When things go BUMP in the night...
Learn to listen to your birds at night, and if there is a ruccous, be
prepared to go and attend to their needs and scare away or dispatch a
predator or would-be predator.
We live in a very rural area and it is not uncommon for coyotes, feral
dogs or cats, owls, possum, skunk or raccoon to be a nuisance and a
threat to my poultry. My best defense is a good headlamp style
flashlight, a .22, and a good ear. If you are in a rural area like I am
in, and have woods nearby, it may be beneficial to trap predators who
are close to your poultry/gamebirds or contact your State Trapper's
Association for the name and phone number of a nuisance trapper in your
area who would be willing to remove any problematic predators, for a
small fee.
What else can be done? A perimeter fence around your property or at
least as a second barrier around your birds will help. Do not
free-range birds, or if you do, bring them to safety at night. Do not
allow your pet dog(s) or cat(s) to roam freely outside and near your
poultry. (If your pet is spayed or neutered, you will have less
problems with them having the urge to roam AND you will not have
unwanted puppies or kittens to deal with!) A "night light" where your
poultry can better SEE a potential predator will encourage them to
SOUND THE ALARM quicker in the event of an emergency. Speaking of
alarms, Guineas make very good natural deterrents for predators and
make plenty of noise to alert you to any problems. Wow, they are really
good at this. They also let you know when anything unusual is going on
within eye or earshot for them - a visitor, loose livestock, door left
open and squeaking on its hinges, etc. Guineas are also great for
eating bugs like ticks and mosquitos!! Some poultry enthusiasts swear
by a BGD - Big Guardian Dog. The right breed of dog, and one who does
NOT chase poultry may be a big asset in warding off anyone with a
chicken craving who isn't invited to dinner. I still prefer that this
animal be contained in its own run but where it can keep an eye on the
birds. Avoid keeping bird-dogs. Trust me.....that would be a whole
'nother novel...
To help predator-proof your outside bird runs, chicken wire on the
inside of chain link or 2x4" fencing can prevent birds from sticking
their heads through the fence, or predators from sticking a paw inside
and reaching your birds. Provide a roost or shelter near the center of
the pen, not near an edge where birds may be close to predators. I have
seen commercially available red blinking lights that are supposed to
ward off predators, but have never used them. You can have good success
if you have a critter digging under the fence or pushing the underside
of it by running electric fencing around the outside perimeters of your
fence about 6" off the ground. Make sure that grass or weeds do not
grow up tall enough to touch the hot wire.
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