what the hell is getting my chickens

[Hillsvale]

don't worry, there is lots of helpful advice here... lots of good helpful peeps!

 

[Marie1234]

When I first started I thought I had done enough. Then the fox that lives around here had a litter of babies and became a regular visitor out of nowhere. You just do your best, learn from mistakes and do your best again.
What's going on with your incubator? There's a lot of good tips in the incubation section if you look around. Good luck.

 

[aprophet]

exclusion is only half of predator control trapping and dispatching predators is the other half good luck

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
It can be fixed, but it's going to cost you a little money- that being a relative thing, of course. But, there are some things you can do right away. First, be aware that chicken wire means it keeps chickens in and is useless at keeping predators out.

Get the shed secured, so you can lock chickens up at night. Nighttime is the worst time for predators. Mine seem to always get busier at night. Make sure the shed has adequate ventilation, with windows covered with hardware cloth. Might as well wrap the bottom with hardware cloth while you're at it, to keep snakes from stealing your future eggs.

Then get busy on the run. I like to use beefed up chain link dog kennels. Beefed up means covered with wire and some roofing panels, and hardware cloth around the bottom 24", as well as the apron extended out another 12-24" to stop diggers. The reason I like the dog runs? I can stand up in them!

The alternative is to use welded wire all around the run, hardware cloth on the bottom 24" and netting over the top. My chickens stay in the runs unless I am right there with them. Too many hawks around.

And yeah, you probably should have done something sooner, but you know what? Everybody has to learn sometime. Some sooner, some later.

Just remember to lock them up at night in a secure coop and beef up that run. You'll be fine.


(send Tex-Mex!)

 

[rancher hicks]

I do apologize for being so harsh. Unfortunately there are to many who get into chickens without doing any research and their poor birds pay the price and it gets frustrating to read about.

If what is getting your birds is climbing over the chicken wire, it is most likely a coon. My first and only attack was a coon. I was advised i had 2 yr's before a pred. would find my birds. They were wrong and the coon climbed up and got in through the soffit of the coop. I immediately covered all openings with hardware cloth.
I have locks on both pop hole doors and secure the chickens inside at night. all windows are covered w/ screening and hardware cloth. it is screwed to the outside.

Regardless of what is getting your birds you have to secure them against all predators in your area. Research what works for each and secure for each. Any birds left out at night are vunerable.

Certainly a determined predator can breach any measures to prevent access, but we have to do what we can to protect our birds.

Hope things get better
Rancher

 

[rufus]

Electric fence!

 

[biddybird]

I live in Central Texas and you definately have a coon visiting. We had a roo that would not roost in the hen house, where it is safe, killed a month ago. We put out live traps and ended up catching 6 total. Evidently they worked the outside of our coop. We have left the live pens loaded now for two weeks and have trapped nothing, so I am hoping we solved the problem.
We live in the woods so I wouldn't think of not having a place to keep my flock safe. They free range when we are home, but have a half acre fly pen attached to the coop that has poultry wire the first 5 ft and netting up 10 feet more. The top is open and I do worry about hawks, but the netting is too unstable for ground preditors and so far it has worked.

 

[Foleys]

I agree with if you dont have nothing nice to say dont say anything at all.. we are not here to judge or to be judge we are all here for advise and fun and to share out experiences..

Quote:

 

[cafarmgirl]

Quote:
Took the words right outta my mouth! Easy and inexpensive way to keep most anything out of your coop/run. Couple strands around the bottom, another around the top. One good zap on the nose discourages many a predator. If no electric to your coop area use a solar charger.

 

[Dogfish]

Build a secure coop and run, then throw more wire and an electric fence in there. Have someone who is experience in chickens swing by and give you some advice, or take some pics and we can guide you.

Unfortunately many of the folks here are unprepared to provide for chickens, which is why some of the folks have had a negative reaction. I've done it myself.

Many folks don't react after the first loss, or they think the first loss was an anomoly, and then don't act. You are doing the right thing by asking questions, but it is a bit of a late start.

Life is not a Disney movie where all the animals dance and sing together.