But in this podcast, we’ll go over some of the more common chicken predators, and these are ones that I have experience with. When a predator attacks typically depend upon two things: the type of predator and where the chicken is at the time of the attack. A friend recently told me that if she feeds her chickens a wheat based diet, her son, who is wheat intolerant, will get sick. I set a trap in the duck pen after the drake was killed and caught a skunk. Fifth on our list of chicken predators are raccoon, and we all know what they look like. The dog also had no access to the duck pen, so there is no way he could be responsible for the duck deaths or eating them. Coyotes are third on our list of chicken predators, and if you don’t know what that is, a coyote is a species of canine that hunts in packs. And they might not be your dogs, but perhaps a neighbor’s, or family member’s. You should check with your local department of conservation about your state’s laws regarding relocating chicken predators. Finally, we do have a 10-year old dachshund who we let outside to relieve himself. I’ve heard they just eat the heads. If you keep chickens for their eggs, and want to learn about how to best feed them so lay the most nourishing eggs possible, then you’ll want to check out my new course, Common Chicken Predators and How to Identify Them: 'What The Cluck?!' For example killing hawks and eagles is prohibited, so I can’t shoot a hawk that steals my chickens. Knowing a little about chicken behavior is crucial […] I posted it on my Facebook page and got an excellent response. Have you heard of this before? Now, this is just a gentle reminder that my course Feeding Your Hens Right comes out in January. So, it really is shopping for products you will use anyway in a way that benefits other people too. Birds of Prey. It’s a possibility, then, that when he was let out this morning, he may have tried to chase the hens and he bit the Alpha rooster on the back while the rooster was defending the flock. Some of them hunt only in the daytime, like the hawk and some in nighttime like the owl. It’s 5 video workshops, that you can access at any time. Similarly if a chicken got too close to him, it was toast. 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. Bullying, rats, parasites, predators, diseases… who’d be a chicken? Now before we get started, I just want to briefly mention a company that I love and that’s Thrive Market. READ NEXT: ORGANIC CHICKEN FEED RECIPE (THAT WON’T BREAK THE BANK). Raccoon like to rip or bite the head off of a chicken, leaving the head a distance away from the body and eat the breast and crop as well as the guts, leaving the rest behind. Now that you know the top 12 chicken predators, you're armed with the knowledge you need to secure your flock in the safest possible coop. I found this article to help you learn how to identify a chicken predator by … Another option are minks and weasels, although it depends on your location. There’s no mistaking the evidence of a chicken attacked by a hawk, the signs are quite different from all other predators. You can grab it at http://FeedingYourHensRight.com. Over to you. Also, I found you through the Beyond off Grid & I am wondering if the link still applies? It’s pretty ugly. There, you’ll find all sorts of information to help you figure out which chicken predators around your coop. For the chicken coops we built, we used tin for the roof, and chicken wire to cover the runout area. There’s specific recipes for homemade feed that can be tailored to your particular needs, and you’ll learn how to raise a happy, healthy flock of chickens. By Rebecca Nickols on February 24, 2014 Visit Rebecca's Website. Using metal such as tin or wood for the coop and run cover, hardware cloth or chicken wire are good options. If you haven't looked at chicken coop designs, chicken predators are a major reason to make sure that your birds are safe and your coop is built solidly. Raccoon are attracted by things like chicken feed laying around, as well as garbage or anything that can be an easy meal for them. They will kill more than one chicken, but opossums usually only kill for the food they need that day. I didn’t put our young roosters away in their coop because I was really sick with strep, and stupidly figured nothing would happen for the night because the chickens were all roosting up off the ground. Luckily, their tracks look a little different. So if your chicken flock is attacked, here’s how can be reasonably assured it was a dog that killed them. Unlike some other predators, dogs might kill your entire flock because to them, it’s a game and they’re having a good time. I have to simply better proof my coop from aerial chicken predators. In particular, with chicken wire, make sure a hawk can’t just crash through it because it’s not secured well to the sides of the run. To prevent opossums from killing your chickens, it’s best to have a secure coop with no entry points. Is it true that chickens will kill their fellow flock members if they are sick? There are certainly breeds like livestock guardian dogs, that are more protective of a flock of chickens. Thank you for doing that podcast! Once these chicken predators spot their prey, the hawk will swoop down and pin the bird down with its talons, often killing it on impact. So stay with me! Predators other than domestic dogs usually eat