Goosewhisper
In the Brooder
- Sep 28, 2023
- 34
- 51
- 49
No question - just my experience- resolved the Hawk / Crow issue by putting aviary netting over entire yard suspended by wire rope (aircraft cable 1/8”). As for raccoons, primary defense is fence (am installing electric wires at top so they can’t sit and chew through net. Also keep a paintball gun handy with bear repellent rounds (paintball size powder balls used for bear control & pepper balls)…hit a raccoon with this and they don’t come back for weeks…just some suggestions. I also buried 1/2” metal mesh so they can’t dig under the fence. Plus have cameras coverage of all coops and yard so when I did have an incident I can identify predator. Lost two favorite Rouen ducks to fox as well…they free range before yard was fenced and I let them out too early…fox got them around 0730…now don’t let ducks out of coop until 0830 minimum. I never knew foxes hunted in morning. Also heard mama duck quacking and saw a black cat staring them down (but didn’t attack probably was considering it..,one duckling surrounded by 5 large ducks…I don’t know…he came back for a few days by I chased him off each time and he hasn’t been back (also before fully fenced).