Common pests, questions for 7year old's report

[ChickFarmer1229]

Hello chicken keeper friends. My son (7 yrs old) has been very interested in our chickens. He decided to write an informational book about predators of backyard chickens. He is very keen on keeping ours safe! As part of his research, he would like to "interview" a few people about their experiences with chicken predators.

1. Have your chickens ever been attacked by a predator?

2. What type of predator?

3. How did it get to your chicken?

4. How do you make sure predators can't get in your chicken coop?

Thank you!

 

[Chloes chicks]

We’ve had a few chickens attacked by coons opossum and the neighbor down the roads dog. They usually got them while free ranging or went in through a nesting box now we keep them out by using small wire and not letting them get too far. Good luck on the book

 

[rosemarythyme]

1. Yes
2. A hawk
3. Flew in through the open top of the run and attacked
4. I now I have the entire run netted over. The coop has always been pretty safe, it's completely inside the run and the doors are shut at night. Elevated slightly off the ground and surrounded with hardware cloth to ward off rodents. All windows and vents are covered with hardware cloth.

 

[TK421]

1. Yes
2. Raccoons and technically once a too-brave opossum, though it hurt the possum more. Rat snake ate eggs.
3. Usually when chickens didn’t come in for the night/roosted in the yard instead of in the coop. Once or twice when I didn’t close the coop door before bed. The snake came in during the day. Through the open coop door.
4. really good initial predator proof design was important, and I seal up gaps and fix holes as soon as they happen. The biggest thing for me is my automatic door on a timer. That has helped the most.