Something's eating my birds

[2LaneCruzer]

You might consider something like this:

Predator Guard Solar LED Deterrent Light

Talked to an individual who used predator lights to protect his chickens, and he said they really work. Apparently, the lights simulate another predator, and the varmints won't venture in.

 

[nybirdman]

You might consider something like this:

Predator Guard Solar LED Deterrent Light

Talked to an individual who used predator lights to protect his chickens, and he said they really work. Apparently, the lights simulate another predator, and the varmints won't venture in.

Don't waste your money;tried something similar years ago.Solar motion lights seem to work better;that with a electric fence.Also have a top net.

 

[jaxs]

Our dogs are in the house at night

You might consider something like this:

Predator Guard Solar LED Deterrent Light

Talked to an individual who used predator lights to protect his chickens, and he said they really work. Apparently, the lights simulate another predator, and the varmints won't venture in.

Keeping dog in house at night AND a motion sensor at coop conected to alarm or light in house is an exelent way of teaching dog to alert you when he smells,hears or sees something around the place. When alarm gos off grab gun and dog to go investigate.
Kid was late to school,teacher asked why. Kid said I had to help dad dress chickens for the freezer before leaving for school. Teacher said why couldn't your dad dress those chickens on a weekend? Kid said it's a long story. About 4am dad thought he heard something in the chicken house so he tip toed down with his shotgun and dog to investigate. As dad opened the door and shined a light inside coop that old dog cold nosed him under his night shirt ,both barrels went off and it took us nearly all morning to clean all the dead chickens.

 

[CliffordK]

The turkey is safe! She was back home this evening like nothing happened. Maybe she was visiting a neighbor?

Turkeys can actually fly reasonably well, at least the wild type ones. It would take a good climber to get one.

My experiment with chickens didn't go well. I had been letting them out during the day, and then putting them back in a cage at night. Except I missed a couple of nights, and something got into the cage and terrified them from going back in.

Anyway, I'd encourage making a chicken coup with a door that is on either a timer or a light/dark sensor. Train the birds to come in before the door closes.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Non-migrating Canadian geese are worse.

Good point. I have seen a flock of honkers turn 100 acres of winter crops into a mudhole in less than a week.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Keeping dog in house at night AND a motion sensor at coop conected to alarm or light in house is an exelent way of teaching dog to alert you when he smells,hears or sees something around the place. When alarm gos off grab gun and dog to go investigate.
Kid was late to school,teacher asked why. Kid said I had to help dad dress chickens for the freezer before leaving for school. Teacher said why couldn't your dad dress those chickens on a weekend? Kid said it's a long story. About 4am dad thought he heard something in the chicken house so he tip toed down with his shotgun and dog to investigate. As dad opened the door and shined a light inside coop that old dog cold nosed him under his night shirt ,both barrels went off and it took us nearly all morning to clean all the dead chickens.

That story might fly with someone who knows nothing about shotguns.

 

[CADplans]

We lost eleven full grown laying hens in one night,, not a sound.

The next night, our neighbor lost 15,, then another neighbor lost 8 chickens, turkeys, and ducks.

The third neighbor had a camera out,,
it was a bear, and two cubs, they ate EVERYTHING,,

There was no feathers even left from my chickens.

I read where pre-hibernation, the bears have a CRAZY high calorie per day intake.
Four chickens would be nothing for their diet,, twelve chickens would leave the family looking for appetizers,,

 

[Rockbadchild]

do you have a dog ? if not snares could be a option, or life traps ... skunk and fisher could be a options as well if you have them in your region... built a pen with chain-link on the floor and roof then you should be good, you could leave them out during the day and put them inside at night the night.

 

[BlueKnife]

A neighbor clears out coyotes with an electronic rabbit call. 18 turkeys in the front yard this morning, I wish something would thin them out. They crap everywhere.

Coyotes would help clear them out. Somebody must be shooting them.

 

[BlueKnife]

I've lost more chickens to feral cats than any other predator. I've also lost them to coons and even an owl one night, but feral cats were the worst. We have bobcats in the area now, that's new thing around here.

Feral cats are our biggest problem as well, and this is an area where we have a lot of predator options. Hawks, eagles, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, mink, black bears, lions, wolves, raccoons etc. We had a hawk get one of our chickens. When he came back for another our rooster, a big Rhode Island Red mix with 3 inch spurs, kicked it's ass. There were hawk feathers and blood all over the place. The hawk got away, but barely. We've had feral cats get a bunch of our rabbit kits. I've been thinning their ranks whenever I can, and it's helping some, but they're still around. The other, larger predators do help with the cats on occasion but leave our rabbits alone, since they're next to the house.