Guest guest Posted February 27, 2006 Report Share Posted February 27, 2006 Bob, I was just reading about your chickens. We let ours roam as well. My question is about predators. This past year, (the first time in 7yrs) we had a nightly predator that would go into the chix house and take the girls off their perches. So many people around here said it had to be a fox, but I think racoon. Do you think a racoon would take full grown hens? Debra - sandyloopfarm herbal remedies Monday, February 27, 2006 3:32 PM Re: Herbal Remedies - Digest Number 4409 Kathy, you are very correct about the wording 'Free Range' on chicken eggs. Be even more leary if you see one saying 'Vegetarian Fed'. We raise our own poultry and everything is loose and free ranging(three acres) year round, supplimented with Timothy and other hay, special feeds and NO animal protein in our feeds. People tell us our eggs are superb, and we know they are. As for those 'Vegetarian Fed' ones? I have NO clue how that can be if they are free range. (The first bug they eat-there goes your vegetarianism!) 'Cage Free' is just another way of saying they get out of the cages and run around on the concrete or dirt inside the building. They may even get to go outside but not out of their little yards. Ours are just out there all over the place, (I even have to snowblow the yard for them-they're that spoiled!) and VERY healthy. You're right and more people should be checking into what they are buying because those labels can be very deceiving, bordering on outright lies! Bob at Sandyloopfarm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 In a message dated 2/28/2006 10:37:44 AM Central Standard Time, gdwmn65 writes: Do you think a racoon would take full grown hens? Yes they can and will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 I don't think so. I have wild raccoons visit and I have left out corn, dogfood, and a chicken thigh at the same time, and I have pictures of a coon eating the dog food. Possums also prefer fish, or dog food. Cats prefer chicken, but I doubt they're strong enough to kill and haul off an adult chicken. When I raised chickens it was common to lose one at night, and looking back I think it must have been a 2 legged animal. In daytime, however, hawks will attack a free range chicken, sometimes leaving claw marks on the back of one that escaped or too large to fly off with. I decided if I raise them again, I'll put chicken wire about 20 feet apart, maybe 100 ft long pen. Then place wires across at 6 ft high, about 10 ft apart, to snag the hawks so the chickens can eat THEM. Regards. - Debra Savage herbal remedies Monday, February 27, 2006 3:37 PM Herbal Remedies - Re: Bob at Sandy Loop Bob, I was just reading about your chickens. We let ours roam as well. My question is about predators. This past year, (the first time in 7yrs) we had a nightly predator that would go into the chix house and take the girls off their perches. So many people around here said it had to be a fox, but I think racoon. Do you think a racoon would take full grown hens? Debra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 My flock was devoured. We started with about 28, we now have 3, one rooster (Beep Beep) and 2 hens. And they are on strike now - not laying any eggs (that I can find, anyway). Debra - zainypagan herbal remedies Tuesday, February 28, 2006 11:38 AM Re: Herbal Remedies - Re: Bob at Sandy Loop In a message dated 2/28/2006 10:37:44 AM Central Standard Time, gdwmn65 writes: Do you think a racoon would take full grown hens? Yes they can and will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Racoons DO take chickens. They are great climbers and will climb right up a wall or post and take a chicken. We've caught them red handed before. They LOVE chicken.:-) They really like cat and dog food also but always go for our chickens. Often they will just start eating into the chicken's side without even killing the chicken or will just naw on it's head for a while. It's awful coming into the barn after hearing chicken screams to find a poor chicken in that condition still alive. Got to lock up your coop VERY well! Adrienne herbal remedies , " Debra Savage " <gdwmn65 wrote: > > Bob, > > I was just reading about your chickens. We let ours roam as well. > > My question is about predators. This past year, (the first time in 7yrs) we had a nightly predator that would go into the chix house and take the girls off their perches. So many people around here said it had to be a fox, but I think racoon. Do you think a racoon would take full grown hens? > > Debra > - > sandyloopfarm > herbal remedies > Monday, February 27, 2006 3:32 PM > Re: Herbal Remedies - Digest Number 4409 > > > Kathy, you are very correct about the wording 'Free Range' on chicken eggs. Be even more leary if you see one saying 'Vegetarian Fed'. We raise our own poultry and everything is loose and free ranging(three acres) year round, supplimented with Timothy and other hay, special feeds and NO animal protein in our feeds. People tell us our eggs are superb, and we know they are. As for those 'Vegetarian Fed' ones? I have NO clue how that can be if they are free range. (The first bug they eat-there goes your vegetarianism!) > 'Cage Free' is just another way of saying they get out of the cages and run around on the concrete or dirt inside the building. They may even get to go outside but not out of their little yards. Ours are just out there all over the place, (I even have to snowblow the yard for them-they're that spoiled!) and VERY healthy. > You're right and more people should be checking into what they are buying because those labels can be very deceiving, bordering on outright lies! Bob at Sandyloopfarm. > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and to > prescribe for your own health. > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as > they behave themselves. > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. > > Dr. Ian Shillington > Doctor of Naturopathy > Dr.IanShillington > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 Raccoons used to take my neighbors ducks when she had them. When a wire lid was put over the birds, they tried pulling them right through the wire. You do have to have them pretty safe and locked up at night. Coyotes will climb up and over certain types of fences or dig under and steal also. They will carry alot of things back under or over the fence. fft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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