What's your worst predator?

[Coralietg]

Neighbourhood dogs. We lost over 30 young chickens to dogs in April, nearly wiped my whole flock out.

 

[BrendaJ]

Raccoons & Hawks

 

[ChickenLegs13]

#1 Free ranging dogs. But haven't had a problem since County passed a law several years ago plus I fenced my yard.
#2 Free ranging cats. This summer one of my own barn cats ate 15 of my bitys and young birds.
#3 Possums. Wounded 2 hens several weeks ago.

Last week heard a fox barking across the road and been hearing coyotes within a half mile so I'm anticipating trouble this winter. Seems like every night I hear a chicken squawk or the dog bark and jump out of bed with a light & gun and have to go look around but never see anything.

 

[D Kluck]

# 1 - Stray dogs which were probably dumped from people from the city who no longer wanted them.

# 2 - Roaming dogs with irresponsible owners.

# 3 - Possums

# 4 - Hawks

# 5 - Owls

All of the above problems have basically been taken care of... we have lost zero for almost a year now.

 

[micah O]

We live on a farm so i dont worry about dogs. but theres hawks and weasels.

 

[TXchickmum]

Hawks

 

[Vamvakas]

Hawks - I stopped free ranging so now there not an issue
Dogs - Once in awhile these 2 dog will try to eat my dads rabbits
Norway rats - These guys don't kill my chickens but sometimes will eat chicks also they are the hardest to get rid of
I try poison it work for alittle time then they always come back an since it's getting colder there migrating under the coop for warmth.

 

[John-1948]

I thought the Coopers Hawk was just a barnyard tale .... about snatching the heads off chicks trough the fence ....
UNTIL !!! I actually observed it myself !!
This hawk was on the ground outside my pen, bobbing his head around .... then ... POP !! one swift swipe and the chick
was beheaded right in front of my unbelieving eyes !!
Now, I have a layer of 1" tree cover mesh all around the pen to make sure he can't do it again.......
I still have a hard time believing this bird is so talented.

Now, my WORST predator is when I forgot to lock the door and a raccoon got in and killed 8 chicks one night .... then next month, he got 4 more.
Never again will I forget to lock the door at night.... PLUS... I now have electric wire 4" and 8" off the ground.....varmint PROOF now ( one can only hope.)

#1 RACCOON
#2 POSSUM
#3 COOPERS HAWK

 

[RugerRN]

It's a toss up between coyotes and bobcats out here. Though occasionally, we do have an issue with mountain lions. My chickens are a bit too big to be carried off by the red tail hawk family that lives in our canyon, but they've definitely been lurking.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Over the years other predators that have caused me problems have been: fox, raccoons, cats, Great Horned Owls, redtail hawks, a goshawk, opossums, rats, weasels, and dogs. Everything likes to eat poultry - me included.

sourland, I swear that all of those predator you just named taste just like chicken