at least part of the chickens in my experience. In this podcast, you'll learn how to identify what's killing your chickens based on some tell-tale signs, and how to protect your flock. About Plymouth Rock Chickens: A Friendly Bird That Lays 5+ Eggs Per Week, How to Butcher a Chicken: 7 Steps to Humanely Kill, Pluck, and Clean Your Chickens, 10 Steps to Prepare Your Chicken Coop for Winter, About Jersey Giant Chickens: One of the Best Dual Purpose Birds Around, How We Built Our Charming Log Cabin Coop in 11 Steps With Only $100, About Sumatra Chickens: An Exotic Exhibition Bird, What to Consider When Raising Sheep and Chickens Together, How to Collect, Clean, and Store Fresh Chicken Eggs, About Derbyshire Redcap Chickens: One of the Biggest Heads Around. Boy was i surprised. Still, you will usually see no other signs of disturbance. For example killing hawks and eagles is prohibited, so I can’t shoot a hawk that steals my chickens. In fact, in the Mid-Atlantic, I know of cases where owners have shot domestic animals and did indeed face criminal gun charges. Thanks for your interest! I’m Maat from FrugalChicken, and I’m sorry this episode is a bit late, I’ve been battling strep throat this week, and I wanted to spare you the pain of hearing my voice. Take a … Now, let’s get on to why we’re here. Maat van Uitert is a backyard chicken and sustainable living expert. Chicken predators, opossums in particular, are the bane of my existence on the homestead. This will be an information packed episode that’s full of advice you can use today. To prevent these attacks make sure you have solid fencing around your coop and your dog can’t get into it. Chicken Predators Chart. You can also identify predators by the scat they leave behind or how they wound chickens. 4. Another thing I love about Thrive Market is that for every membership they sell to someone like you or me, they give a membership to a family in need. I would love it if you dropped me a line at [email protected] to let me know how you handle chicken predators or if you have any questions about it. In my area, I’m pretty sure there wouldn’t be any legal consequences if a dog that attacked a chicken flock was shot, but in other areas of the country, especially more urban areas, you might be looking at gun and animal abuse charges. They’re nocturnal chicken predators, and while we sometimes see them in the day, they generally hunt at night, when people are asleep, and like to hide in trees and any small spaces. You can also place chicken wire under the ground but parallel to the ground, so digging is even further deterred. The Department of Natural Resources was able to trace the poison back to that chicken owner. It was like an animal vampire. It was large bite marks on the back of the necks. These large cats are not common chicken predators because they prefer much larger prey. Now, for more information about animal tracks, my friend Janet at One Acre Farm is a wildlife tracking expert. A lot of states have regulations surrounding shooting and relocating raccoon, so talk to your local wildlife authority before taking either of those actions. Hawks don’t generally leave many tell-tale signs, and obviously no footprints, but I’ve observed feathers, so if you see a lot of feathers or other signs of a struggle in one spot and no chicken, then it’s a good chance a hawk took your chicken. The crop may be torn open, along with the breast, and the entrails eaten. You can join Thrive Market at thefrugalchicken.com/thrive, and that is an affiliate link, so thank you if you decide to use it. Yesterday, I also had to reprimand the dog as he began to give chase to one of the hens. Thanks for listening to this episode of what the cluck about common chicken predators, and I’ll see you next time! Hi folks. Just today, I heard a story about a man who was sent to federal prison for three years after accidentally poisoning a bald eagle. These are common predators! It sounds similar to a dog bark, but it’s still pretty unique. I’d love to hear about it, so there’s something I want you to do. Red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered hawks, eagles and owls will all attack chickens if given the chance. We tried tying him up when he was outside, which generally worked, but if he got loose, he would go into the coop and to kill every one. There all kinds of creatures that will soon take a keen interest in your coop. Reading Time: 5 minutes By Gail Damerow – Keep a flock for long and sooner or later you’ll be asking yourself, “What killed my chicken?” Many marauders love our backyard chickens as much as we do, and each leaves a calling card that offers a clue as to which predator you’re dealing with. Or, might just be your dog, as was our situation. So, how do you know if a hawk took your chickens? If you keep chickens for their eggs, and want to learn about how to best feed them so lay the most nourishing eggs possible, then you’ll want to check out my new course, Feeding Your Hens Right, which you can see at feedingyourhensright.com. You’ll know a coyote has killed your chickens if you hear their barks and/or see signs of struggle, as well as coyote tracks. Thrive Market is membership site, and their products are anywhere from 15% to 20% cheaper than I’ve found elsewhere. While opossums will eat chickens where they’ve killed them, raccoon will sometimes eat them there, but