Who will guard the flock?

[ivan3]

JennsPeeps wrote:The best animal to protect your flock is... you. By getting them into a protected run area (since it sounds like predators may be a major issue for you), you'll protect the birds, maintain peace of mind, and not worry about whether a dog, goose, or other animal "protector" will do an adequate job of keeping the flock from becoming dinner for anyone or anything.

There it is. All `guard animals' are, in reality, nothing but a flock owner's predator dissuading/killing proxies. Some are more effective than others but, like any employee, they require management.

Welded Wire, hardware cloth, Electric fencing (NOT Chickenwire and a prayer), etc. are a chook's best friend. Preemptive trapping and disposal of vermin also decreases the overall frequency of predation (more peace of mind during Supervised Free Range Time).

Are you really in danger of day time predation by bob cats and raccoons?

Don't know about bobcats, but raccoons are nothing if not adaptable and will follow a daytime schedule if that's when the food's available (daytime coon: First, is it rabid? If not, it is hungry). Foxes around here like to attack between 3-8pm.​

 

[eggsgalore]

Two days after my rooster vanished, the bob cat female returned for more in broad day light when I was outside watching her. She waited until I came back with the dogs and then calmly walked off into the woods.
Raccoons are not shy either during the day and they are not rabid. Everyone has babies to feed. Ironically I also work at a wildlife rehab......

It blows my mind how all the wild turkey babies have survived so far in this area.

 

[pkeeler]

I wasn't questioning the idea that predators could be active by day. Just wondering what kind of location we are talking about. In an exurb with houses around, I would doubt a bobcat or even a raccoon would be out in broad daylight. On an isolated farm bordering a large expanse of state forest, ok.

Even then, bobcats will eat raccoons. You will find more foxes and raccoons in suburbs than in rural areas.

Wild turkeys survive because they stick to cover and are vigilant. I would not free range chickens without cover and a rooster(s).

Free ranging your poultry can be done anywhere. But you can't free range and protect them 100%. However, many people free range poultry and seem to not have that many losses. Some of it depends on whether you view your chickens as livestock or pets.

 

[ivan3]

In an exurb with houses around, I would doubt a bobcat or even a raccoon would be out in broad daylight.

Pretty much just the opposite. The higher the density of the human population the more food available 24/7. Over the years, around the University Campus, there have been many instances of raccoons timing their foraging in houses, in the area, to the times most students are in class (usually 2-5pm). I've seen both opossums and racccoons in downtown Columbia during the day (opossums just look confused). Have also seen coyotes on the main street (after dark) and foxes before sundown on the virge of the mall parking lot.

The more `natural' the forage and availability thereof, the less opportunity/need to push beyond and into a bag of cheetos or a coop full of chickens at high noon.

Bobcats are beyond my ken (thank goodness).

ED: sorry, forgot. Exurbs are usually where the predators pile up (often being intentionally fed by EXurbanites...)
ed: clarity​

 

[Queen Scoot]

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i couldnt agree more..... they are great!

 

[Wraith]

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Anything from a .22 up should take care of the problem. Just lie in wait, get a good site picture, and squeeze the trigger. It works like magic.

 

[eggsgalore]

No thanks, I won't kill native wild life since I have invaded their territory.

 

[the1much]

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where are you located? ,, and a dog would be your best bet,, but usually you need to start a pup with your flock so he thinks they are his family and he wont harm them.

 

[Wraith]

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Be prepared to keep losing animals. A dog could help, but it's not foolproof.