Who has NEVER had predator loss (and why)?

[OurLittleFarm]

We have a coop and a pen. The coop doors and windows were built so you cannot push them open from the outside. For the pen we used regular old chicken wire fencing. Its about 6' high. We do have an electric wire running around the outside about 6" down from the top. Across the top we weaved plain wire back and forth creating about 3 " squares. In a little over a year we haven't had any losses. Nor have we had any damage that looked like anything had tried to get in. We have both dogs and goats on our property also but they aren't near the chickens too much. The neighbor has predator problems all the time and his set-up is similar to ours. Except.....Hubby does do one thing that I really think makes the difference. Please don't laugh...An old farmer suggested this and we think it works. About once a month, when he is outside after dark he pees around the outside of the coop and pen. The old farmer said most predators won't come near once they smell humans. This is the only difference between our neighbors set-up and ours. He looses chickens all the time.

 

[Redfeathers]

Quote:
Do you have fields around your property? I have hawks circling all the time but they usually dive into one of the Christmas tree fields or corn fields close to our house. I always think they are eyeballing our chickens though..but so far no problems.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I have to give some credit to the all-night radio trick. We didn't have time to fully armor our pen before winter, so we really relied on the radio to make it seem like we were around at night. We are still doing it, even though we've upgraded the pen. I think we will give it a rest once my husband finishes covering the pen floor with concrete.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
LOL! Maybe THAT's it! Hubby goes out there periodically...

I think it depends on how tidy you keep your pens, too. Our neighbors have sled-dogs, and they leave (sorry) moose bones lying around... the eagles have started coming around because of it, and other predators. Our yard is kept clean, the dogs are fed indoors, and other than the birds themselves, there's nothing to attract predators.

Although, we HAVE had one friend ask if he could build a bear stand in our yard, since we're going to have so many birds soon!

 

[Nuggetsowner:)]

I have never had a loss from a predator. My girls are all in the coop or run at all times but we did not bury any wire or anything. We do have lots of stupid neighborhood dogs and a hawk that lives in the state land across the street as well as racoon and lots of other living things around here. I think they all stay away because of our dogs. They always tend to pee around the back of the chicken coop??? Don't ask me why but it seems to be working!!

 

[pips&peeps]

I haven't lost any to predators either and I chalk it up to luck and the abundance of prey animals for the coyotes and birds of prey in the area.

I do have all my breeding stock in houses with runs that are "encased" with hardware cloth and I shut my little outside run doors every night.

I free range my babies every year in my garden area too. This is enclosed with a four foot high pig wire fence. My cat used to hang out with them, but he is gone now. Some of the bigger birds eventually fly up and over the fence and get in the yard or my pasture, but nothing has attempted to have one as a snack yet.

I live less than 1/4 mile from a lake, so there are raccoons, coyotes, hawks, eagles, probably skunks, owls and weasels in the area. There is a large area of undeveloped land between my house and the lake. There are lots of quail, ducks, geese, swans, deer, mice and voles that are "easier pickens than my chickens" I guess.

Now, I am going to go knock on wood.

Edited to add, I think the fact that I am out in the open scares alot of the predators, there is no "cover" for them to sneak up on my birds.

 

[silkiechicken]

Of the ten years I have had chickens, the first 4-5 were predator loss free and I have always free ranged with no fences... however... then housing developments started popping up... and now there are much less wooded areas around, with our acreage being one of the few larger stands left. Even have a deer pop in once in a while, but it is just a matter of time before it can only hop to so many patches of woods.

I say there reasons I didn't have pred losses at the beginning were.

1) I had all large breed birds. (Crested banties got hit by hawks so I don't keep the polish any more and haven't had a hawk death since they are gone.)

2) I was in a land locked wooded area where the coon pop was still a bit low and had places other than my coops to find food.

3) My coops were all still new and nothing had begin to rust from moving them around and aging of clasps, wires, and so on.

 

[arlee453]

**knocking on wood**

No losses thus far...

1) covered run with deer/bird netting to discourage flying preds

2) all large breeds

3) coops raised up on legs with hardware cloth bottoms

4) Dogs in the yard on both sides of the chicken area

5) chain link fencing for the bottom 4' , and girls locked up at night.

 

[doc_gonzo]

building it bullit proof.....
we were so involved with our hatching today and all the drama involved with moving everybody around to make space in the 'bator.... that dawn went out to check all the "big kids" (at almost 3 am) and found that we left the main door to the largest coop standing wide and i repeat wide open. thank goodness for dbl doors and awsome aussies (pepper, our awsome australian sheppard). we have it so buttoned down with skirts and dbl doors that the preds would rather go back to the land lady's farm behind us than mess with our "security" on our pathetic 2 acres up here. or the awsome aussie. we have not had any pred even dig at the perifal of our defences. our skirts are pinned with modified coat hangers and not burried. herding dogs get a really bad rap with chickens, a huge load of bologna. if you build it right they won't and can't come.

cheers,

doc

 

[palabeco]

" I even forgot to close them up last night (BAD CHICKEN MOMMY!!!) and woke up to the sound of them talking outside my window. Ran outside in my birthday suit and they were all present and accounted for. Geesh, almost had a heart attack"

Don't feel bad, I forgot once too, and they were all ok, I'm sure it happens to everyone once.

Our chickens free range too, and never had any loss. There are hawks, fox, and coyote here too. Maybe having dogs tied near the coop helps.