they’ll also strew the bodies yards away from the kill site, so if you come across a number of dead chickens, and they’re all over the place, it’s more likely a raccoon than a opossum. By using this website, you agree that the information on this website is for educational purposes only and is not meant to treat, diagnose, or cure illnesses or diseases. Far and away, the most common predator we deal with on the homestead are opossums. Chicken Predators – What You Need to Know. Next on our list of chicken predators are hawks. A fox is opportunistic, he will visit your garden regularly (a little tip, if it snows, go out and have a look for paw prints to see if foxes are visiting and how close they get to your chickens – you might be surprised!) Her website is OurOneAcreFarm.com and in the show notes, I’ll put a link to her blog as well as an article that goes deeper into track identification of chicken predators. Track measures 2 and 3/4 to 4 and 3/4 inches in width, and has the same general appearance as tracks of the smaller cats. In addition, links on this page might be affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. When it comes to chicken predators, you always have to be on alert, because they can spring out of nowhere, and destroy all your hard work, and take the food you’ve been raising for themselves. These predators usually attack when chickens are free roaming during the day. These large cats are not common chicken predators because they prefer much larger prey. You can access this podcasts show notes at TheFrugalChicken.com/Podcast13, that’s podcast one three all one word. Most of us are familiar with pesky raccoons that creep outside looking for food. Minks will leave,”vampire marks”,on the neck,drinking the blood and leaving the body intact. If you have some experience with this type of attack please leave a comment or share this post with your friends to see if we can find a possible solution for Jodie. Chickens, after all, look for ways to die. My dog was an indoor dog that I’d had for years, and he was gentle with people and my cats. While I’m sympathetic to wildlife, I also take raising my chickens seriously, so I try to do everything possible to keep them safe. Is it possible they were raccoon? Maat has been featured on NBC, CBS, AOL Finance, Community Chickens, the Huffington Post, Chickens magazine, Backyard Poultry, and Countryside Magazine. We have listed some of the most common predators below to make sure that you know why you need your coop built so sturdy. Hi, it might be skunks, the bites sound like skunks or possums, but not eating them is not usual. Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. Anyone who has a wheat allergy and can’t eat store bought eggs will understand what I mean. Evening. These chicken predators particularly like to go after chickens because they’re easy prey. So, that right there is proof that your hen’s diet does effect the quality of her eggs, and studies have shown the exact same thing. FrugalChicken, LLC is not a licensed veterinary service. Hi, yup, skunks are similar to opossums. Most inexperienced people will think a fox has visited however this isn’t always the case. This is the third of our 4-part installment of our how to identify chicken predators: … Hi there, and welcome to session 13 of What the Cluck? About Easter Egger Chickens: Friendly, Colorful Egg Layers, 20 DIY Chicken Brooders from the Low Cost to the Beautiful and Durable, How to Breed Chickens for a Colorful Egg Basket, 19 Homemade Healthy Chicken Treats Recipes Your Chickens Will Love, About Fayoumi Chickens: Backyard Egyptian Birds, How to Introduce New Chickens into an Old Laying Flock, Eggs and Meat Productions: What You Need to Know as a Chicken Owner, About White Faced Black Spanish Chickens: The Farm Clowns, About Buckeye Chickens: Practical Egg and Meat Producers, Top 10 Chicken Breeds That Will Give You up to 300 Eggs per Year, Give your coops a floor that cannot be dug into or place chicken wire at the base of the coop so it will cut whatever tries to dig under the coop, Give your coop a higher latch and one that would be difficult for a toddler to open, Chicken wire is your friend. I thought about just writing the first paragraph so as to not color your opinions, but decided to offer some other possible clues (although neither may be related). And just as a reminder, you can access this podcast’s show notes at TheFrugalChicken.com/podcast13, that’s Podcast one three all one word. 11 chicken predators you need to watch out, in order to keep your flock safe: owls, hawks, raccoons and more. I would love it if you dropped me a line at. Based on what you’re describing, it sounds like a domesticated dog is killing them. Of course, if you see raccoon tracks, which are bigger than opossum tracks, you’ll know your culprit that way too. A Guide to Poultry Predators. Keeping chicken coops securely locked at night, and making sure there are no cracks or easy ways for coyotes to get in will deter these predators. In this episode of 'What The Cluck?!' Last year, I lost my favorite hen the same way – she had a deep bloody wound in the center of her back but no part of her was eaten. Keeping the area clean of trash and removing chicken feed at night is another way to deter these chicken predators. These birds will kill only one or two of your flock at a time, saving the rest for