This way if a chicken predator like the possum, tries to dig under the fence of the chicken coop, they won’t be successful. Good predator management starts with quality fencing. First of all you, need to be aware of likely predators in your area: foxes, hawks, owls, coyotes,... 2. Keeping your chickens in a secure fenced area with a roof is the best way to protect them from hawks and other predators. Read more: Here are some additional tips for protecting chickens from predators. Bury the chicken wire two to four feet deep to prevent digging. Some will be very protective of the flock itself such as a rooster or a well trained guard dog. We never use poison baits, which endanger pets and wildlife. Bushes, large grasses, decks, and overhangs can be a perfect place to take shelter. We especially like the latter because of the small openings. The word predator implies something large and fierce — mountain lions, grizzly bears, velociraptors. Both are omnivores who eat a wide variety of foods, including rodents, rabbits, insects, carrion and fruit. July 19, 2019 2 Comments. Capable of squeezing through very small holes, weasels usually deliver a killing bite to the back of the head. Additionally, an abundant population of rodents living among your poultry will attract hunters who may get sidetracked by the prospect of a chicken dinner. Electric poultry fencing is an even better option to protect against ground predators. Cherie Langlois is a freelance writer and photographer who tends a petite hobby farm in Washington state with her awesome husband's help. Together, they reside with an entertaining and much-loved little menagerie of a horse, terrier-poodle mix, cat, cockatiel, ducks, chickens and five very silly young goats. Thankfully, there are a few tips in the next section which will help to protect you against this somewhat. You can choose poultry wire, welded-wire mesh, electric netting or other fencing materials with sufficiently small openings (or sufficiently high-voltage electrical pulses) … More often than not, chicken predators are going to be foxes and raccoons who are more than happy to chow down on your chickens. They are just going to encounter more fence. Perhaps the best possible thing you can do to protect your chickens from predators is to ensure that they are in a secure chicken coop. So look at your poultry set-up/routine as if through a sneaky, opportunistic predator’s eyes. Comments. Or. If you see a hole, fill it. Effective Ways to Protect Chickens from Predators. If you can, also refrain from leaving food outside for your pets. This is something that you should be ensuring happens. It’s good for keeping chickens in but not the best at keeping other animals out. If you are constructing a run, it’s important to remember that many predators will try to dig... 3. People typically focus on the ground and they forget that a predator can attack from above. Remember that fences won’t discourage every predator. Cover Their Coop. Fortunately, chickens are creatures of habit and easy to train. Keep rodents in control in and around the coop with these tips. Probably not. Raising chickens is a wonderful experience, but there’s no doubt that it can also be fraught with difficulties and tough decisions. Bury the hardware cloth at least 2-4 feet deep around the chicken run. This reinforces to the birds that the coop is home and where they should roost. I hate to be a massive buzzkill, but they do. “Believe it or not the saying playing opossum is pretty true.” That is according to Bill Dowd and he should know. In addition to this, you will want to bury a small amount of fence under the soil. When avian predators are a problem, covering the chicken run with wire or mesh can be effective. Not only does it hurt emotionally, but for those whose livelihoods depend on their flocks, it hurts financially, too. This will prevent chicken predators from digging in and upwards. Others swear by livestock guardian dogs to protect their charges. Predators are probably the number one cause of chicken death in backyard flocks. Cover the Coop. Predators.. For their small size, weasels can defend themselves very well, and their brown-in-summer and white-in-winter camouflage helps them to both kill prey, and avoid being prey. It’s also why our domesticated biddies—confined, exposed, less wary than wild birds—make such tempting targets. Doing so can cause predators to lose their fear of humans, hang around and at some point they may turn their hungry attention on your chickens. If you’re raising chicks in a brooder set-up, secure it against rats, pets and small children. Doing so can cause predators to lose their fear of humans, hang around and at some point they may turn their hungry attention on your chickens. Not only this, but the vast majority of chicken predators are going to come out at night. So it seems almost a sacrilege for me to confess the following. Leftovers can attract wild predators to your property, along with feral dogs and cats. This will help to prevent birds of prey swooping in and lifting your chickens up for a tasty snack! If you’re new to an area or new to chickens, ask neighboring livestock raisers about predators they’ve encountered and their strategies for foiling them. When choosing or constructing a coop/pasture pen, steer clear of flimsy chicken wire or any gap-ridden pen covering that allow weasels to slip in or raccoons to reach through with their dexterous paws. A fence now surrounds our 5 acres, and much of our land also has an inner buffer fence for extra protection. When we belatedly surveyed our fence, a massive hole had, refrain from leaving food outside for your pets. They will also warn against eagles, hawks, and other flying predators. Hungry for a snack, these animals will often stop Blame it on my volunteer work at a zoo as a teenager and, later, a seven-year stint as a wildlife park keeper. While wild animals generally hunt to eat, roaming dogs will kill for the fun of it. That is how you will find a chicken with broken neck, or mauled and nothing is eaten.. