Rural agricultural area with few/no predators.

[dosware]

We have about 50 pasture-raised chickens that roam freely during the day on 4 acres of grass and roost at night in a large protected "coop" (shed). We also have 20 domestic ducks who have access to a 700-square-yard artificial pond but with no coop. These birds have no restrictions but do not stray too far from their coop/ pond. We do secure the chicken shed at night. The ducks fend for themselves. We raise the birds only for eggs, which we donate, and not for profit.

We live in a dry but irrigated agricultural area in central Washington State with relatively few trees. We appear to have few natural mammal predators, although hawks and owls (and coyotes) are around, but they are not currently a problem. Our perimeter is chain-link fenced but not impenetrable. We have had very few predation incidents for 5+ years other than domestic dogs who mauled some chickens and ducks. Too often the coop door has been left open at night- but no issues. We feel very fortunate.

I am curious if others who are pasture-raising chickens/ ducks are also in areas with naturally low predator risks.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm in a naturally low predator area (farmland ingrown with now enclosed suburbia). I had no problems with free ranging birds for about 5 years...and then raccoons came and found the birds. Then skunks. I get the occasional hawk hit for any light colored bird (went to bark dust colored birds which solved problem).

So I get the occasional loss. My coops are now older and not impenetrable, nor my fence.

Consider yourself lucky right now...but WHEN, not if, you get a predator, act quickly. Lock up the birds. Be vigilant. If possible remove the predator. Then enjoy several more years with no issues, when suddenly you've got one again.

Everything loves to eat chickens. They will eventually find you.

LofMc

 

[lagrange chicks]

I'm in a naturally low predator area (farmland ingrown with now enclosed suburbia). I had no problems with free ranging birds for about 5 years...and then raccoons came and found the birds. Then skunks. I get the occasional hawk hit for any light colored bird (went to bark dust colored birds which solved problem).

So I get the occasional loss. My coops are now older and not impenetrable, nor my fence.

Consider yourself lucky right now...but WHEN, not if, you get a predator, act quickly. Lock up the birds. Be vigilant. If possible remove the predator. Then enjoy several more years with no issues, when suddenly you've got one again.

Everything loves to eat chickens. They will eventually find you.

LofMc

x2

 

[Ecarroll]

I live on an island where there are no coyotes, foxes or other large mammal predators, so the only predators we have to face are raccoons, domestic dogs and hawks.

 

[igorsMistress]

This is how I’m keeping my crews also. I live in a mixed area that still has quite a bit of agriculture and several riparian areas nearby, but I’m in a neighborhood. We have hawks and owls and coyotes but the coyotes would have to climb a six foot block wall. They can, but there are easier meals around. My ducks have the option of going into a coop but they never do. Chickens are usually locked in at night, mostly because I don’t want them cornered without an escape option.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We've had the occasional raccoon (2-3 years ago) and I know there are coyotes bc I can hear them at night, but we are not bothered by them. We had losses to hawks 6 or 7 years ago, maybe longer, when our BO's hatched chicks. Most of our losses have been to dogs (not many, maybe 4 in 13 years). Mostly we free range, surrounded by pasture. We lock up at night. I believe our losses are low due mostly to the presence of our dogs, as well as our isolation.

 

[lagrange chicks]

We have lots of Racoon around living next to over 4000 acers of state forest. Yesterday when it got light I looked out to peak at the coop and could see trails in the dew on the grass from what I believe were coon checking the run out, there's always muddy coon prints on the side of the coop.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

Predators are a non-issue with the correct breeds in the correct set-up. Red Junglefowl have survived in the fearsome jungles of Asia where tigers roam for millions of years, and today we have tougher and smarter breeds than junglefowl. Those who desire free chickens should be incorporating game, feral or wild bloodlines into their flock

 

[Al Gerhart]

If you don't have predators now you will when you put out the buffet for them, AKA chickens.

I walked into my shop on Monday morning and smelled a horrible smell in the break room. 10,000 square foot shop, concrete tip up construction, tight construction, no idea how it got in but there was a football size possum in my plastic trash can. Maybe it managed to crawl down a roof vent and survive the 24 foot drop to the floor.

Point being, critters smell food and they find a way in.

The first predators will be attracted to the wild birds and rodents so secure your bulk feed and use treadle feeders. Keep the predators out hustling for their food instead of attracting large numbers of their natural prey like rodents and wild birds. At least it will weed out some of the smaller predators and prey who in turn are also eaten by the larger predators.

 

[kattabelly]

I'm on an island with very few predators. Rats and stoats might go after chicks and smaller birds but I know people who never shut their Hylines in at night and even when there were rats nesting directly under the coop, they never had any issues. In warm, dry weather their flock mostly chooses to sleep in a patch of thistles next to the coop. Birds of prey would also probably take younger birds given the chance, but there seems to be enough other prey around that they'll avoid picking a fight with a full-sized chicken.