later. Below the chart, we break down each predator, where they live, how they kill, … She is also the author of Chickens: Naturally Raising A Sustainable Flock, which was a best seller in it’s Amazon category. Make sure the cover is secure, without any loose or weak parts through which a hawk could gain access. Last week I had my first close-encounter with a predator… Even though I allow my flock to free range during the day and I live among a slew of predators (fox, raccoon, hawk, etc..), Don't ever make the mistake of thinking your dog or fence will keep your flock safe from this cunning and ruthless predator. Here is an overview chart of the top threats to your coop. So, are there chicken predators in your area that you regularly contend with? So there’s a lot of chicken predators out there, and the ones you need to worry about depend on where you live. And like most domesticated animals, chickens prefer to be kept in groups. Being able to defend your flock from chicken predators can make or break your success keeping chickens. Sometimes they go for the head, they also like to eat the bellies and leave everything else. So, I really don’t suggest hunting any hawks or eagles that attack your chickens. I don’t really see many raccoon in our area, but they do pop up every so often. Cats are great hunters and will easily kill a chicken. They also love heat lamps… I have heard some disturbing stories about homesteaders finding snakes curled up in a nest box, full of an egg or two. I have friends that lose their flocks to bears, but we don’t have bears in our area. No part of his body was eaten, but feathers were scattered in the immediate area around his body, and he appeared to have a bloody wound in the center of his back. Opossums are marsupials that are found in the Eastern, central and west coast states of North America and some parts of Canada. I’ve walked into coops after a possum attack and there’s just pieces of chickens everywhere, it’s pretty disgusting. Similarly, in some areas is illegal to relocate wildlife, and also you might run into trouble if you shoot them, especially a domestic dog. The more places you put it, the safer your flock is, Be sure to close your coop up at night, especially, Roosters are good to keep around for the protection of your flock, The more noise you have outside the safer your flock is as it deters unwanted visitors from coming around, Fencing is your friend. If you are new to raising chickens, you might not even be aware of what predators are around. A well-trained dog might also deter a hawk, while roosters and guinea fowl especially can alert a flock to a chicken predator. Weasel might be a strong possibility, they can get through tiny cracks. Place netting over any outdoor space for your flock. No flesh removed though. Foxes, coyotes, raccoons, dogs, mink, owls, and some hawks also find chickens a meaty, easy-to-catch meal. If you don’t know what Thrive Market is, it’s an online organic supermarket, and it’s a little like Costco meets your favorite farmers market. Including hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls eye your chickens from the sky. In the United Kingdom, the number one predator for chickens is of course the fox but did you know that some people also have badgers killing their chickens? A group of chickens is called a flock. What happened was during the struggle, the possum began banging on a brooder that’s against the house. Chicken predators are sneaky and will try to grab every last chicken they can. No matter how you kill a chicken, it will twitch and convulse strongly, and continue for thirty seconds to a minute. They don’t usually eat the whole chicken, but only part, and many times it’s the head. Cute Dog But Wants To Play With Chickens. They’re an easy mark for predators at this point; they don’t defend themselves or try to escape. What killed my Alpha Rooster? Don’t make the mistake I did, we lost a nice 4 month old buff orpington rooster to this possum. Regarding the Beyond Off Grid summit, if you’re referring to my course, yes, the link still applies for the next couple days. So when it comes to your chickens, having raw, organic items on hand, such as honey, becomes extremely important if a chicken, or any animal really, and I personally source all of my raw organic honey from Thrive. Raccoon are extremely smart and can figure out how to open simple latches, so if raccoon are an issue in your area, then using several latches or a single complicated one is a good deterrent. Your best bet if a hawk attacks your flock is to create a covered run instead of trying to capture it or kill it. I’ve also seen raccoon rip chickens right through chicken wire, pretty much mutilating them to death. It’s just one of those things that happens to chicken owners from time to time, and I don’t think it’s breed specific. I would love it if you dropped me a line at [email protected] to let me know how you handle chicken predators or if you have any questions about it. Foxes Are Great Escape Artists – Build Your Coop Safe. I never would have thought my dog would have ever killed a chicken, but one day, his hunting instincts set in, and he killed half our flock. Keeping chickens safe from predators is not always easy. Use our Poultry Predator Identifier Tool to help you figure out which predator is behind attacks on your flock of chickens, ducks, and other poultry