4d • General discussion
Predator Awareness Check
Summer brings more predators to backyards—and more daylight for them to hunt. Time to audit your defenses.
Signs of predator activity:
- Feathers scattered near (or far from) the coop
- Killed birds left uneaten or partially eaten
- Missing birds with no bodies found
- Damaged run/coop (holes, bent wire, missing boards)
- Birds acting skittish or refusing to leave coop
- Daytime predators (hawks, foxes) seen circling or lurking
Predator-specific clues:
- Hawk: Aerial kills, feathers scattered in wide area, bird partially eaten from back
- Fox/coyote: Missing birds, multiple kills, prints/scat near coop
- Raccoon: Torn wire, missing head/organs, kills at night
- Rats: Holes in run, missing chicks, droppings
- Weasel: Kills multiple birds, small entry holes
Quick summer predator audit:
- Run walk-around: Check for gaps, holes, loose wire
- Coop inspection: Roof intact? Vents predator-proofed? Door closes properly?
- Perimeter: Clear tall grass/brush within 15 feet (predators lose concealment)
- Run coverage: Any spots where a hawk could dive-bomb?
- Night lock-in: Are all birds secured every single night?
Summer vulnerability spike:
- Longer daylight = more hunting hours for predators
- Juvenile predators learning to hunt
- Heat stress makes birds less alert
- Natural cover grows in and provides predator shelter
Your action this week: Do the audit. Find one vulnerability and fix it.
>>>Check out the "Scary Story" video I posted last year on YouTube about a close call Queenie Greenstien had with a hawk! https://youtube.com/shorts/CjQgFxRKo9g?si=vfD6JByefbvSyGJv
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Predator Awareness Check
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