- May 31, 2013
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We were gone for about 4 hours yesterday and came home to destruction. Something got over our run fence and killed 5 hens and 2 roosters. Completely ate 2, another 2 were half gone, and the other 3 had large chunks taken out of their backs. Neither of the 2 past domestic dog attacks ate any of the chickens, this attack was a feast. Still not sure what it was. No hair on fence, but it was folded down. We saw very little spoor and that we did find we could not be sure of what it was. Heel pad was about all I could make out. One track was on a good slope and I both my 9 year old and I thought claws would show if it were dog, coyote, or fox. Bobcats and lions are common here. I still wonder if it were a bird of prey and the tracks just from one of many critters around or even our dog. I thought I would see hair on the knots of the fence.
5 survived, 1 was in the run with another right outside. One I saw running around about 100 yards in the woods. The other 2 survivors came out of the woods about 2 hours after we got home. Both of the boys 4h birds survived. (=
Our fence is just field fence that we had from our old dog run (did not work well for that purpose even with our passed on seniors). We are working on bettering the bottom of the fence with rock, which we literally have tons. Basically building a short rock wall on the inside of the field fence. The plan is to put electric fence (also from old dog run) on outside of the field fence. We are usually home and when home our German Shepherd puppy runs the show outside. Obviously, we can't always be home and their are too many dog thefts to leave our dog out when we are not home.
This is our 4th attack in the year we have had chickens. We live in rural mountains in North Eastern California at the edge of town in the woods. Our first attack was a neighbors dog. We were free rangers then. We lost 5 chickens. We put up a run fence. Then we had the hawk. That bugger got three. We still fear flying predators as there are a ton, but don't know what to do about those. Our puppy got one that had escaped the run. We put a run of her radio collar fence 5-10 feet past the chicken fence to give any escapees a buffer while getting back in. We are also putting chicken wire on the field fence to help stop chicken escapes. She is pretty good with them, but has a HUGE prey drive and is not to be trusted. And then yesterdays slaughter.
My wife wants to give up. The boys want to keep going. I think they take it better than my wife and I.
How many attacks have you had? Are we just unluckly? Bad chicken keepers? 16 chickens in one year.
It is definitely frustrating. Hoping my fencing plans help solve our issues.
5 survived, 1 was in the run with another right outside. One I saw running around about 100 yards in the woods. The other 2 survivors came out of the woods about 2 hours after we got home. Both of the boys 4h birds survived. (=
Our fence is just field fence that we had from our old dog run (did not work well for that purpose even with our passed on seniors). We are working on bettering the bottom of the fence with rock, which we literally have tons. Basically building a short rock wall on the inside of the field fence. The plan is to put electric fence (also from old dog run) on outside of the field fence. We are usually home and when home our German Shepherd puppy runs the show outside. Obviously, we can't always be home and their are too many dog thefts to leave our dog out when we are not home.
This is our 4th attack in the year we have had chickens. We live in rural mountains in North Eastern California at the edge of town in the woods. Our first attack was a neighbors dog. We were free rangers then. We lost 5 chickens. We put up a run fence. Then we had the hawk. That bugger got three. We still fear flying predators as there are a ton, but don't know what to do about those. Our puppy got one that had escaped the run. We put a run of her radio collar fence 5-10 feet past the chicken fence to give any escapees a buffer while getting back in. We are also putting chicken wire on the field fence to help stop chicken escapes. She is pretty good with them, but has a HUGE prey drive and is not to be trusted. And then yesterdays slaughter.
My wife wants to give up. The boys want to keep going. I think they take it better than my wife and I.
How many attacks have you had? Are we just unluckly? Bad chicken keepers? 16 chickens in one year.
It is definitely frustrating. Hoping my fencing plans help solve our issues.
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