members. These are meat birds that we’re pasture raising organically, so they’re not kept in a run consistently like our laying hens, but instead allowed to roam a 3 acre pasture and then cooped at night. You know a coyote is around because you’ll hear when they have prey, they start to wolf pack it as they fight over it. Often, you will find the head of a bird a distance away. For a couple days there I couldn’t breathe or swallow, so recording this podcast was out of the question. Hi Dave, to answer your questions, yes, a skunk can kill your chickens, but usually they rip them up and eat them. I also advise covering your run if you think dog might jump into it. The Top Ten Chicken Predators. Coyotes typically hunt at night but I’ve seen them and lost chickens to them during the day, so I think if they see an opportunity to get an easy meal, they will. Unlike opossums, coyotes will take their prey away from where they killed it, so if you see a dead or disemboweled chicken, it’s not as likely to be a coyote. It’s often advised online and in Facebook groups to kill chicken predators, and I firmly believe if a predator is coming after your flock and trying to take what’s yours, you have a right to defend your flock. Raccoon are nocturnal, and the tell-tale signs of a raccoon killing a chicken is similar to opossums, but there are a couple key differences. Another option are predator deterrents that contain a motion sensor that flashes lights if they’re set off. by Maat van Uitert | Dec 21, 2015 | Chickens, Podcast | 9 comments, Table of Contents (Quickly Jump To Information). Their barks are rapid and high pitched and you usually hear a lot of them at once. Reading Time: 5 minutes By Gail Damerow – Keep a flock for long and sooner or later you’ll be asking yourself, “What killed my chicken?” Many marauders love our backyard chickens as much as we do, and each leaves a calling card that offers a clue as to which predator you’re dealing with. we discuss 5 common chicken predators. Finally, I live in southern New Jersey, so suspected predators that have killed my chickens in the past include: (1) Cooper’s Hawks; (2) Owls; (3) raccoon; and (4) opossum. Far and away the biggest chicken predators on our farm are possums, and just the other night we were woken up at midnight as a possum went after some of our chickens. I often hear about the devastating loss of a flock from an unknown predator. Most adults weigh between 22 to 25 pounds on average. Predator-Proof Chicken Coops? As we grow increasingly sophisticated in understanding where our food comes from and the repercussions of eating poor quality food, it’s important to understand how your hens diet effects the quality of her eggs. In this course, you’ll learn how to feed your chickens so they get an optimal diet, lead healthy happy lives, and lay the most nourishing eggs possible. If you need to catch a chicken, go out with a flashlight a couple hours after darkness has fallen, and you should have … They recommend euthanizing chicken predators by gunshot or what they recognize as another humane method of euthanization in accordance with the American Veterinary Medical Association’s recommendations. They’re slightly larger than foxes. But I’ve also seen lap dogs, like Pomeranians, kill chicks, so while certainly some breeds are  more predisposed to hunting instincts, I think it just depends on the individual dog. Chickens, after all, look for ways to die. 1. Chicken Breed Chart to Help Choose Your Chicken Chicken Breed Picture Bird Size lb. Using 1” to ½” hardware cloth is best, and I like to staple the hardware cloth to wood on the top and bottom of the coop and run so the opossums can’t fit underneath. Signs of fox attack: feathers and footprints, sometimes a faint odor resembling but not as strong as skunk may be noticeable.. Infamous for their love of chicken, and due to lack of natural predators, red foxes are actually more likely to strike in urban and suburban areas rather than rural. Nocturnal predators (like owls and opossums) will move under the cover of darkness. It’s almost ready to launch (and a lot of the materials are up there already, just a few more videos I need to complete.). Hello there, I just wanted to give a thank you for the post. READ NEXT: YOU CAN RAISE MEAT CHICKENS (AND GO THROUGH WITH IT!). She lives on her farm in Southeast Missouri with her husband, two children, and about a million chickens and ducks. They will herd the chickens to the coop at night, check the sky for Ravens, Hawks and Eagles and drive them off, chase off all manor of chicken predators, including Bobcats, coyotes, mountain lions, raccoons, bears, etc.. They rarely eat the chicken, and I think a lot of the killing is done for sport, especially if the dog is well fed. (LIKE THIS PODCAST? However, any poorly protected livestock, including chickens, can appear on the cougar’s menu. The following info-graphic provides an overview of common chicken predators, their attack methods, and potential coop design solutions to protect your flock against these predators. This will stop birds of prey, Finally, be vigilant in coop maintenance. Civil suits as well hawks and eagles is prohibited, so digging is even further deterred reasonably assured was... I did, we lost a nice 4 month old buff orpington rooster to this episode of 'What the?. 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