What's Up Everyone. Please Check out our last post and video about what's been going on in The Serene Forest as far as our chickens are concerned. You can go there by CLICKING HERE

So we have had some predator problems. In the video prior to this, I talk about predator problems while allowing the flock to free range. Ever since those predator problems, I have kept the flock in our run. I thought the security was tight. But apparently it hasn't been tight enough.

We had 4 chicks hatch (5 if you include the compost chick - again watch the video in the link above) and began losing one each night the past few nights. We woke up to one chick gone but no evidence of foul play. The next night another one was taken with no evidence of foul play. I began thinking there must be rats or a snake to blame. They are the only predators that can fit through the chain-link fence that surround the run and the coup.

But, on the third morning I found a racoon who had become stuck in our run. It had killed and eaten the mama hen of our new chicks. Another chick was gone as well. That left us with 1/4 new chicks still alive. And no mama hen now to protect it.

I disposed of the racoon and cleaned up the mess. Now, I have beefed up security around here. I added tighter gauge fencing as well as adding more fencing in areas I think the racoon could have entered. Additionally, I will begin setting traps for would-be predators in order to control this problem.

Check out the video below for more details.

Let me know if you have any suggestions. Or comment below with your proven methods for preventing predators from making an easy meal out of your flock.