who's the predator?

[Shanny123]

currently im down to 1 rooster and 5 girls.. lowest I've been since I've started. typically I have a flock of around 15. Absolutely fell in love with them free ranging and hanging out in the Adirondack chairs. Cool pets with great benefits. Sometimes they get too comfortable and come knocking on my sliding glass door.

They must feel so right at home with you. That's cool!

 

[JTPhillips]

We found a silver fox on our front porch last Halloween eyeing the big jack o lantern . Maybe mice were in the pumpkin getting seeds? Well now that we have hens, we're very concerned for their safety from the fox. Can you suggest any particular actions we should take to make our yard and their pen fox-safe? Thank you.

Yes! Fox are extremely smart and sly... I've had neighbors hire a local trapper but they always come back. A good solid pen and only let them range when you're home and aware. A dog helps a lot. I keep a .22 rifle always ready to go. Once the predators catch on it becomes a constant hunting game.

We found a silver fox on our front porch last Halloween eyeing the big jack o lantern . Maybe mice were in the pumpkin getting seeds? Well now that we have hens, we're very concerned for their safety from the fox. Can you suggest any particular actions we should take to make our yard and their pen fox-safe? Thank you.

Sorry this took me a while to respond, seems like every time I've tried getting online there seems to be an issue LOL anyway, fox are a royal PITA... once they catch onto the chicken buffet in the yard they NEVER quit! There are a few approaches you can take for this never ending battle. SECURE the coop and build a pen! We put the base about a foot down in the ground with cement and topped off with river rock. They can dig under them (I've yet to see that happen with us). We have our coop fairly close to the house so that helps. Also a free roaming guard dog. We have a Doberman that freely roams the property with a doggie door for the house. She has gotten use to the hawks above and the alerts the girls will make if something chases them. She will bolt right out the door and chase off whatever it happens to be. We are surrounded by fields and pine woods with a river that runs across the road on state land, so we are constantly dealing with hungry predators. We seem to lose 1 every year to a predator which isn't horrible. We only allow free ranging when we are home and aware. Anything else advice wise let me know

 

[JTPhillips]

If the fox really starts to bother, I would put up electric fencing. Read something on how to do it because I'm not to sure. Also, if it is aloud, I would SSS. (Shoot, shovel, shut up.)

Good luck!

I called the DEC and they were all good with me shooting any predator on the property. It's legal...

 

[Jandsloch]

Weasels will jump on the backs of chickens from what I’ve heard from a friend whose had chickens for years. They have lost quite a few. They apparently jump on the backs. Don’t eat them just suck out the blood. A lil gorry I’m sorry but this is what I’ve been told

 

[The Dapper Duck]

Weasels will jump on the backs of chickens from what I’ve heard from a friend whose had chickens for years. They have lost quite a few. They apparently jump on the backs. Don’t eat them just suck out the blood. A lil gorry I’m sorry but this is what I’ve been told

That’s not entirely the case. They aren’t little vampires, but they do jump on and bite the head/neck to kill. A chicken is just too big for a mink to carry off most of the time, so they will go for the high calorie bits first, often the brain. They probably intend to come back for more but that’s not before people find them, so it just looks like they don’t eat much or that they’re “killing for fun.” Mink do the same thing. I used to trap muskrats for fur and once in a while I would have a mink run down my whole trapline and just eat the heads off all the muskrats I caught. Maybe it’s a mustelid thing.

 

[Shanny123]

Thank you all for your responses and interesting stories of dealing with predators and the damage they can do. I'm wanting the hens to have a larger, safer enclosure anyway, and your descriptions of what these various predators can do has me wanting to build it sooner than later. Our German shepherd mix is a 3 year old female and a very good guard dog with a keen eye and nose and a deep bark. So hopefully she will make hungry predators think twice. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again. Your stories are very helpful!! I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

 

[Shanny123]

That’s not entirely the case. They aren’t little vampires, but they do jump on and bite the head/neck to kill. A chicken is just too big for a mink to carry off most of the time, so they will go for the high calorie bits first, often the brain. They probably intend to come back for more but that’s not before people find them, so it just looks like they don’t eat much or that they’re “killing for fun.” Mink do the same thing. I used to trap muskrats for fur and once in a while I would have a mink run down my whole trapline and just eat the heads off all the muskrats I caught. Maybe it’s a mustelid thing.

Thank you for letting me know about minks. I've never heard of them in our location. But they could be here. We have black bears and cougars and even a small roaming Wolfpack. We have some small mountains (hills) here and rivers and forests of pine and redwood, so probably have lots of various predators. I've seen eagles too. So yep, were keeping a wary eye. Thanks again.

 

[JTPhillips]

Weasels will jump on the backs of chickens from what I’ve heard from a friend whose had chickens for years. They have lost quite a few. They apparently jump on the backs. Don’t eat them just suck out the blood. A lil gorry I’m sorry but this is what I’ve been told

That's what I understood about the weasel family. Now the question is, are they capable of dragging a chicken 200ft into the woods?

 

[JTPhillips]

Thank you all for your responses and interesting stories of dealing with predators and the damage they can do. I'm wanting the hens to have a larger, safer enclosure anyway, and your descriptions of what these various predators can do has me wanting to build it sooner than later. Our German shepherd mix is a 3 year old female and a very good guard dog with a keen eye and nose and a deep bark. So hopefully she will make hungry predators think twice. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again. Your stories are very helpful!! I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

yes keep us updated good luck!