Who has NEVER had predator loss (and why)?

[Lunachick]

I've had my two original hens since last May, and a third hen since December. I still have them! I have a six foot cedar fence all around the backyard. Neighbors on either side and woods behind me. The only potential predator I've seen was a few hawks. I have lots of large trees in my yard and behind the yard. It would be pretty awkward for a large hawk to try and get them while my hens free range because of the tree branches. (I believe) But I'm always there to watch them when they are out.

The coop and run I have for them now isn't really pred proof to my liking. That is going to change this spring as I will be building something better for them in a new spot. That one is going to be built super duper pred proof, you never know what is lurking in the woods waiting for a tasty unsuspecting innocent chicken dinner. They are not going to get any of mine!

 

[Farmer Kitty]

The only loss we have had was to a cat (we think) when the turkey chicks were two days old. DH didn't think anything could climb to the top of the wall where it ended for the beams (in barn). After that we haven't lost any to prediators (or otherwise) in almost a year. I credit our dog. She sleeps during the day and is up most of the night. We have fox, coyotes, wolves, hawks, and Eagles here as well as skunk, possum, raccoon and the like. The chickens have a fenced run and do get locked into the coop at night too!

 

[FingerLakesChick]

My only loss(es) came one night from what we suspect was a feral cat. Inexperienced me, thought they would be OK in their brooder (cage) on our porch. And they were, for about 2 weeks. One morning I went out to check on them and 2 were missing, 1 roughed up. Set a live trap the next night, after moving the chicks to the basement, and caught the culprit which now resides about 30 miles south of us. After spending another 6 weeks in the basement they moved to our Ft. Knox facility. Which is a 8'x8'x8' coop on a concrete foundation. This coop is surrounded on 3 sides by a run built of 1/2" wire mesh buried 12" into the ground. It's 8 feet high and covered on the top with chicken wire. Door has 2 latches, one window is covered with wiremesh other is inside the run. So far so good. What really worries me is our new puppy!! What was I thinking?? Our chickens go out to freerange just about every day and I've been real lucky so far. I've seen several hawks, and one hen actually did survive some sort of attack last fall - hawk? We did dispatch one raccoon that was "snooping" around and made the mistake of getting on our porch one morning this winter, think he was lost? Hmm... I think a lot is luck and diligence. The worst predator/pest part of the year is coming up and I'm ready!!

 

[ruth]

I've had chickens over a year - at 2 different homes - each surrounded by woods and all predators and with 5 different batches and age groups of chickens running around right now - 2 week olds - 6 week olds - year olds.

All free ranging

No fences

No closed/locked coop

No losses ever - no sicknesses - no fighting amongst themselves. Everyone comes home at night and puts themselves to bed.

My secret - One Great God and One Great Dog

 

[earthnut]

My chickens are in a fenced urban backyard. We have a hefty tractor with hardware cloth and carabeners for latches but no skirt. (see my website) Our 3 hens are usually allowed to roam the yard unsupervised during the day, and we lock the coop to prevent wild animals getting the food. If they don't get let out, they have foraging room in the tractor, so I could leave them for a week with no worries. There is always someone at home when they're out, so they would likely hear the noise if something were to happen. We also let them into the unfenced front yard when we're gardening. (thank goodness for leashes!) I've also taken walks with Mini in my arms. They are let into their coop when it starts getting dark.

We have cats, raccoons, and hawks in the area, all seen in the yard. Only one neighbor has a pet - diagonal to us, they have a dog. I've never seen a dog off-leash in the neighborhood, people are very good about that. I know a neighbor on the next block who lost 3 of her 4 hens to the coons last year. She let them roam the neighborhood though.

No problem here for our 6 months. (knock on wood)

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Thank you all for sharing your secerts with us newbies. We have just started the coop and security is the most important thing to me. --I just can't bear the thought of predators harming my girls. Dixie

 

[lurky]

I have never lost any of mine either. I also have a 6' stockade fence around my yard. Our coop is solid and the chicken doors slide up and down. We have them on the inside and on the outside. I also give credit to all the neighbors..........we have a house on all sides of us, and they have dogs. So i think the biggest threat is if a chicken went over the back fence, thats the only loose dog.......and hawks are the second threat. So far so good. Its a good feeling to never lose one, but i try not to get too expect it can never happen

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Well, I've owned my ducks since 2004 & my chickens since 2006. I have a coop which is covered (the run, that is,) and the wire is buried down about a foot & flares out (so it would be very hard to dig underneath.

My poultry is always in the coop overnight (we have lots of coyotes, cougar, bear, owls, eagles around). During the day (weather permitting) they are out, wandering around.

However, we have a 100+ lb Anatolian x Border Collie Livestock Guardian dog. He was raised with the poultry & they are "his" babies. He will watch them ALL day. He does herd them around a little bit (he likes them to ALL be in one area, at once so he can keep a better eye on them). But so far, so good.

I've only lost two so far one of my Sultans & one young, male Muscovy to "DuckZilla" my oldest, male Muscovy. My coop is now split down the middle (run & inside of the coop) so the ducks have one side & the chickens, the other.

 

[farm_mom]

We have a seriously locked down coop. Chicken wire covering windows, and even a chicken wire top on the inside of the building. We have 2 covered runs, one with buried wire, and large rocks outlining both runs. I let my birds free range as long as we're home and we've never had a loss. I always keep a rooster, and we have a large dog that seems to keep the fox and coyote away. We do have skunks, racoons, feral cats, possums that live here on the property and a large local hawk population. Never lost a bird to predation yet!

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

I have only had my birds for about a year. And have never lost any to preditors...
Our birds are in a HUGE indoor outdoor run. Along the bottom of the outside we used sheets of metal/tin. (tore down an old calf barn and reused the material). Anyway...
The tin goes along the bottom of the outside run on 3 sides. The 4th side is against the barn. The outside area also has cement along it with a smaller section that is grass (along the barn as well). THen inside they have a huge area...I believe it was were babie calves would of been kept. Nice pre-exsisting penned area.
We then took chicken wire and ran it all along the outside and inside pens. Above the tin and all the way over the top.
Inside we also put tin along the bottom. and wire along the top up to the ceiling in the barn. Nothing seems to get in and I have yet to have a chicken get out...(only when I have them free range of course.) THe chickens go from there inside to outside pen through the opening in the barn where the barn cleaner chains once ran. It's a pretty nifty way to let them come and go without having to cut into the barn....Like I said though, when they free range there outside door is opened so they can still get into their indoor pen.
We do have bears, cyotes, wolves, fishers, fox everything here in nomans land....Actually have a fox living in the sheep pasture...Need to figure something out there. He has yet to try and get a chicken. I don't think he could even if he wanted to as the chicken area is pretty secure...

If I ever figure out the picture option I will try and post some pics. of the chicken area.
Thanks for reading my ramblings....
Shawna