go Peep]

I'm totally surprised we haven't had more interest in our coop from predators. There have been a few times that the pop-door didn't get closed, but to our relief nothing had bothered them in the night. Maybe the deer in the neighborhood know something we don't, because there is a group of 2-5 that always sleep about 20 feet from our coop. But I've personally witnessed opossoms, raccoon, coyote, stray dogs, eagles, hawks, and even a black bear on our property. Every few days lately I've seen an eagle circling above; The chickens cluck-cluck and go under the trampoline. On 3 sides of our yard the bird would have to come almost straight down to get them though.. Perhaps that enough to make it not worth it unless they were desperate ... Or perhaps I've just gotten lucky so far..

We've had Eagles hover around as well - thank goodness none of them have flown off with a bird either- maybe ours are just too fat and plump for them to even attempt it

 

[littleredwagon]

So my friend has 3 hens, all 2 years+
he says they are finished laying & he will eat them or give them away
Would they stilL be broody enough to hatch other eggs?

 

[Lil Go Peep]

So my friend has 3 hens, all 2 years+
he says they are finished laying & he will eat them or give them away
Would they stilL be broody enough to hatch other eggs?

Wow ours are 4 and still laying, but now is about when they start slowing down- eating they'd probably be rather chewy - he sure they stopped completely and it's not due to the lack of sun - ours don't really lay when it's cloudy or molting

 

[Hinotori]

Just wanted to post a picture since I've been finding discarded shells from robin hatchlings the last week. There are a lot nests in the hawthorn trees this year. Probably because the cats can't get up there. Two of my wheaten ameraucana eggs with the little robin shell. Comparing the picture to the actual eggs, it look's pretty close to real color.

And I am after a few blue egg pullets for my egg basket.

I had a run in with cocci on the last hatch and lost half the chicks. Only one girl out of the remaining 5. More are due in about a week, then a week and a half from then. I owe two pullets to someone and really need to get replacements grown out for myself as my two best girls are 4 years old. If you only want them for egggs there is no problem getting you a few later after they grow out and I see how good they are. Some always are eliminated early.

 

[Hinotori]

Well I will start locking them up at night, I did it before when a raccoon was eyeing them but stopped after he disappeared. One of us is usually home at all hours of the day, but I would like to take some more precautions in the run design.


Oh YA, I was also wondering if there were laws against killing minks?

What I say is don't tell anyone and no one will ever know.

The 3 S. Shoot shovel shutup. Nonprotected species I don't even sweat at all. You can defend your birds from them.

My prefered methods for everything now has been teaching the dogs to go after them. The word "goose" is enough to get them to look and tear off after geese and ducks. They pretty much will go after anything that they aren't taught is supposed to be here. They are protective of the chickens and take care of the starling vermin that steal food and spread diseaseas well. Funny watching chickens walk over the dogs or steal their food when those same dogs are good at catching and eating the starlings.

 

[jbkirk]

I'm totally surprised we haven't had more interest in our coop from predators. There have been a few times that the pop-door didn't get closed, but to our relief nothing had bothered them in the night. Maybe the deer in the neighborhood know something we don't, because there is a group of 2-5 that always sleep about 20 feet from our coop. <shrug>

But I've personally witnessed opossoms, raccoon, coyote, stray dogs, eagles, hawks, and even a black bear on our property.

Every few days lately I've seen an eagle circling above; The chickens cluck-cluck and go under the trampoline. On 3 sides of our yard the bird would have to come almost straight down to get them though.. Perhaps that enough to make it not worth it unless they were desperate ... Or perhaps I've just gotten lucky so far..

as long as they don't have a "runway" the eagles around here tend to stay away.

 

[ochochicas]

Hawks and eagles don't seem to bother my birds, either. I've seen the smaller hawks/falcons in our trees, but they are probably about the size of my 8 week old pullets so there is no way they'd go after a full grown chicken. My broody takes her babies out under the trees and has never lost a chick to predators. Ironically, our cats sit out in the yard with the smaller chickens, so perhaps that keeps the flying predators out of the yard. That and lots of trees to hide under.

We have bear, too, but I don't see them as "hunters". They are more likely to go after trash cans or dig for larvae in the ant hills in the neighbor's yard.