What is it with this year??

[chicknmania]

Normally we lose two or three chickens (at the most) per year to predators in our free range flock.
THIS year we have lost 10 chickens since October 25; to a Cooper'shawk and either Fox or coyotes.
All during the day. It is just making me sick. We are keeping the flock inside, but my DS let them
out for just the one day today since it was so beautiful out. And we lost two more.

We have had chickens for six years and I have never seen anything like this. Makes me wonder wth is going on.

 

[Kevin565]

Sorry for your losses

. I've noticed there seems to be a rise in predator populations around him .

 

[Oregon Blues]

What's going on is that you've spread out the free and easy all-you-can-eat buffet and the word has gotten around.

Don't worry, they'll stop when all your birds are gone.

 

[littleoak]

After 30+ years of raising chickens I have concluded all predators are targets. They will ruin your life if you let them. I end the problem before it starts.

 

[chicknmania]

Quote:
Yeah actually that's not it at all. I said that we have had chickens for seven years and they have always been free range. There is something weird about this year: the incidents aren't related. And it's also not free and easy; they are used to free ranging and as a general rule are very good about monitoring predators and making it to cover if they need to.

As far as killing predators just for the sake of it before they do any damage that is pointless. They are just replaced by others. There are a few times (like with this hawk) when it would be logical to just kill it. And even now we would not do that without a kill permit in the works or unless we were sure it was the same one. We actually do have a kill permit in the works but I am not anxious to use it. It is much more effective normally to find ways to discourage predators than to just blow them all away.

 

[chicknmania]

Quote:
Furthermore you can keep your insensitive comments to yourself. I don't need that thanks.
I have talked to a lot of people who have noticed there seems to be more predator activity than normal. Just thought it was strange.

 

[navasima]

Quote:
Wow. The point to this post? Never mind - don't much want to know.

OP - Has there been alot of building during the last year in your town or neighboring towns? There has even been more predator activity where I am - and that's within city limits. We were figuring that around here, lack of rain = lack of food.....so critters on wider quests.... Sorry for your losses!

 

[chicknmania]

Quote:
Wow. The point to this post? Never mind - don't much want to know.

OP - Has there been alot of building during the last year in your town or neighboring towns? There has even been more predator activity where I am - and that's within city limits. We were figuring that around here, lack of rain = lack of food.....so critters on wider quests.... Sorry for your losses!

Thanks Navasima .

No building recently (no one has any money to build any more houses but that's a great thing!) but the acorn crop is terrible. I think that equates to less squirrels chipmunks and even deer...so more hungry predators. That might be one possible reason anyway. There are a lot more houses in our area now though than there were ten years ago...so probably the critters are getting more used to people too....

 

[mommissan]

Our fox/coyote pop is up, our ruffed grouse and snowshoe hare are almost nonexistent. I've heard that they peak in cycles. The hare/grouse was up a few years ago, and then the predators eat them all, and they prosper. Now, there's a short supply of food for them, and they have come into my yard looking for food. I'm guessing, they will starve, and their population will dwindle, and the grouse/hares will rebound. These peaks tend to come every ten or so years. Sorry you lost so many. I agree with you. When there's no food, they'll take mores risks to feed themselves.

 

[Johnn]

i know this isnt as bad as yours but i usually loose one a year sometimes non to unknown deaths, old age etc, this year i lost two to a predetor and my flock are free range