Living with poultry means protecting them from predators, but it isn’t always possible. The instinct to hunt and kill prey is stronger than most logic. As I can attest, even the best prevention measures can sometimes fall short. My first attempt with releasing pheasants into (what I thought was) a secure fly pen ended in total disaster when over the course of 3 days, every bird was killed either by mink or raccoon. There may not be a prime time TV show with witty actors, caled CSI: Poultry unit, but there is help.
Backyard Poultry has a guide to predator identification. Gail Damerow’s guide can not only help you identify the culprit, but also has suggestions on prevention, including this
For pastured poultry, moving the housing every couple of days confuses predators, or at least makes them suspicious. Anchor portable housing with skirting that’s tight and close to the ground; each time you move the shelter, double check for dips where weasels can weasel in.
Backyard Chicken has a compilation from their forums of predator information.
Predators can make owners miserable. But out of the dissappointment often comes better ideas, such as electric fencing at Roberts Roost.
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