Lost 7 of 10 to predator

258 Views 10 Replies 4 Participants Last post by robin416, 15 d ago

Gibson

Discussion Starter · 19 d ago

What a bummer! I introduced my new chickets to the chicken run with my other hen, separated by chicken wire, thinking "two nights, what are the chances?" Evidentially one night too many because on the 2nd night 7 out of 10 of new little ones were slaughtered. All but one taken away.

SO.....

It has been about three weeks now and what I have been doing is going out every single night and picking up these 3 hens and putting them in the coup at night. I would have thought they would have learned from my 1 year old hen to go in the coup at night before the automatic door closes. Nope....they just huddle together outside.

What gives.....are they ever going to learn or am I destined to going out there every night and shoving them through the door? I dare not leave them outside over night, but this is sure getting old.

Appreciate you all!

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robin416

· #2 · 19 d ago

Can you put a small light in the coop? That will help teach them to go in. Turn it off once everyone is in.

That means disabling the auto door for a bit until they get it.

And I'm sorry. I know how that impacts you emotionally since it has happened to me and just about everyone else.

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Gibson

Discussion Starter · #3 · 18 d ago

Thank you for the recommendation Robin. Are you thinking a white light or would infra-red heat lamp work just the same? I just took my heat lamps out of the coup about 4 weeks ago. So yes, I could add a light inside the coup.

What I did today is not feed them outside. I put their food inside the coup and then left a trail up the ramp. They ate all the food off the ramp twice. I also did not re-fill the outside water dish so when they want water they need to go into water dispenser inside the coup.

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dawg53

· #4 · 18 d ago

Once my chicks are off the infrared heat lamp, I use a regular 25 watt light bulb rigged up inside the coop. Then once they roost (hopefully one of them roosts and the others copycat), I then shut off the light.
It usually takes less than 5 days for them to go to roost on their own, then I remove the light.
Ace Hardware sells the red 25 watt light bulbs.

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robin416

· #5 · 18 d ago

What dawg said.

Are they having issues using the ramp? They might need a little bit of training on how to use it.

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Gibson

Discussion Starter · #6 · 17 d ago

Last night one of the two Plymouth rock's found her way in. Then when the other one saw me coming she went in by herself. That left only the Freedom Ranger meat chicken for me to put in. Keeping fingers crossed I will have the same or better tonight. I think leaving a trail of feed worked. I will get a light out there tomorrow if need be. Thanks!

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Gibson

Discussion Starter · #7 · 16 d ago

UPDATE: Last night all three of the little ones went inside by themselves. The freedom ranger was the last to enter...by a long shot. Seems this bread likes to eat as much as possible so it stayed outside and ate, and ate and ate. Pretty sure that is what happened to my freedom rangers last year. They stayed outside to long and got locked out by the automatic door. Yes, predator got those last year. (3) After that I adjusted the light sensitivity/time delay setting for an additional 30 minutes. I need to keep an eye out for the next several nights though to make sure they continue. Thank you for the advice on the light..I will hold off another day.

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gokoroo

· #8 · 16 d ago

we use a one 36inches" stick...to make them go inn about 3pm...they go in immediately...other sticks wont work. we do not have an automate door,

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dawg53

· #9 · 16 d ago

gokoroo said:
we use a one 36inches" stick...to make them go inn about 3pm...they go in immediately...other sticks wont work. we do not have an automate door,

You put your birds up for the night around 3pm? It doesnt get dark until about 8pm.
You use a stick to usher your birds in the coop? Mine are broom trained. There's always one or two birds that want to wait until the last minute to go inside the coop for the night and it's practically dark already.

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Gibson

Discussion Starter · #10 · 15 d ago

Sticks and broom huh? Never occurred to me. Yeah, 3 around here would be 7 hours to early during the summer.
Last night all of them were in the coup by 9:10 so that makes two nights in a row..whooo hooo! That was surprising since there is still quite of bit of daylight left.

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robin416

· #11 · 15 d ago

Excellent. They are beginning to get it all on their own. Or after a little encouragement from you.

Keep and eye out for a while. They're still kids and know how kids can be.

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