Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[Thunder344]

I've lost a couple to hawks and over 20 birds to fox. It was a sad day.
Dogs would be a issue, but mine tend to stay away from my chickens.
Never had a raccoon.
Had one 4ft black snake try and get into the coop once. We got rid of it.
Had a opossum once in the old coop trying to get eggs.
Fox and hawks are my worst predators.

 

[Birdsonghill]

Back in the 1970's I witnessed a pair of minks that I later trapped for the county, kill dozens of chickens per night, until caught. They entered the older commercial size chicken houses on the county penal farm and would kill up to nearly a hundred in one night. They ate only the liver and heart of a couple birds each time. Raccoons and hawks likely kill far more across the nation, but for ferocity and blood thirsty killing rampages, no other predator equals the mink.

 

[Folly's place]

Dogs are right up there! Weasels can get through smaller spaces though. Very nasty!
Mary

 

[Birdsonghill]

A two inch hole is adequate for a mink to enter your coop! If their skull fits through they will get in! Similar snakes and rodents a tiny whole lets a big animal enter.

 

[Brooks_]

I am fortunate enough to not have an opinion on this (yet). Raccoons and possums make up the most of night predators. I think I have seen a couple foxes. Birds of prey for day predators. I have lost one pullet. By lost I mean I have no idea what happened.

 

[Ratchnick]

I had a magpie kill a quail right through the cage bars this summer.

 

[the_peanut_coop]

The predator that reduces my flock the most is roosters, cause I have to et rid of them

 

[The Moonshiner]

Then it's you that's the predator not the roosters.

 

[McChooky]

Having a predator proof coop and run prevents losses. Use 1/2" hardware cloth over all openings and vents. Bury it 2 ft deep to stop diggers. Sadly dogs are the #1 predator.

 

[Manhen]

Having a predator proof coop and run prevents losses. Use 1/2" hardware cloth over all openings and vents. Bury it 2 ft deep to stop diggers. Sadly dogs are the #1 predator.

2 feet deep is a bit of overkill. 2 foot out from your fence/coop in a skirt will work.