I've had chickens in several different locations on my property over the last few years, and 3 years ago moved them into their final home, which is a raised coop off the back of a shed, with an automatic door opener, motion activated lights, and a fully fenced run (chicken wire over 2x4 inch...
So if you have seen my posts about my predator issues, you'll know why I've decided to adopt a LGD. Her name is Cotton. Cotton is an 8 year old LGD that has been raised with birds her whole life. She has always lived outside and refuses to ride inside cars or go inthe house. She takes her job...
This morning I noticed my favorite chicken, Rosy, was missing. I looked all over for her, but couldn't find her. I was getting really worried, and my heart sank when I saw a trail of feathers leading to under the shed. I checked there, and I found half of her. A raccoon probably took the other...
I just switched my set up to accommodate more birds (currently have 3 adults but 4 juveniles and 4 babies in the brooder). I had a large horse wire fence very predator proof cage that I took apart. Now I have a 10X10 chain link fence with a tarp zip tied to the top (it’s not fully tied at the...
I have the general metal runs, but I've covered it with hardware cloth in place of the chicken wire it came with. Today I saw a raccoon inside the run, and all the chickens were outside the run. I'm not sure if I left the run open (broad daylight, 1pm) or the raccoon opened the latch (just a...
First night in the coop I thought one of the girls had caught her toe on something. Yes, a raccoon! So, the side panels go in every night. That's with 1/2" hardware cloth over the manufacturers 1" cloth. The lower level is done in 1/4" HC and I'd use that all over if I ever have to do it again...
Hello!
I lost three of my 4 hens. It’s completely devastated me. I live in town and my birds were free range in my yard. They had been totally okay till a few days ago. After this I am choosing to do a completely new setup.l where they will be in a very large run so they aren’t restricted to a...
Suffered a Raccoon attack last night, a big one. It had to be a family of raccoons, this time of year conservation is putting out warnings regarding wolves/coyotes teaching their young to hunt, looks like it applies to raccoons as well.
I had 18 full grown chickens and 5 Orpington...
Being a chicken keeper, things can get difficult when predators are around. Recently, there has been a fox problem and is an ongoing worry for any owner of chickens. There are several ways to protect your chickens, but here are the most effective ways to ensure your safety over predators e.g...
The first time it happened was a couple of weeks ago when i ealked out to find one of my hens up against the fence eith its head pulled off. Then two days ago i went out to feed and onr of my ducks had its head and neck almost pulled off but not quite. Then yesterday morning i walk into my coop...
It's been ages since I've posted a question on this website, but I am here with a question I never thought I'd need to ask.
We've had chickens since 2012. We have a large backyard and the girls were able to happily free range. Then three years ago a neighbor started feeding raccoons two...
Well, I wanted to now what life's like for everyone here during this time of year.
Feel free to comment (including hate about raccoons) :)
- Button Quail 123
kind of a bit of an emergency, I went to put my ducks inside about an hour and a half ago. A raccoon had somehow gotten in their coop. A friend and I have been trying to get him out since then and he just curls up in a ball and starts there. We've left the door open and left it alone, we've hit...
I'm fortunate to live on an island without a lot of predators: big (bear, fox, coyote, bobcat) or small (skunk, opossum, snakes). We do have transient cougars, but the deer population is quite healthy so there've been no run-ins with farmers or pet owners.
We're not without predators: there are...
Come time to roost the chickens for the night, one did not show up. Our rooster is not terribly diligent. We went looking in the gathering darkness and found her under a building, where the chickens like to hang out to escape heat or rain. She'd been killed, and the predator only ate her head...
Hi gang,
So a week ago we lost three chickens to a mystery in the yard at roughly 8 AM. We were letting our chickens and ducks free range in the yard. My wife and some kids were home inside doing some school work when they heard the ladies carrying on. My wife looked out the window to see a...
New to chickens - our second summer with them - and new to country living. We have recently discovered a large raccoon hanging around the chicken coop every night. My husband thinks he is there to eat food that the chickens have kicked outside the run. I don't think it would stop there if it...
I got the Chickengaurd door last May. I've been very happy with not having to open and close the door every day, --and so are my chickens-- but, I've been a bit uneasy ever since, because it does not appear to be raccoon proof. I have looked off and on for the past year to find something...
Hello there. I’ve come across Backyard Chickens many times over the last year but haven’t joined until today. I had a mixed flock of 10 sweet, beautiful chickens. They were just over a year old when I lost them all to a daytime raccoon attack on March 31. I’m devastated by the loss. Their run...
Has anyone tried fence spikes to deter raccoons and if so, has it been helpful? We had a recent attack and are feeling horrible. Our coop is predator proof...except the door wasn't totally locked. Switching to combo lock for that.
Anyhow, the raccoons come from over our fence - I know it won't...