Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[M-H-Fielding]

Coyotes are my worst problem. They have carried off the most of my birds.

 

[Chickenslol]

Hawks are the worst one for me

 

[chickenlover007]

My grandparents had a duckling that they kept in their garage and one day it just dissapeared in the middle of the night. We think it was a mink. His name was pompom. R.I.P PomPom

 

[drjulian]

bobcats unquestionably

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Raccoons around here, have lost 3 or 4 over the last 10 years. Coyotes not a problem because of Gracie, my Sheltie. I think we have lost 2 or 3 to coyotes, all white birds. Without Gracie coyotes would definitely be a problem. Have lost one or two adult birds to hawks, and a couple of chicks. But raccoons are a problem because they strike at night, when Gracie is off duty. Have not lost any in a year or so though, because our defenses are fairly secure.

 

[Teresa D]

I don't think I could actually say which is worst. They are all bad and they all will strike. I have not lost any yet thank God! I secure them in the coop at night. They are in a totally secure run during the day and If I let them free range it is in the middle of the day and we keep watch out. We did have a hawk try and we have tall prairie grasses, I seen the hawk come down from my kitchen window and ran out to scare the hawk away and found them all ....hiding quite well ....one made it back to the coop. We also had a visit from a fox the first night they were out in the coop, he was dancing all around just to see if he could get in (got him on camera). First fox I have seen on my property ever. We have coyotes and I think I am very scared of them because I have caught them hunting my dogs in the day and he/she got a bullet. The eagles, hawks and such are here every morning looking for prey so my chicks are in until well after noon and that way they get their feed they need also and lay their eggs then they can play free range maybe every other day.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Raccoons are the absolute WORST.

 

[DouglasB]

They are all bad, I would say which ever is most prevalent in the area you are keep your chickens.

 

[docteurshepherd]

They are all bad, I would say which ever is most prevalent in the area you are keep your chickens.

I second this. For me the most prevalent are fox. Seems like every early spring the mothers are real hungry and just start snatching them up. Even have taken them in broad daylight. I've learned my lesson though, from now on they'll have to stay cooped up for the early springtime.
Never had too many issues with others, I mean of course some things happen over the course of a decade, like a weasel squeezed through where the chicken wire was broken once. I'm not super concerned as the rest of the animals are nocturnal and actually seem to stay nocturnal lol, and don't bother the chickens. I have traps and a .22 when or if needed though.

 

[Araucana Nest]

I have Kangal protecting my flocks (and goats, cows, horses, farm and myself....) and I'm well fenced. This area doesn't have bears or mountain lions which would be their greatest challenge. We have many of the other predators listed but they aren't an issue except two: foxes and snakes. My dogs don't bother snakes which is my preference since there are coral snakes here and that would be a death sentence for them. I'm learning that fall is probably my best time to hatch even though I have to use more heat but there are no snakes from October to March and they only prey on the young ( one at a time).
Foxes on the other hand are arboreal and they are the most difficult for my dogs to catch. They also do the most damage in one go. The last attack by a fox was about three years ago. It took half a dozen ducks in one night and then came back later and killed my drake. That was the worst heartbreak I've had here. I finally found it's home and destroyed it so it would have to move on. Haven't seen it since. In Tennessee, a fox killed my hens that were raising chicks (and the chicks) in a massacre that spread throughout my property. So... foxes.