Predator Risks for Chickens During Daylight?
16 years ago
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Comments (25)
- 16 years ago
- 16 years ago
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free range chickens
Comments (6)Hi Sherri and congrats on the new flock! Sounds like you are in production. I have just 6 hens and a rooster which I call "free-range", but they are in a large fenced yard attached to the chicken house. I had several reasons: we are surrounded by woods and therefore have lots of hungry critters around, my husband didn't want the hens roaming the yard, our German Sheppard was VERY interested the first week or so (now she ignores them even when they manage to "escape"), and I have lots of gardens that I didn't want the chickens in. I've heard too many conflicting opinions about whether the chickens like the bugs or the vegetables better! That's just how I do it, but I have a couple of friends who let larger flocks like yours roam all over. Yes, they tend to come back at night to the house. Both friends also have dogs, but one has had problems with neighbouring dogs rather than his own. His biggest problem has been raccoons - just lost 20 five-month old hens last month. He was pretty upset. The other friend has lost a few here and there, mostly to a fox. Said fox always killed them in the house at night, so make sure your house is secure. Weasels will do the same. Hope some of this helps you to decide. If you're home most of the time and don't mind the birds running around, go for it. I wouldn't depend on and electric fence keeping them out of the dog pen, though. Ours have gotten into the cow pasture a few times - walk right under the fence. Good luck! Our 10 year old daughter USED to like collecting the eggs too. That wore off rather quickly, but at least she's braver than her two older brothers. The boys think the rooster has a personal vendetta against them! makes me grin...........:)...See MoreBaby Chick Grabbed by Cat in Broad Daylight
Comments (10)I'm sorry this happened. :( Unfortunately, you really can't avoid things like this in the situation the chicks were in. Predators will be predators and you can't fault them for that...all you can do is call this a learning experience and do better next time. We've had a problem for the last week with a cat coming into our yard during the day. We are going to have to use the live trap and take it to the pound, as it isn't getting the message when we shoo it away, even when we use the garden hose on it. I have no problem with the neighborhood cats, as long as they stay out of my yard. We have two roos, one an Americaunas mix and the other a banty. Both have gotten complacent about the cat, which is a dangerous thing. We keep out chicks indoors until they are 8 weeks old, and only take them outside for 10-20 minutes at a time, with us standing right there the entire time, starting at around 3-4 weeks of age. Tragic events like this can happen in the blink of an eye, before you can even react. Velvet ~:>...See MoreAnyone let their chickens roost in the trees?
Comments (27)Been a long time since anyone posted here.. But I thought I'd give it a go. I live in an area of HIGH predators. I have 2 coops, which 1 has my established flock and the other had the new hens and some rooster's. Well, there was a break in the door of the "new" coop, and we found this out by coming to a scene of horror. One chicken leg with no sign of a body, one chicken with it's head missing, and one that was barely alive and had to be let go from his misery. Needless to say- we had some hens that REFUSED to go back in at night. The next night I put a covering over the entry point and checked on it throughout the night (only until about 1am b/c I found 3 juvenile raccoons inside eating chicken food before, no doubt, another massacre. So I "took care" of that quickly, and covered things much better, fixed the entry point in the morning for good...But there was STILL no getting the hens back in. My black white faced Spanish hens stay in the coop- but the 8 leghorn refused. I try to go out and protect them through the night. Chased some predators away- but still lost 3 hens. I'm grateful to still have the 5. So... Tonight, I FINALLY figured how to get them in the coop- and one by one I did it. I then moved the Spanish hens to the established coop with the new leghorn girls. But as my daughter was closing up the coop- she found that our feisty buff Orpington had at least 3 baby chicks.... I'm thrilled about that! But, I am concerned b/c the plan was to keep everyone inside to get them used to the coop & the situation. I've HATED them in the tree's. Losing 3 hurts- and I would've lost many more if it weren't for sleepless nights. So the ONE night I finally got them in- with the plan to keep them there at least a week or so- I find out chicks are involved. Any idea's??? B/c they're all normally free range. The last time there were chicks- even with a bantam Silkie as their mama- they were fine and still with us. So. It's a big coop, they all get lots of food, water and love. But the new 5 hens are absolutely not used to us #1 and scared of coops #2. I can't stomach the thought of losing one more to the tree's! But I also cannot imagine losing any Of the new chicks b/c I'm making free range chickens stay in the coop!!! (20 hens total & 2 bantam rooster's that are actually dominant among the rooster's from other coop and are fanatic and living protectors of the girls. They were AMAZING protectors or the last chick- but Idk if it's b/c the mama and baby were bantam?) Should I move the mama and baby's? Should I keep all as is & hope for the best, or should I give up on the MONTHS is taken me to finally get the tree dwelling girls to the coop and allow them all to free range per usual!?! Please please if you read this and have ANY insight please help. I don't wish to let any out...I'm so glad I don't have to worry about going out at night to protect the girls in the tree- and I was hoping to use this time to bond with them as I have my other girls (which yes, many are leghorn and they are SO loving and fun. I don't have one chicken owning neighbor who isn't jealous of the relationship I have w/my leghorn. They are so sweet if raised on LOVE!) But I am SHOCKED at my buff Orpington's strength- all 4 of mine are that way! Will they be ok?? She ran a rooster off that got in the coop w/her chicks when my Daughter found them and my daughter said all looked well...shall I keep them in as planned... Or should the new chicks have a normal surrounding to Benin their lives??? HELP...See MoreHarvest at risk... a chipmunk
Comments (11)Ah yes - critters. The only way I can garden is in planter boxes! We live on the edge of a canyon where "visiting" critters are always exploring my back yard. I have 8 cedar board boxes - approximately 4 ft. wide x 6 ft. long. On the bottom I have nailed hardware cloth - to prevent burrowing animals. I also layered cardboard inside to slow the flow of water through it. As I plant - I place a chicken wire-covered PVC cage - this prevents birds, coons, skunks and cats (thinking it great for their own convenience) on top of the newly planted/ripening vegetable plants. The purchase of PVC, chicken wire and cedar boards is a bit expensive initially, but well worth it. My set-up has been working well for many years without need for replacement. I also don't make cages for ALL of the boxes - as they aren't all used at the same time. As time goes on, I find the animals seem to avoid the cages - realizing they can't penetrate it anyway. I've been able to remove the cages later at times - especially when the plants become less attractive to them. I try to make the cages and boxes more or less compatible, so that the cages can be moved from one to the other - and they are light weight also. If the boxes are large, 2 cages are used side by side. In recent years, my yard has played host to a lot of small lizards - who scamper in and out of the boxes through the wire. So far, I think they are "friend" - but if they do sample from time to time, it isn't very much or does minimal damage. Just my 2 c's. Bejay...See More- 16 years ago
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