What can Protect My Free Range Hens?

[Whittni]

Okay, Guinea's and old CD's got it. Where do you put the shiny CD's at? I don't want to blind any drivers on my street or myself XD

 

[dragonlair]

My chickens are locked in a very large chain link kennel with bird screening over it. I have not had any problems (knock on wood) with predators except rats. I have several dogs who keep the coyotes away. I put shape tarps over the top of the kennel so even in summer, they have shade. I have plants growing around the outside of the kennel that provide more shade, and because the plants are very "sappy" they help keep the air cool for the birds.

Great Pyrenees dogs are great at protecting farm animals. I have 2 pups, one is 12 weeks old and her sister is 9 months. Both are very gentle and protective of the birds.

Llamas are good, however I wouldn't trust them to protect birds. Plus I don't see them taking on a pack of coyotes. There have been several cases of them being killed by a couple of domestic dogs, so they would no match against a pack of wild dogs. You'd have to have more than 1 or 2 for that. I would be very suspicious of believing the story of 1 llama littering the pasture with coyote bodies. I asked a friend who has llamas and they just rolled their eyes and laughed.

 

[Fowl97]

Quote:
Ann, I am so sorry for your losses. I am in Suffield and we have lost at least four to coyotes in the past two months ourselves. We're going into our third year of chicken-keeping, have always let them free-range and have NEVER seen anything like the coyote problem we are having this year. What is going on in Connecticut?

We certainly aren't taking it lying down either. We've got a plan and the "supplies" to employ that plan. I was literally JUST reading up on llamas as guard animals.

Best wishes in re-building your flock and getting the bad guys.

(sorry to kind of hijack) I'm over in Coventry and we have something that ate the heads off 2 of our 4. I think it must of been a fisher. They are bad here. or it could be a coon. the trap is set so we will see.

 

[MEchickenfarmer33]

a scarecrow keeps the hawks away from my girls. they think it is a person which they will be less likely to attack

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I have to disagree about you saying losing a bird to hawks is slim

I didn't say it never happens, but the large majority of people with chickens have never lost one to a hawk, and if you let your birds free range, it's a risk you have to take.

Also, I kind of doubt your neighbors story if his coop is as bad as you say.
I bet he really has no clue as to what is killing all his birds

The only realistic choices are either do it and not worry too much about it, or keep them totally enclosed all the time.​

 

[Whittni]

Quote:
This sounds good. From this thread I'm growing some fruit trees and a scarecrow apparently...maybe CDs? Maybe guineas....hmmmmm okay

 

[Nicole01]

I supervise all the free ranging. We have dogs that run the neighborhood that would kill my girls in an instant. Sometimes I bring my Aussie with me, she protects our yard, but she is scared of the chickens. I don't have any fencing, our yard is too big and it would be awkard fencing a portion of the yard. I don't free range all day. Only 3-4 times a day however long they want. My chickens go back into the run when finished so far.

 

[annie3001]

Quote:
yes our rooster protects our flock while out free ranging. i have gone out for a few hours and left the,. i do the head count when i return. we have a fenced in yard, and tree coverage. but i know theres still that possibiltlie out there. so sorry for your loss on your chickens.

 

[Chickenaddict]

What has worked for me this year as protection from the hawks is the cats! I let the cats out every morning to hang out with the birds. I haven't lost one bird to a hawk this year as to where last year I had lost several to hawks. I also built them hiding spots like a big brush pile they can dive into, a truck topper, ect. We are on an acre here and the back yard is fenced in to keep the dogs that are allowed to run free in the neighborhood out. This is the first year we haven't had any predator losses.

 

[Whittni]

Okay thanks everybody, so I guess I can get more:

Hiding Places
Shiny Things
Shade
Only Free Range in the evening 2 hrs before they go to sleep (7:00pm to 9:00pm)
Get more roosters, big fat, huge ones!
Get a couple guinea fowl, apparently
Lots of trees too


Am I missing anything?