This Chicken Predator Lives in the House

Anyone tending a backyard flock knows that hungry predators are eager to convert a hen, or even a whole flock, into lunch Raccoons, weasels, mink, foxes, and raptors are amazingly common even in suburban and urban areas Protecting chickens from these hungry animals requires keeping them securely locked up in a tight coop during the dark hours when most predators prowl

 

Many flock owners would be amazed to learn that a major chicken predator is probably the most common suburban animal If free ranging dogs can access chickens, they’ll often convert them into a lifeless bundle of feathers Nationally dogs

Keeping Bears at Bay

 

Raccoons live almost everywhere and love dining on chickens, eggs, and feed  Wise owners of backyard flocks keep their hens in a sturdy coop with doors tightly closed when nighttime raccoons are on the prowl

 

Imagine the damage a 20-pound raccoon could do to a coop if it weighed 500 pounds!

That would be an American Black Bear

 

In many ways bears behave like giant raccoons They have an amazingly keen sense of smell, love eating chickens, feed, and eggs and have nimble paws able to open gates and unscrew jar lids And, they are strong Take a look at tis photo

Dogs and Poultry

Dogs and poultry can be a match made in heaven or a nightmare, depending on a few factors If you want to keep backyard poultry and dogs at the same time, here’s what you need to know!

 

Consider the Breed

Some dogs are better suited for poultry than others Livestock guardian breeds like Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherds, and Maremma have a lower prey drive and can be very helpful when it comes to protecting your poultry

We have two Great Pyrenees dogs on guard, and they are amazing at keeping away foxes, raccoons, and aerial predators like hawks and bald eagles as

Is Something Stealing My Eggs?

Have you ever suddenly experienced a drop in egg production?

While seasonal changes can often be to blame, sometimes the accuser can be a crafty predator or even one of your very own hens!

Extreme temperatures of late summer and mid-winter darkness can trigger a lapse in egg production Also, a hen’s feather molt in late fall can also be a reason she will lay less However, if one day you are getting lots of eggs, and the next you have almost none in the nesting box, you might have an outside culprit

If you are finding drastically less eggs, broken eggs

How to Identify Chicken Preadators: Weasels

This less common chicken predator is one that shouldn’t be written off just because it’s not as common as the fox, raccoon or birds of prey Chicken keepers that have weasels should always be prepared to deal with this vicious predator This is the fourth installment of our 4-part series in how to identify chicken predators: weasels
Identifying Weasel Attacks
Weasels, although small, are notorious for being both ruthless and hard to deal with Weasels will leave chickens in a bloody mess There will be feathers, blood and chicken carcasses left behind Weasels will often kill

How to Identify Chicken Preadators: Birds of Prey

It may seem silly to think that a hawk could attack a chicken and fly away with it, but it happens all of the time Red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered hawks, eagles and owls will all attack chickens if given the chance This is the third of our 4-part installment of our how to identify chicken predators: Birds of Prey
Identifying Attacks from Birds of Prey
One of the first signs of an attack from a bird of prey is a scouting bird Hawks, eagles and owls will scout their prey out well before attacking it You may

How to Identify Chicken Preadators: Foxes

Foxes are lethal chicken predators They are fast, cunning and bold One fox can quickly decimate an entire flock of birds if you aren’t careful Here is the second installment of our 4-part series in how to identify chicken predators: foxes
Identifying Fox Attacks
Foxes will attack chickens in all hours of the day They will hunt them during the day and at night They are fast and sneaky, and it can be hard to identify a fox attack Sometimes the chickens will simply disappear without a trace If you’re home when a fox attacks, you