READ NEXT: 10 ABNORMAL CHICKEN EGGS & WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW! that could serve as a breeding ground for the slithering thieves. With this in mind, could a skunk kill large ducks and/or my Alpha Rooster? And like most domesticated animals, chickens prefer to be kept in groups. !, a podcast devoted to keeping chickens for fun and self-sufficiency. Remember, though, no hunting allowed! Thank you for doing that podcast! we discuss 5 common chicken predators. So, make sure your walls are strong and intact and you have a good predator apron installed! LISTEN TO THE REST HERE, Getting to know chicken predators by their tracks, track identification of chicken predators. It’s 5 video workshops, that you can access at any time. Hello there, I just wanted to give a thank you for the post. 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. 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. 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. 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. So if your chicken flock is attacked, here’s how can be reasonably assured it was a dog that killed them. One of the first signs of an attack from a bird of prey is a scouting bird. Both were very large, especially the drake. Instead of chicken wire opt for 1/2 … What happened was during the struggle, the possum began banging on a brooder that’s against the house. Chicken Breed Chart to Help Choose Your Chicken Chicken Breed Picture Bird Size lb. The Omlet Guide to Keeping Chickens This fantastic guide tells you everything you need to know about keeping backyard chickens. All species of hawks have some basic similarities like very good eyesight which is said to be the best in the animal world, talons on their feet and sharp, hooked beaks for capturing and eating prey. The chicken run is a fenced-in area connected to the coop where chickens can roam around. Most adults weigh between 22 to 25 pounds on average. Chickens make a specific noise when a predator makes their attack. I’ve also seen raccoon rip chickens right through chicken wire, pretty much mutilating them to death. They are more likely to strike in the … So, in the name of saving our chickens, here’s our comprehensive article on the most common and dangerous chicken predators, and how to tell which one killed your chickens. I should point out though that I’ve had a flock of chickens as long as I’ve had the dog, so I would expect to have lost many more chickens with bites to the back over 10 years. Or, might just be your dog, as was our situation. Keeping chickens safe from these predators is an important part of learning to care for a happy backyard flock but it’s vital that you fully understand the threats. A friend recently told me that if she feeds her chickens a wheat based diet, her son, who is wheat intolerant, will get sick. It isn’t difficult to build a chicken run or pen, but it is critical to not only keep your chickens safe from predators, but also to keep your lawn, garden and landscaping safe from your chickens, who take great delight in digging up small plants, munching on … What you can do about it: If bobcats are an issue for you, make sure to construct solid walls to your coop. or guard dogs to help deter them from your coop. Here is an overview chart of the top threats to your coop. A well-trained dog might also deter a hawk, while roosters and guinea fowl especially can alert a flock to a chicken predator. Something killed the female first, left her in tact, and then came back the next night to eat her from stomach to spine (head left in tact). I would love it if you dropped me a line at. In my area, it’s not recommended to relocate wildlife because our local department of conservation is concerned about spreading diseases, creating problems for other chicken owners, and upsetting the established wildlife population.