Will solar lights around my coop help deter predators?

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

Lights do NOT help. If anything they make it easier for preditors to see around your yard at night. And easier to find the chickens in the dark.

I live in the city sort of. And we have street lamps. Guess what? I have a family of coons that hang out on my porch every night. And its not uncommon to find a opossom in my basement. Yeah my basement. Don't ask how it gets in there. I have no idea.

 

[ChickBond 007]

We mowed the area where the coop will be last night, and my dog found a bull snake about 4 feet long. It scared us, at first we thought it was a timber rattler (yes, we live in one of their main midwest habitat areas). But Bull Snakes will imitate a rattler with a low tail shake, and we 'bucketed' him and re-homed him.
Cannot imagine gathering eggs and finding that...

 

[ducks4you]

Probably the high grass--we mowed lastnight and it was up to my knees in places because of all of this RAIN!!!!!!!!!!

 

[chicken_china_mom]

So far I've just had them out in the coop and not had any predator problems, but then again, they might just not realize that I have chickens yet. I plan to predator proof as I go along. Our lawn gets mowed regularly so no snakes, but TONS of toads lately. My kids found 3 in our flowers last night. I don't know, will they get harassed more after they start laying?

 

[Peregrine]

I plan on putting a solar light on my new coop, not for predaters, but for a free meal, with all the bugs that fly around the light! Maybe we can cut down on our mosquito population!

 

[Uppity Peon]

It helps to see what you're aiming at...

 

[Spires6]

We use premier chicken fence (electric solar panel) to deter predators. We live in the country with lots of coons, possums, skunks, fox, and coyote around. So far no problems.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

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My thoughts exactly!!

 

[Agape Builder]

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Are you sure about that? I do not think that there is a state in this country free of bears except maybe Hawaii. I live in Florida, and we have LOTS of bears. I used to live in Michigan, and there were plenty there as well. Now, I am sure that there are plenty of black bears in Illinois as well, but there are probably few enough of them and they are generally shy enough that you will probably never see one. Unless you lived in Alaska or the middle of Yellowstone or thereabouts, I would not worry too much about bears attacking your chickens. They are usually too scared to do much around people's houses like getting into chicken pens. They would have to be starving or crazy to risk that. They are usually too shy around people to do that.

 

[gentlemanfarmer]

I wouldn't say they are to shy. I had a 450lb black bear rip my compost bins apart after the old spoiled fruit and veggies I threw in there. my neighbor who lives 100 yards away from me just happen to be up at 5am and saw him. I now watch what goes into my compost bins, grass, chicken manure, old hay, and just some veggie scrapes.