{"id":93242,"date":"2021-12-22T13:00:36","date_gmt":"2021-12-22T18:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/?p=93242"},"modified":"2022-04-21T10:18:28","modified_gmt":"2022-04-21T14:18:28","slug":"protect-your-poultry-chicken-coop-from-predators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/protect-your-poultry-chicken-coop-from-predators\/","title":{"rendered":"Protect Your Poultry & Chicken Coop From Predators"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your backyard poultry are of great interest to you, providing delicious eggs and meat, as well as garden fertilizer, pest control and daily enjoyment to you and your family. But unfortunately, your chicken coop is also quite interesting to other creatures, including coyotes, cats, dogs, foxes, hawks, minks, weasels, owls, opossum, rats, raccoons, skunks, snakes and many other predators.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Raise poultry long enough, and you\u2019re likely to lose one now and then to predators. However, if you take the protection of your poultry seriously, losses can be kept to a minimum.<\/span><\/p>\n

The list of predators that can attack our poultry is long, and air and ground attacks can occur day and night. If something is attacking your poultry, the first step you need to take is to find out which predator is to blame. In many cases, predators will leave signs and tracks behind as evidence. <\/span><\/p>\n

When these signs are not present, much can be inferred by how the birds are attacked. Different predators are active at different times of the day, and their hunting and feeding behavior differs. Once you know which predator is attacking your poultry, you can secure the chicken coop and take action to prevent future issues.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Hunts When<\/h5>\n

Bobcats, coyotes and foxes prefer to hunt after dark, and they usually take birds away to eat elsewhere. Overnight, raccoons and weasels are also significant threats. Raccoons will often pull a bird\u2019s head or legs through a wire fence and leave its body behind, while weasels sometimes kill many birds by biting them at the backs of their heads.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Birds of prey can also be very serious predators. Large hawks will attack birds from above during the daytime hours and eat them in place, as evidenced by scattered feathers. Great horned owls are also known to take birds at night, either carrying them away or eating them on the spot.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Dogs and cats can also be a very big problem in urban areas. Skunks and opossums will eat <\/span>eggs and sometimes birds, while black bears will occasionally recognize poultry as food.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wildlife cameras can be used to help find out the predator. Because motion sensors activate them, cameras can also be used at night. While they can\u2019t prevent predators, the knowledge they can provide is beneficial in preventing future issues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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GS23\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Regardless of which method you choose, knowing your enemy is critical if you expect to win the war against predators.<\/p>\n

Protection Priorities<\/b><\/h2>\n

Once you have identified which predator is attacking your chicken coop, you can take actions to prevent future issues. Probably the two most important parts of protecting your flock from predators are correct housing and fencing. Whether you buy it ready-made or build your own, there are a few simple things you need to know to keep your poultry happy and safe.<\/p>\n

Fencing<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n

Quality fencing is the foundation for effective predator control. Fencing is almost always a necessity, especially if your birds are allowed to range and forage outside the chicken coop. A quality fence will keep the flock confined to an area of your choice, prevent difficulties with neighbors and keep out practically all predators (if constructed properly).<\/p>\n

Several types of wire mesh (welded wire mesh, poultry wire, hardware cloth, electric netting) with openings smaller than 1 inch tend to work best.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Make sure that your fence is tall enough to prevent predators from entering. Coyotes, for example, can easily jump over a 4-foot fence. <\/span><\/p>\n

If possible, consider covering the top of the pen with netting or wire mesh, as well. This will protect your birds from air predators, such as hawks and owls. A top is also highly recommended because it protects from air predators and will also help keep wild birds from entering the pen or chicken coop and interacting with your poultry.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Wild birds can carry diseases that may be harmful or even fatal to poultry. Thus, the less contact that occurs between your birds and wild birds, the better. The fencing material should be long enough to turn outward from the pen on the ground and bury the bottom 6 to 12 inches so that predators can\u2019t dig under the f<\/span>ence.<\/p>\n

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Read more: Check out this essential fencing information for all your livestock needs.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Housing<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n

It\u2019s a great idea to keep your birds locked up in a chicken coop secured against predators every night. If your birds have a fixed outdoor area (run), the fence should go at least a foot into the ground and then turn 90 degrees outward for at least another 8 to 10 inches to prevent predators from digging.<\/p>\n

