Hi There! Welcome! I am from NE Indiana also, close to Angola!
We are also doing meat chickens this Spring (maybe getting some in the next few weeks!). I think what has kept the bigger "critters" away from our chickens has been having 2 dogs, and electric fencing. We have had egg layers for 3 years (almost 4) and just put up the fencing last year. I really think the 2 dogs have had a lot to do with our protection! We have never lost a chicken to a predator. We just have 2 mutt dogs, who are actually scared of most things, and not very good "protectors" per say. But their presence alone keeps the coyotes and things away.