Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[mjmkjun]

Weasels and Raccoons for coop break-ins are my varmints. Hardware cloth is best investment. Leave no gaps--and set those small fencing nails close together. Cover seams with a strip of wood. A weasel can squeeze through small gaps that a raccoon cannot. Both will pull and test the mesh. Poultry netting is cheaper but doesn't hold up to those two predators. Poultry netting is only effective for separating chickens within a building/coop. I speak from experience and many losses. Also, I installed a battery operated light w/sensor. It'll help me see my target if it is bold enough to hang around.

 

[McChooky]

I had to keep my baby chicks in my bedroom for 2 weeks just to be safe while I finished putting 1/2" hardware cloth on their coop.I'm now making them a run out of 2 x 4's, cinder blocks and 1/2" hardware cloth.I loathe weasels.

 

[swimmy44]

I was curious as to which predator the most chickens have been lost to.


(Check out more Official BYC Polls HERE!)

Weasels MURDER whole flocks at a time. And sneak in through the tiniest holes.

 

[Manhen]

Weasels MURDER whole flocks at a time. And sneak in through the tiniest holes.

My reading says a hole the size of a quarter. Thereby....hardware cloth. I am not sure, but I have heard (with my ears) that they don't climb much. Eliminated cracks and spaces they will crawl in might be a good idea. I run 1/2" hardware cloth 3.5 feet up around all my coop areas that have roosts.

 

[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.

 

[the_peanut_coop]

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

Whell I dun kill em! They're too twiggy to eat

 

[McChooky]

Whell I dun kill em! They're too twiggy to eat

Human raised roosters are the worst when it comes to aggression.

 

[McChooky]

I raise a lot of non-aggressive roosters.

Most complaints come from Op's who raise a mixed gender of day old chicks together as a flock (hence the term "human raised" ) They don't have an established flock of older chickens to integrate their chicks into when they feather out good (or choose not to) Many don't have a mature alpha rooster to keep young cockerels in line either. If you've managed to raise a lot of non aggressive roosters without the help of an established flock and a good rooster you've done better than most! Most people can't sorry!

 

[Sara S]

My dog grabbed one of my chickens when they were about 2 months old and I got so mad at him and I kicked him, he’s a super nice dog normally so I was surprised. He hasn’t gone near them since and my head hen used to chase him before she was stolen

 

[The Moonshiner]

My dog grabbed one of my chickens when they were about 2 months old and I got so mad at him and I kicked him, he’s a super nice dog normally so I was surprised. He hasn’t gone near them since and my head hen used to chase him before she was stolen

SToLeN?