List of chicken preditors. My list. You can add your own.

[White Elk]

We seem to be lucky for having a short list of known predators but the wandering dogs, Hawks, Bald Eagles and Minks are enough. There are a few more but really I wonder if our greatest threat comes from a two legged rat (aka human). Our neighbors have lost a number of chickens and we lost two this last year. Ours were lost in daytime and I think most/all of the neighbors were as well. Not a single sign of a struggle for any of them. I'd think there would be at least be some feathers dropped at the site sometimes wouldn't there? Maybee not so much from an aerial assault? But what really makes me wonder is that someones been stealing strawberries and other garden delectables from another neighbor. And I can't help but wonder if those occasional 1-2 shots fired is someone poaching our local deer. Maybee I'm nuts but I do think a two legged rat can be the worst chicken predator one can face!

 

[kartking22]

I forgot to mention skunks and lynx to my list as well. Just shot a skunk in the yard the other night. They prefer eggs more than birds because of the fact that they aren't very fast. I'm sure that they would take a setting hen though.
I'm just suprised than no one mentioned rattle snake yet. We have them in the southern part of the state, Gladly, not here.

 

[ChickaD]

Here's a predator addition from rural Vermont: the fisher cat, which is one ugly critter. They are bad news for cats, among other things.

 

[tlb]

Yep. Don't forget skunks! Two skunks got into my coop a few days ago and ended up killing 3 of my 4 four month old RIRs.

 

[fullhouse]

Dogs and
Bald Eagles
Peregrine Falcons
Prey birds of all sorts

Needless to say, the run is covered.

 

[dixygirl]

All carnivores ( all that eat meat ) will kill a chicken. All of them. IMO there is no point really in making a list. Just think of it like EVERY animal will eat your chickens if it can get a chance.

I also don't understand why people want to know what killed their animals once they are dead. They will never trap or kill all of whatever it was. So assigning a name to the species that got lucky that time is pointless.

The only thing you can do is make very secure housing for your animals.

 

[RoyalHillsLLC]

Quote:
This is only partially true. Once a particular predator gets a taste for chicken, they will keep coming back. Experience taught me quickly, identification of the predator is an important first step. Then you can decide which method of extirpation will be most effective.

 

[Break an Egg]

I am wondering what the predators are in my area. Today I saw some big birds circling my backyard. There were 4 of them and they were all black except some white feathers at the wing tips. Does anyone know what these are? Will they take a full grown chicken?

 

[RoyalHillsLLC]

Quote:
That sounds like a Black Vulture. Google it. if so, no worries, they only scavenge dead animals.

 

[dixygirl]

Quote:
This is only partially true. Once a particular predator gets a taste for chicken, they will keep coming back. Experience taught me quickly, identification of the predator is an important first step. Then you can decide which method of extirpation will be most effective.

But you can not extirpate (destroy) all of anything ever. So instead of fighting a losing battle trying to kill all the animals in nature, just make a safe house.