By having the wire turn outward, predators will dig into the corner of the wire and will not be able to dig any further, preventing them from entering.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If the coop\u2019s windows aren\u2019t made of glass, you\u2019ll need to cover them with wire netting to keep predators out. If you open the windows, a predator-proof wire cover is required. Window screens do not stop most predators.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Movable housing is an increasingly popular choice for small flocks. When using this form of housing, it\u2019s very important that the structure\u2019s edges are in contact with the ground to make it predator-proof. Additionally, many poultry keepers that use movable housing keep their poultry in pasture areas that are surrounded by a fence (often electrical) to provide them more protection against predators. <\/span><\/p>\n

Electric netting made for poultry can work well for containing the flock and offer some protection against predators, provided an adequate charge is maintained throughout the whole fence line.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Safety Tips\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

I am a professional small-scale poultry farmer <\/span>and am well acquainted with many predators. I<\/span>\u2019ve tried many methods and techniques, and only after three years of living with my chickens, as well as ducks and geese, did I completely get rid of predators. <\/span><\/p>\n

So here I have included several useful tips to protect your poultry from predators, successfully tested in my own experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Raise It Up<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n

Raising the coop off the ground on stilts is a great way to prevent most predators from entering the chicken coop. Just make sure the chicken coop floor is secure and that any holes that snakes or rats can get through are repaired.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seal Holes<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n

Make sure you regula<\/span>rly check your chicken coop for any access holes. When you feed your birds, clean them up, close them at night, and make sure you regularly check the chicken coop for any access holes. <\/span><\/p>\n

It is very simple but very important. Every small hole can be used by predators to gain access to your birds. A weasel, for example, can easily squeeze through a <\/span>1<\/span>\u2044<\/span>2<\/span>-inch hole. You\u2019ll be <\/span>surprised at how easy it is for small predators such as snakes and weasels to crawl into the coop and eat eggs, and, in some cases, even chicks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bring \u2019em Home<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n

Train your flock to return to their coop every evening and make sure to close it up. After allowing your birds to range for the day, they\u2019ll naturally return to their coop to lay eggs and roost at night. Just make sure to close it up in the evening once the birds have settled.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Hire a guard<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n

Within the towns and city limits, there are usually restrictions on having roosters, as they can be a little bit noisy for neighbors. There aren\u2019t too many people who like to be woken up at the crack of dawn by a rooster crowing. However, if you live in the country, it\u2019s usually OK.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

On the contrary, waking up at the crack of dawn by a rooster crowing is even pleasant and a big part of country life. The importance of keeping a rooster is very simple. A good rooster will protect the flock and will become an excellent guard.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a great guard, you can also use a guardian dog. This dog will do the same job as a rooster, only better.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Michael Feldman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A dog can range farther away around the coop or fence and the scent of a dog is very disturbing to most predators. This is a very tried and tested method of protecting your poultry from predators. Guardian dogs work well at deterring even birds of prey. <\/span><\/p>\n

The most important part of this method is to make sure that the dog is friendly with your birds before leaving your poultry and dog unattended.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s advisable to choose dogs that are guardian breeds, such as Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Sheepdogs or Maremma Sheepdogs. Llamas, alpacas and donkeys are other interesting options for guardian animals.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Read more: Ready to get a livestock guardian animal? Here’s what to know.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Increase Visibility<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Create a bad environment for predators by cutting down any tall grass, bushes or overgrown areas around your chicken coop. Almost all predators are uncomfortable crossing an area without cover.<\/p>\n

If you want to create a little shade for your birds, you can <\/span>plant some plants or bushes inside the chicken run. I have tried it with my birds and they really love the shady spot and nibbling on <\/span>the leaves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Use Objects with Motion<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Another very simple and easy-to-install method is to put around the chicken coop some moving objects that will scare away most predators. Flags, pinwheels, CDs on a thin wire and everything that moves in the wind can be used. <\/span><\/p>\n

This method is very simple, but you can\u2019t even imagine how effectively it works.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, this can even delight your birds. Most poultry, such as ducks and chickens, are very curious and, therefore, they\u2019ll be very happy to see something that is colorful and moving.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Install Motion Sensor Lighting<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

A night light (motion-sensor-activated) or a set of predator-
\nd<\/span>eterrent lights flood the chicken coop with light after dark. This will keep most nighttime predators away from your chicken coop.<\/span><\/p>\n

W<\/span>hichever method you choose, winning the war against predators is the responsibility of every poultry farmer. With the ammunition in this article, you should be ready to defend<\/span>. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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More Information<\/h2>\n

Regional Predators<\/b><\/h5>\n

You can find out the predator attacking your poultry by knowing which predators live in your area. It\u2019s not very effective, but it\u2019s worth a try.<\/span><\/p>\n