Many products and methods have been touted as saving chickens from most certain death at the hands (and mouths) of predators. Here is an overview of what really works.
A backyard flock can bring hours of joy and plenty of fresh eggs, but there is always the threat that a night stalking raccoon, skunk, owl, coyote, weasel, or anything else that's hungry will find your flock. A safe and secure chicken coop or portable chicken enclosure is key to keeping vermin (and consequential heartache) away from your flock.A chicken house must be both well ventilated and well secured. A weasel can devastate an entire flock if given an opening the size of a mouse hole and most raccoons can climb up and pull through loose openings in the structure. Chickens are nearly blind in the dark leaving them completely at the mercy of their invaders, which is why chicken owners find themselves in a battle to keep their flocks from being attacked. If you have the luxury of having a perfectly fortified coop, you are lucky.For those of you that are battling with predators to keep your flocks safe, here are the different methods used to protect backyard flocks and their degrees of success.
I'm not sure where Chicken Wire got its name but the only thing it is good at is keeping chickens in. Strong raccoons can pull apart the twisted wire and tear right through. If you have a window or a run that has chicken wire, you have a serious hole in your security system. This is not effective at keeping predators out except for owls and hawks. The mammals that stalk chickens at night may as well view Chicken Wire, also called "Poultry Netting" as an open door.
This is much better at securing windows and open eaves for ventilation. Do not staple welded wire as staples easily pop out with a little bit of force. The best way to secure welded wires is by sandwiching the wire mesh in between two pieces of wood and screwing the wood together. Make sure to overlap the welded wire leaving no holes. Welded wire is pricier, but worth it. All holes or corners should be secured completely.
Advertisements for solar powered security lights have tempted most chicken owners frustrated at losing their flock at night. These lights are motion sensored and most don't need plugged in but use small solar panels. Some are supposed to scare off predators with a red flashing light. They don't. Predators get used to the motion sensored light and go about their business as usual after a few encounters.The good thing about security lights is more for the chicken owners who are able to look out their windows and see that the light has been tripped and run out there wide-eyed to see what tripped the light.
While it might seem a bit more similar to Fort Knox than you'd like, electric fencing is very effective at keeping a chicken flock safe. If your chicken house does not have electricity, there are many portable electric fence chargers that are solar powered and still effective.Run a wire around the base of your chicken house about 4 inches off the ground and a couple of inches away from the chicken house all the way around the outside. Follow the instructions for grounding your charger and hooking the fence up safely. Then turn it on when you shut your chickens up at night and turn it off in the morning. Do not combine electric fencing with a guard dog or if there are small children around. Always use a safe charger with a pulsing electric charge. You might find the next morning a foul odor of a skunk who ran into your electric fence while your chickens slept safe and sound inside.
No matter what method you use, keep trying to find out what works for you. Predators are sneaky and if the only thing between them and a delicious meal is a little poultry wire or a light, they will find ways around it. Your chicken house can be as open or as secured as you make it. The initial investment in tight security will save many chickens lives along with a lot of heartache, which makes it worth the money and time well spent.
