Official BYC Poll: How Do You Protect Your Chickens From Predators?

[ShannonsChimkens]

5’ Fence with 4 electric fence wires above it. Ground predators have quite a gauntlet to get through. Then 2 guard emus that have significantly reduced the hawk attacks. The emus kick and stomp when they see activity. One khaki Campbell didn’t make it, but a chicken survived because of them.

The main issue now are bald eagles. They are large enough to grab a bird and fly off with it. Not able to net off an acre, so will add even more cover when possible.

 

[ackie]

realistically my coops are in need of an security upgrade

 

[CluckerFamily]

I do have predators in my area but I have been fortunate to not have lost any chickens to a predator. My coop and run was built to keep the chickens safe by having a covered run, hardware cloth everywhere, coop off the ground, and latches on all doors. I do let my flock free range all day and the rooster does an amazing job at watching for predators. If the flock is in the run/coop with the rooster standing guard at the door or I notice the hawks or bald eagles spending more time in my trees, I will lock the flock in the run for some time.

 

[Panacake Farms]

I have a lovely rooster who is actually very on-guard, even though he's not much of a fighter (my boy who passed this summer was both! He attacked hawks several times). I also have an electric fence. It's been almost five years and I have had no ground-predator attacks ever, except for one girl who got out of the fence. I've had a LOT of hawk attacks, this year especially, so I installed twine above my fence. Works like a charm! I have a thread about it floating around here somewhere, it's called "Finally got the twine up!" If anyone wants to look at some pictures of it.

I will definitely look that up, thanks for sharing!!

 

[jus10inla]

Game camera and a 17 hmr or 12 gauge . Carcasses get tossed back in coop for chickens to cannibalize

 

[PioneerChicks]

I have had almost no predator attacks, but I have had a couple close calls with Cooper's Hawks recently. Overall though my area is pretty safe.

My chickens have lots of trees and bushes to hang out in, but most don't provide much cover in this season.

I try to always have a rooster or two for breeding and to watch for predators. My roosters have saved my hens more than once from Cooper's Hawks!

I lock them in their predator proof coop and runs at night. After (at least) six years I never forget anymore, unless it has been a very strange and busy day.

 

[Carson213]

Predators are one of the greatest fears a chicken farmer has. They can be cunning, fast, and very sneaky. Your chickens will be drawing in predators from the next county over! Well, maybe not that far, however somewhere back in these predators' ancient memories they have eaten wild chickens at some point and will come snooping around for a meal day and night. So keeping them safe from predators should be on every chicken keeper's top priority list.

How Do You Protect Your Chickens From Predators? Place your votes above (you may select more than one)

Feel free to share any other ways you keep your chickens safe in the comments section below.

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Further Reading:

Top 10 Chicken Predators
A Checklist To Avoiding Casualties In The Flock
Predators & Pests

(Check out more exciting Official BYC Polls HERE!)

i am amazed that one of the highest percentages is a covered chicken run...it seems like that would cost a fortune.

 

[Carson213]

Game camera and a 17 hmr or 12 gauge . Carcasses get tossed back in coop for chickens to cannibalize

technically, that’s not cannibalism if the perpetrator wasn’t a chicken. however, i feed my chickens leftover chicken all the time. i think they prefer chicken over most meats.

 

[Shezadandy]

i am amazed that one of the highest percentages is a covered chicken run...it seems like that would cost a fortune.

Aviary netting (nylon not plastic) is pretty cost effective. The bigger cost was putting 12ft posts into the ground to keep the net up nice and high.

 

[Shezadandy]

I just bought a realistic looking mannequin to keep away the hawk that recently attacked.View attachment 2517668

You must have timid hawks! Around here I had a hawk try and dive on a broody hen with chicks no more than 10 feet away from where I was standing. The aviary netting is what saved her.