Near complete loss of a flock, wth do I do now?

So, you may have noticed a small absence of mine. Let's just say what could go wrong did in so many ways. The largest tragedy IMO was the loss of 3 hens, and our rooster. Our last hen which is named "Spam" lived by hiding while what we suspect was a raccoon literally ripping apart the wood of the chicken tractor to get at my chooks.

Talk about a devastating day.

So, Spam is in rehab, doing nicely. Wounds treated, egg breaking phase passed and she lived. However she is totally alone now. How important is it that I get her companions prior to next spring when I can get chicks readily?

 

Greyfox made a good point in another thread although not directly to do with your question.

Once you repopulate, maybe you could consider installing an electric fence wire around the outside of the tractor (attached to the tractor even). This will keep predators away. I know with deer, people tie strips of cloth covered with peanut butter so the deer are initially attracted to the wire and get a good shock straight up.

Another idea is to cover the tractor with two layers of chicken wire that are separated. The outer one is connected to the electric fence generator and the inner one is not. This way a predator like a raccoon is going to get a belt wherever they touch it. Animals are smart too. Eventually, you'll hardly need to turn it on. Just the visual presence of it is enough.

 

Hi Pak, sorry to hear about the chooks and glad spam is on the mend. I would make sure she is 100 percent ok and then introduce some new chooks fairly soon. They are social animals and like company. i introduced a rooster a year after the girls had settled in and all went fine. Now with him gone they are fine, not bothered.

Even just one other chook would be ok I reckon. She will get pretty lonely on her own.

 

Sorry to hear that Pak. And I have been wondering where you've been

 

I have found over the years that the only way I can control stock losses is with a electric stand off hot wire close to the ground, no more than 100mm (4 inches) or so off the ground.
You have to make sure that no long grass can short out the wire but besides that I have had no issues and no losses.
You can even run another wire up higher if require but in my case this has not been an issue.
I have tried wire netting dug into the ground and layed on top of the surface with rocks and logs to hold it down in a ruin situation. Also for chicken tractors you can use a mesh floor large enough for the chickens to scratch through but not big enough for predators to get through.
They all seem to work okay until the foxes which we have as the main predator works out how to get around them.
The electric hot wire is the only way that I have keep my chocks safe. I have had no losses using this method.
My system runs off solar power and battery and works well. Do a search on youtube and see what people have done.
Sorry in Australia we do not have Racoons , so unsure have hard they are to control,
Hope you and Spam recover, after an attach the chickens seem to go into depression (after loosing all my friends and family I would too) and take a while to recover, just keep Spam quiet and secure and she will come good again.
Hope this helps

 

Here we have problems with foxes and wild dogs and cats
Alpacas are great for protecting chooks they will attack and kill anything that looks like a dog (by sitting on them!)
A raccoon is a bit dog-like might be worth trying if you have a few acres
https://www.incaalpaca.co.uk/view.aspx?item=83

 

I am familiar with alpacas since a lot of landowners in this county have them. People sell the manure for a lot of money per bag, ((Upwards of $30USD)) but had no idea they didn't like canines that much!

That's the information we needed to know. Craigslist here I come!