One of the clues often left behind is feathers. If a chicken has gone missing, it can be a mystery as to what animal has taken them. Signs that you have a serious predator problem in need of urgent action include:Ĭhickens Going Missing - This is just as devastating as finding a chicken has had its head eaten or is dead from other injuries. It might be due to a predator, and it’s only going to get worse. Wounded Chickens - If your chickens have been getting injured or developing wounds, don’t just pass it off as fighting with each other. Same for the parameter of the coop, animals will dig and burrow under the wire if they can’t get through. If you spot any holes or damage in the wire, repair it immediately. Predators are really too smart to let those stop them.See also Can Pheasants Live With Chickens? (It's Not That Difficult) But because I was outside, I could intervene and immediately bring my hen to the vet for sutures and save her life.įinally, deterrents such as motion-sensor lights or decoy owls don’t really work. I let only mine in the yard when I am in the yard myself, and even that wasn’t enough to deter a hawk to come down on one of my girls. Having a rooster or a guard animal (dog, llama.) will also help as they will be on the lookout and sound the alarm when they see danger.īut don’t fool yourself, letting your chickens roaming outside their run is not predator proof. If you are “free ranging” your flock, you can make their yard safer by providing plenty of cover: trees, bushes, tables, netting to reduce aerial attacks. If you are dealing with big predators like coyotes, bobcats, and mountain lions, you will need to install electrified wires all around the coop and possibly barbed wire. The second option is to dig a trench of about 1 foot deep and 2 foot wide at the exterior perimeter of the coop, and install the hardware cloth down and out. One option is to put hardware cloth under the whole floor area, fix it to the frame, and add one foot of soil on top so the chickens don’t walk or scratch on it. If the bottom of the run is on the soil then ensure nobody can dig in. Use the same hardware cloth as the one used to secure the hen house (½” max meshing). Rodents and other critters would have no problem chewing through nets. Raccoons can easily pass their arm through and catch a chicken. Chicken wire is good for keeping chickens in, but not predators and rodents out. Using chicken wire or soft netting is not enough. Here are a few examples of predator proof latches:ĭuring daytime, the chickens should be able to roam outdoor safely. Raccoons can easily open simple latches such as a hook and eye latch and basic handles. Lock all openings including the nest box lid with latches requiring multiple steps to open. To keep them out of the coop, the meshing of the hardware cloth should be half an inch or smaller. Squirrels, rats, and mice also love chicken feed which can prove costly, but worse, they may bring diseases to your flock. Hungry rats can kill baby chicks and injure chickens in their sleep. When making your coop predator proof, you might as well make it rodent proof. If the windows need to remain open for proper air circulation, protect with hardware cloth (not regular window screen that only prevents insects to come in) attached with screws and washers instead of staples. The walls, floor, and roof need to be sturdy enough to not allow any critter to break, chew, claw, or dig through.īring all the chickens in the hen house before dusk and close all the doors and windows. Because of their poor night vision, night is the time when they are the most vulnerable. It should be an unassailable fort where the chickens can sleep on both ears.
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