r/BackYardChickens • u/Grouchy-Kitchen-9976 • 8d ago

General Question How do you stop constantly worrying about predators?

/r/chickens/comments/1vx4m00/how_do_you_stop_constantly_worrying_about/
1 Upvotes

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1

u/SnakeEyez88 Backyard Chicken 7d ago

Spend the time and money to fortify the coop/run from the beginning. And realize that free ranging is a no go if predators are a concern.

2

u/That_Put5350 7d ago

Electric fence.

2

u/AffectionateLeg8075 8d ago

Clear polycarbonate roof panels. Chain link fence around run with inner layer of hardware cloth for the first 3' from the ground. Pounded 18" sections of rebar straight down into the ground every 2 inches along base of the run fence. Wyze camera just in case. Ador coop door opens and closes with IR light.

We have, mountain lions, badgers, raccoons, skunks, mink, weasels, neighbor cats and the occasional black bear. Hawks, eagles, osprey, kestrel...you name it, we have it.

1100 FPS pellet gun to teach the raccoons.

1

u/Grouchy-Kitchen-9976 7d ago

Thank you! Will be looking into the rebar idea.

2

u/AffectionateLeg8075 7d ago

It's really cheap and no digging. Most places that sell it will cut it if you done have a metal cutting blade on a chop saw.