I need help with my chicken coop! Somebody has been stealing my chickens and I don't think its animals!?

Question

I used to have 10 chickens and a turkey, then 2 went missing from inside of the coop.......no evidence but a small hole and I don't think the chicken could fit through there. The last week I've decided to let them free range. They never, ever go near 10 feet away from their coop. I left this morning for a few hours and came back and all of them were missing except my turkey and he was in the tree. I think somebody is taking them. Every once in a while somebody on a quad comes pretty close to the coop. Coops by our property line.

What can I do to make them safer?

I don't have the money to get a security system (some people use this), and I can't afford much now. The coop is all wire held together by 2x4's and has an attached small house. I can't leave them cooped up in there all day. Any ideas on what I should do?

I want to let them free range. Thanks!

Answer 1

add a electric fence to your existing fence

Answer 2

email me and i will tell you how to build an alarm using things from the house ect... or getting them from the store  about  $20...

i can also send you a plane so you get it right...

Answer 3

I think radio shack has like little cam corder type things fairly inexpensive you could install one and find out for sure....

Answer 4

Get a survalance camera and install it

in an ariea that it won't be noticed.

If someone is stealing your chickens

you should have this caught on camera

as evidence to the police and to the court

when you file a lawsuit against the guy.

Good luck!

Answer 5

You need to ck your area where your chickens live for tracks and see if you see animal or humans this will tell you if its a animal or person/persons is there feathers all over if so most likely an animal but not always true  raccoons will kill then if hungry take dogs will kill and take fox will grab and take off with may leave a few feathers.

Your chickens were dinner for something or someone took for dinner or fighting.fox,coyote,stray cats, or dogs or opossums.

Provide a sturdy and safe living place no holes or gaps in walls use chicken wire this wire needs to be at least 6-7 inches into the ground to ensure predators from digging under into the coop.Ck for any sings digging, provide barriers such as  large rocks, bricks logs,stepping stones. anything HEAVY so critters cant MOVE!!! or dig under.

Can also introduce smell into chicken areas take some old clothes you dont want and wear for 2 days then put into mesh bag hang or place some where in chicken ares where you belive the critter is getting in or can fill an old pair of pany hose and hang or drape over fence this will help with animals but not people.

Lock chickens up EVERY night this is a MUST  DO!! Be ALERT to noisey chickens and they do make a fuss if a critter or human is around.If hear any thing GO ck it out IMMEDIATELY!!! If you do have a predator you MUSt be vigilant  most predators will RETURN!! Its not a good idea NOT to lock up at nights since a fox will watch this and if you dont its there sign to attack and they will.

Kishel's is a ratcoon repelent may wish to look up more for other critters.

Its Not good for your birds to stay in coop all day they need to be free so can eat strech and roam just keep a close eye on them.

I have caught 9 cats 4 ratcoons and 2 opposumes since Ive had chickens (with a live trap) and released some where else so they do come around.

Answer 6

I ould put a lock on the coop door and no one is able to get them only you since you have a key.

Does your coop have a top on it? IF you dont hawks can getthem.

Keep a what dog out there. I have one who is a coonhound who barks if anyone come in yard.

make an indoof run thats big so thya can free range. Make sur eit has a top and make it bigger. The coom you have add an outdoor enclosure. like this thing

http://www.theblogpound.com/images/uploa...

Mine is like that it has a hen house. Also an outdoor one but a lot bigger.

Answer 7

While there is the possibility of someone taking your chickens, i wouldn't rule out a predator thieving from you. Do you live in the UK? If so, a fox may have taken them, although there would be a lot of feathers left lying around the place.

As the turkey seems to be able to fly, he would've obviously been able to escape predator, or human alike.

I'd say the easiest way track suspicious movements around your coop is by buying a cheap CCTV. camera, they don't cost that much nowadays.

Buying a lock might not be so bad either, I'd be willing to bet a human chicken stealer wouldn't bother trying to break a lock for a few more chickens. At least if you get one, and the chickens still disappear, or you find the lock cut, you'll hopefully be able to decipher whether this thief is human or animal.

Good luck in catching the perpetrator, and i hope all the poor chooks are alive and well!!!!