This morning when I went out my girls were all up in the coop. This has never happened. The door opened automatically which is always does and I typically find them at the feeders. After I checked on them, they slowly came out and seemed to be acting normal. About 30 mins later we went to free range them. They usually are practically bursting through the door to get out, but today a few stepped out for a moment and then went back into the run.
The predators we have in this area are hawks, raccoons, and foxes. I don't see signs of anything being disturbed and haven't seen any type of scat. I'm really worried that something is skulking around. We live in a pretty busy suburban area so during the day there is a lot of activity around the house. My neighbor spotted a fox lurking around my fence early in the morning a few months ago so I the coop door doesn't open until 8 am. Hopefully there is enough activity at that point to ward any of them off. I don't have a camera, so no idea what it was. For all I know it could have been deer or a cat.
Last bit of info. Our coop is very secure (at night), the run however is less so. There is a 2 ft hardware cloth apron around all sides and a 2 foot hardware cloth bottom half of the wall. Above that is wimpy chicken wire that came with the run. The roof of the run is that same chicken wire with heavy duty bird netting draped over it.
Any ideas of what I may be dealing with? What can I do to deter whatever has scared them?
The predators we have in this area are hawks, raccoons, and foxes. I don't see signs of anything being disturbed and haven't seen any type of scat. I'm really worried that something is skulking around. We live in a pretty busy suburban area so during the day there is a lot of activity around the house. My neighbor spotted a fox lurking around my fence early in the morning a few months ago so I the coop door doesn't open until 8 am. Hopefully there is enough activity at that point to ward any of them off. I don't have a camera, so no idea what it was. For all I know it could have been deer or a cat.
Last bit of info. Our coop is very secure (at night), the run however is less so. There is a 2 ft hardware cloth apron around all sides and a 2 foot hardware cloth bottom half of the wall. Above that is wimpy chicken wire that came with the run. The roof of the run is that same chicken wire with heavy duty bird netting draped over it.
Any ideas of what I may be dealing with? What can I do to deter whatever has scared them?
