Predator Proof Housing
One of our requirements for adopting is the ability to keep animals safe from predators.
Some birds will stay on a pond but not all of them will stay on the water, which is the case of chickens who can’t swim :)
Some adopters do not have a pond so in that case you must build predator proof housing.
When building your pen/shelters here are some rules to live by:
Rule #1: Build your pens to keep predators out not to keep birds in! Birds are easy to contain but raccoons, foxes, coyotes, etc. are hard to keep out. Know what animals are in your area and design the pen with them in mind.
Rule #2: EVERYONE has predators, EVERYONE! People tell me all the time they don't need to lock their ducks up because they live in the city and there are no predators. When I lived in the city, I used to see way more raccoons and possums than I do now. Coyotes are also being noticed in more urban areas and are responsible for taking pet cats and small dogs. Your slow flightless duck won’t have a chance.
Rule #3: It’s not "if" it’s "when" your ducks will get eaten. It may take months for a predator to find your birds, but they will eventually. Once they do find them, they tell all their friends you have set out free food too!
Rule #4: A bad pen is worse than no pen. If you build a pen that isn't secure, you’re trapping the birds in so they have no chance of escape while predators can freely move in and out of the cage. All or nothing!
Rule #5: When you adopt domestic animals like ducks and chickens, it’s your responsibility to keep them safe. If you ignore the basic needs of these birds and decide to just shoot or kill wildlife that encounters them, you will lose a lot of birds and you will be doing a lot of killing. If you set up a buffet for the wildlife don't be upset when they come, take advantage of the free food. They only eat to survive, and they will take what's easy. Don't make it easy! Take your responsibility to your pets seriously and provide them a safe secure home.
Common Mistakes:
Pens must have a roof! A tarp doesn't count either. It must be made of heavy wire or be a solid roof. Raccoons are very smart and can be very destructive. They can chew very well, and a piece of plastic will take them about ten seconds to rip a hole in. Tarps also accumulate water and can collapse, and they don't hold up long term to the weather.
Chain link isn't predator proof, raccoons will eat your ducks right through a chain link pen. They work in groups and scare ducks to one side where another raccoon pulls the ducks head through the chain link. I have seen them even kill swans this way. Four feet of hardware cloth needs to be around the entire bottom of the cage, or you can also use wood or other solid material. If you have a chain link kennel it’s easier to zip tie hardware cloth along the inside.
You need a floor! Predators can dig and climb. The bottom of the cage needs to be enclosed, whether it’s a solid floor or wire buried under the ground. Raccoons can also lift chain link dog kennels up and hop underneath.
Secure door latches - raccoons can open doors and lift latches. Use a padlock or a carabiner clip to secure door latches. An adopter of ours had ducks inside her house and a raccoon broke into the house going through two doors to reach and kill her ducks.