Lost two of my girls in broad daylight yesterday. The other two do NOT want to be kept in an enclosure. What do I do?

[Debbie292d]

I'm posting this for advice but also just to lament the loss of my Prairie Bluebell and Production Red. I did not know how absolutely devastated I would be. The red especially (named Red aka the Colonel) was the sweetest bird. She would run up and greet my husband when he got home from work. She would run up to my kids for treats. She would let me put her in my lap and pet her. It feels like I've lost my dogs. So if anyone has any therapeutic advice outside of predation advice then I will take it.

Back to the predators. My girls started with me on a quarter acre and we moved twice before settling on 2.5 acres in the country. We're in rural Florida. They have always been allowed to free range, and I've never had issues with them straying past the property line. I also have three ducks that free range, three goats on ~an acre and some chicks and keets that are kept in a fully enclosed run (they're only about a month). Yesterday was a cool day. I had the windows and doors open and spent a lot of time outside... but about 2 PM I walked the property looking for my girls and found a large amount of Red's feathers. No blood. I followed the trail all the way to the property line. My husband came home and went out into the brush and followed the trail another 200 yards or so and continued to find feathers but no blood and no predator, only boar scat. We couldn't find any trace of the Bluebell but my guess is she is gone as well. The other two girls were hiding in the bushes on the side of the house.

I know we have coyotes, boar, raccoons, owls, hawks, and have heard of (but not seen) bobcats, bears, and panthers. I have no idea what took our girls mid-property in the middle of the day and carried them back through the dense brush.

My other two girls (a Calico Princess and another Bluebell) do NOT want to be in an enclosure. I'd built the Ana White run for the ducks a while back and am keeping them in there during the day (all birds sleep in tight enclosures at night, I'm not worried about nighttime). But they hate it. They have never been cooped up. I'm 50/50 on wanting to let them free range and dealing with the potential for predators vs. keeping them locked up but being miserable.

I'm looking at fencing and some Pyrenees guard dogs but that obviously takes time and money. Does anyone have suggestions? Can I assume whatever took the girls will be back looking for an easy meal?

So, so sorry for your loss. I hope the Bluebell indeed is hiding.

I'll just put this out there about dogs as we too have 2.5 acres bordering a forest with farmers' fields on the other three sides. We have seen physically or on deer cams every animal you named except panther, and adding in skunk and fox.

We free-range and have for 7 years. We have a border collie, corgi, and two "barn cats" that keep riff-raff out of our yard. At night the chickens are locked up in a mini Fort Knox surrounded by solar and electric motion lights. Our yard is full of motion solar lights as well as several giant wind spinners, some with lights on. The two barn cats and dogs are frequently setting off the motion lights. I believe the constant action/lights around here at night dissuade them and is partially helping. The only things on our deer cams and Blink cams in the past few years were deer, a skunk, and a momma bear and cub (that came here twice and our dogs treed them before we knew.)

The dogs often run into the woods going nuts now and then, but don't know what they were chasing.

I know you're more guaranteed to have a poultry-protecting dog by going with an LGD breed, but we wouldn't here as ours do that job. Perhaps we got lucky as it's not as guaranteed these two would have would up with the instincts an LGD would.

 

[McChooky]

I

Technically we have foxes in Florida (more in North Florida) but I've never seen anyone or spoken with anyone whose seen one or had their flock attacked by one down south here.

Yes Florida has the grey and red both.They are very intelligent predators that put their safety above eating your chickens so you'll rarely see one. Surprisingly they spend very little time in their dens but its the only way to get rid of them if you don't want to trap or kill it.My advise is get a camera.

 

[Ageless Chicks]

Sorry for your loss. I lost my rooster almost 2 months ago. The hens are still staying in the run and not free ranging. I don't know what got the rooster but just his head was taken. It took me a week to find him. So my flock gets locked up and they are fine. I hope all goes well for you, I understand your loss.

 

[KyCoop]

From what I understand about LGD's they bark all night and sleep all day. And that's their job. On only 2 acres how would the neighbors feel about that? I know your in pain from your loss and want to make sure it does not happen again but your neighbors won't give two flips about your chickens at 2 am and your dog is barking.

 

[Ocho 8 Farm]

Sorry for your loss, free ranging is always a challenge.
If legal where you live, electric poultry netting is good against most land predators. Premier1supplies.com has it, and advice that's excellent also.
Keep your survivors locked in their safe coop and run until you can sort this out, at least. Annoyed but alive...
This was not a hawk, it's a four footed predator, who will be back. Can you set up a game camera? Might help ID this culprit.
Somehow it seems that the favorite birds are lost first, and it's hard to face. So sorry.
Mary

Why does it always have to be the favorite ones

 

[thewhimsicalflock]

It was a bobcat.

 

[thewhimsicalflock]

From what I understand about LGD's they bark all night and sleep all day. And that's their job. On only 2 acres how would the neighbors feel about that? I know your in pain from your loss and want to make sure it does not happen again but your neighbors won't give two flips about your chickens at 2 am and your dog is barking.

My neighbors actually all have a leg up because they have guard dogs. And some of them do bark all night and some don't. We live in the country. Everyone here has dogs, livestock, and a garden.

 

[silki girl]

this is why I don't free range my chickens I just let them out 2-3 times a week and they seem happy. plus predators normally won't attack you chickens and your grass is not all gone at the end of the day

 

[McChooky]

2 months after my neighbors sent us shot of an orange bobcat across the street I got a glimpse of it on the hill behind us where some of my chickens free range. The only thing saved mine was I locked them up.

 

[Leatherworker]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Can you get your girls a flock block or some special treat to keep them occupied in the run? I know it's not great for them long term, but everyone needs a pint of ice cream to themselves once in a while. Hopefully that could tide them over while you figure things out with their free-range situation.

Also, hanging treats like squash and things like that really helps keep them occupied and knowing thats the only place those treats hang. I bought some hang rods from Amazon that are very inexpensive and work great. My girls run to their coop and run if they feel endangered. It is their refuge. So make it so for them.