Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[Farmer Mike]

I have a fake owl sitting over my garden. Looks nice but doesn't seem to scare anything. I had to build a supermax prison like run for my birds...way to many predators here...hawks...owls...eagles...bear...coyotes...dogs...cats..possum...etc.

 

[All About Chicken]

I have not had any problems as of date. My dog has killed a few of my chicks but now she knows they belong i have had no more problems. She has killed a few possoms, ground hogs, 1 wessel, and racoon that may have tryed to get into the coope... as I found them very close

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

I have to gaurd against the hawks and racooons most

 

[7961]

Has anyone ever lost large adult ducks to any hawks? I know owls will kill them and of course hawks would be a daytime concern.

 

[surgerynut]

All of mine have been lost to my own dogs. Hopefully wearing that chicken for a couple of days around their neck has helped!

 

[Marion565]

Lost all mine (22) to dogs. Have to start all over again

 

[LiLRedCV]

Neighbors dogs.

 

[pek]

We just lost 4 to a fox and one injured, she is recovering but seem sad about her brother seeing as she was in the cage with him. We didn't have a coup, but have one now, and I thought that the young ones would be safe in a big dog crate in the hay shed and the older one to find her a place in the shed too. All but the black bantam slikie where got.

 

[BirdEggs]

Raccoons:
Growing up, we had quail that we raised in the back yard. We lost around half of them to raccoons who were able to reach into the run and tear the birds apart, but the holes were too small for them to pull any part of the birds out. Heads, wings, bodies and legs well separated and left at the bottom of the run. Not sure of the exact number of birds, as it was years ago, but I'll bet at least 10 were killed before the raccoon gave up. It was horrifying to see the damage!
My brother lost 6 chickens (4 red sex link, 1 black sex link and 1 bantam) to a raccoon who reached into the run and pulled the birds apart. He was very attached to the chickens- they were quite friendly and tame- and was very sad when he went out to the yard and found their headless bodies in the run.

Hawks:
My brother also lost free-ranging chickens to hawks.

So far nothing has attacked my 4 yet (knock on wood), but the predator I most worry about is the raccoon. When I let the hens out to free-range, I stay in the yard to discourage the birds of prey. My yard is securely fenced to keep out dogs (although rabbits have dug under to get to my garden, so I am not counting on that to keep out foxes or coyotes). I have made the "coop" (my shed) and their run as secure as possible (in my estimation) so I am hoping they will be safe. I know that raccoons will try anything and everything to get a taste of chicken, and may be clever and bold enough to find a way in.

 

[loganchick]

Raccoons are smart and have opposable thumbs. When we were gone for vacation, the little masked b....stards figured out the schedule of the people who were watching the flock, and timed a family attack before the solar door closed on my chickens. Took the lid off the brooder coop. In all, got 6 juveniles, and 7 of 9 adults, leaving two stubborn old hybrids, Frik and Frak. Now I have a 360 degree enclosure, and still I caught a huge coon climbing the fence in broad daylight. Didn't appear rabid, just persistent. I have trapped four, but subsequent raccoons learned that they could get around the live trap by turning it onto its side and enjoy the marshmellows without peril. I HATE RACCOONS. The Nightguard lights don't seem to prevent them from coming around since the trap is close enough that the lights should be visible. Anyone with suggestions that are not lethal to stray cats or the other wildlife? For now I have doubled outside locks on the coop doors to make puzzle more difficult for these thinkers, have staked down my live trap, and am slowly reinforcing the chicken wire with that heavy guage poultry cloth.