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. That is what the next section of this article is going to be all about. However, duck’s behavioral adaptations, to water or in any other case, are sometimes associated with their physiological adaptations. Predators are after chickens, eggs or both. They may not eat them, but they won’t be able to shake the instinct of chasing the chicken down and enjoying a good meal. We are all in this together! They freeze and crouch down or they run, flapping wings and voicing their concern to the rooster if there is one. If you can, also refrain from leaving food outside for your pets. Please try again. Furthermore, I refuse to take a lethal approach to retaliate for any depredations—with one exception. One of the best ways to protect chickens from hawks, owls, and eagles is to make sure your chickens have lots of places to hide when a predator is flying overhead. Animals that Protect Chickens There are definitely some animals to keep around the homestead to help protect your chickens against predators. They are going to be attracted to your chickens. Again, remember that your adorable peeps are defenseless. But, honestly, a lot of it is going to be completely dependent on where you live. They’re an easy mark for predators at this point; they don’t defend themselves or try to escape. Remember, though, that low vegetation crowding your birds’ home can serve as unintentional cover for a sneaky raccoon, fox, weasel and the like. Please let us know a convenient time to call you on, (*All time slots are available in CDT zone.). Generally speaking, if there are predators living in your area, then they are going to enjoy munching on a few chickens. When we belatedly surveyed our fence, a massive hole had been dug beneath one secluded section. You can’t know what to do if you don’t know who’s doing what. These sinuous carnivores are exceptional hunters of rodents, rabbits and other small animals. You should never let your omnivore pets anywhere near your chickens because they will almost certainly try to catch them. Look for bite wounds on the chicken’s back, plus gnawed heads and breasts. 3) Huddling to Protect Chicks . If you have a dog (and some cats), then you will also need to be aware that there is a chance they will love a good chicken too. We discovered the dangers of neglecting this task years ago after a coyote picked off two free-roaming chickens in as many days. Our experts will call you on your preferred time. And keep reading for suggestions on how to make your chickens as hard for predators to get as possible. Look for birds that have been killed or maimed but not taken away or eaten. promptly remove it after they’ve eaten their fill. Left unchecked, rat populations can explode fast. How to protect chickens from predators 1. Chickens have been domesticated and are pretty useless at protecting themselves from most predators now. Chicken keeping is such a wonderful hobby for anyone with a small amount of space in the backyard or garden and a desire for fresh eggs (and entertainment). Anticipating which species may visit—and what their modus operandi is—can help you better protect your flock. And don’t forget to collect eggs daily. Or promptly remove it after they’ve eaten their fill. Some studies have shown that lethal control of coyotes can actually increase populations and livestock predation. I hope our time-tested tactics below will help you protect your chickens from predators, too, to avoid the pain of losing a feathered friend. Our barriers include a mix of 4- to 5-foot welded-wire field fence, hog panels, wooden fence and nonclimb horse fence. These 17 tips will help keep your ducks and chickens safe from predators in your back yard. There are tens of great predator-safe chicken coops in the market. I am a podcaster who is starting to put videos out on YouTube. Total darkness makes chickens go into a kind of stupor. These days we’re much more careful about performing regular fence and coop/pen checks. She loves growing and cooking with healthy heirloom vegetables. It hurts to lose a chicken you’ve lovingly raised from a cute, fluffy chick—to go out one morning and find Henny Penny mysteriously missing or worse, discover a shocking scene of bloody, feathery carnage. At the same time, we show them that home is where the food and yummy mealworm treats happen. You will also want to ensure that digging into the area is kept to the absolute minimum. Letting them pile up can attract hungry critters as well. Joe Thongsan/Shutterstock. Even though I adore my chickens and hate to sacrifice even one to a coyote or other wild thief, I don’t blame the predator for doing what predators do to survive. How do ducks protect themselves from predators? Bury Chicken Wire. This can prevent hawks from sweeping in and picking up chickens. (See “The Dirty Half Dozen,” below. Some predators are able to tear apart chicken wire. Want to know the best possible way to ensure that your chickens are protected against these predators? The next morning, all that remained of our clucky friend was a trail of pretty barred feathers leading to the fence. Fence your coop with chicken wire. There are tens of great predator-safe chicken coops in the market. Survival for a predator poses a daily life or death challenge. An eagle or a hawk will immediately be noticed by a goose, long before human eyes would detect them against the sky. The weasel's main predators are other species of weasels, small hawks and owls, and its bigger cousin, the mink. For your run, you will want to use the heaviest duty wire that you can find. The coop structure where our Barred Rock hens spend each night consists of an outer pen constructed of strong, tight hardware cloth well-stapled to a wooden frame, with a solid corrugated plastic roof. Many poultry thieves prefer operating under cover of darkness, or in the early morning and evening hours. Foxes, raccoons, birds of prey and even snakes can all pose a threat to a free-range flock. Protecting Your Backyard Chickens From Predators. Avoid feeding predators on your property—even cute ones like raccoons. Would it stand up to a bear? This is one reason why predators are so important for healthy ecosystems. It is worth noting that your chickens will probably put up a fight against chicken predators. All rights reserved. Fences not only keep predators out, but also keep chickens from becoming a nuisance on the neighbor’s property. I like having this portion of the coop elevated because predators can’t move in below the chickens. May 9, 2020 at 6:02 pm. If it weren’t for these incredible hunters, we’d be up to our ears in rodents, rabbits and more. While a a full-sized chicken has little to fear from a rat, a tiny chick is extremely vulnerable to these stealthy omnivores. Make sure you lock it behind them. If you’re missing chicks in the morning or find one partly eaten, a rat is the likely culprit. 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