Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[Kluk-Kluk]

I lost about 20, 4 week old chicks to fire ants! They were eaten alive while I was gone for just a few hours

That's terrible! Fire ants are vicious, but I didn't know that vicious! When I've been bitten by them - and that's been about half a dozen times on trips south - my body reacted with an local allergic reaction to the bites. Huge welts. Very painful. Poor little chicks!!

 

[Kluk-Kluk]

Although I see a lot of foxes frolicking and running in our woods and never see raccoons there, raccoons have gotten far more of my chickens than any other animal. Hawks are a close second, but the raccoons are clever beasts, so my coop and run rebuilds have been to outwit the raccoons, for the most part. Mostly the raccoons came at night, but one clever fellow learned to climb over the fence and into the run during the day even when the family was in the yard gardening or weeding! By the time the chickens raised a ruckus, off he went with another one! Took us a while to figure out - and then witness - this daytime raccoon. We dispatched the raccoon in the end, but I think he told his friends because others came around soon afterward. Fortunately, we'd fortified the run by then. Sadly, I can't let my chickens free range unless I'm standing guard over them. Even so, I had a hawk swoop within a few feet of me (I felt I could have reached out and touched it) to try to get one of the chickens!

 

[Rooapalooza]

I lost about 20, 4 week old chicks to fire ants! They were eaten alive while I was gone for just a few hours
Also, can lightning be on the list a while back we had one struck by lightning and all the feathers in a line from its head to butt were missing!

I lost a chick to ants as well. It was rough. Lightning is crazy! I assume the bird died?

 

[Pennys Mama]

That's terrible! Fire ants are vicious, but I didn't know that vicious! When I've been bitten by them - and that's been about half a dozen times on trips south - my body reacted with an local allergic reaction to the bites. Huge welts. Very painful. Poor little chicks!!

Fire ants are part of the reason for there being a decline in quail in the wild, imagine what those ants could do to a nest full of babies!

 

[Feathered_Texans]

I lost a chick to ants as well. It was rough. Lightning is crazy! I assume the bird died?

Yes, it died as soon is it was struck. In fact it’s head was still in the water bucket

 

[Pennys Mama]

Yes, it died as soon is it was struck. In fact it’s head was still in the water bucket

That's HORRIBLE!!!

 

[Kluk-Kluk]

Yes, it died as soon is it was struck. In fact it’s head was still in the water bucket

I've never heard anything like it!! That's terrible! Is it really flat where you are? Why would lightning strike a chicken?!?

 

[Kluk-Kluk]

Fire ants are part of the reason for there being a decline in quail in the wild, imagine what those ants could do to a nest full of babies!

How awful

 

[Feathered_Texans]

I've never heard anything like it!! That's terrible! Is it really flat where you are? Why would lightning strike a chicken?!?

It’s not super flat, we are on top of a hill. It is an odd coincidence

 

[HenKeepers]

All Raptors (hawks, eagles, owls) are the "worst". They are protected. You cant even "harass" an eagle. When they get good, you dont even find feathers. We had 300 chickens. We raised a litter of foxes and several hawks, eagles, and at least 1 set of owls. We have ~100 left. Only the smartest have survived. Feedstore chickens have 75% mortality. Game hens have 5% mortality. Game hen raised chicks have 25% mortality. The remaining hens and roosters are the best. They are alert and seek appropriate cover while foraging. Spring is coming, cant wait to see what young family seeks to visit our "buffet".