Official BYC Poll: Who’s Your Worst Chicken Predator of All Time?

[BYC Project Manager]

If you’ve ever walked into your coop in the morning only to find feathers everywhere and your heart in your throat, you know that chicken predators can be downright heartbreaking. From sneaky raccoons to bold hawks, our poor flocks face a long list of enemies out there. Some creep under fences, some swoop from the sky, and others dig, climb, or even chew their way in like it’s a mission from the universe itself.

But here’s the real question: Who’s the worst of them all?
We all have that one predator we’ll never forget—the one that taught us to lock the coop a little tighter, add more wire, or keep a flashlight by the door. Let’s see what the chicken community thinks!

Further Reading:

• Top 10 Ways to Protect Your Chickens from Predators
• Common Predators to Look Out For In The Fall
• Winter Chicken Predators To Look Out For
• Protecting Your Chickens from Springtime Predators
• The Secret Weapon for Safe Coops: Why Hardware Cloth is a Backyard Chicken Must-Have

(Check out more exciting Official BYC Polls HERE!)

 

[AinaWGSD]

We don't have them here, but I'm going to vote bear because they can literally tear a coop apart. Most of our devastating losses have been to raccoons, but as clever as they are it's usually not too difficult to keep them out. The first time was definitely our fault, we forgot to secure the coop door. The second time they actually managed to dig through the particle board wall of the coop. And the third time they found an opening we missed when we were securing the coop with hardware cloth.

 

[Evadig]

In my area, I don't really have a worst predator. None of them really bother me. The biggest thing is a pair of Cooper's Hawks that nest somewhere nearby. I've only lost one bird (to predators) in three years - a turkey that was brooding up in the woods, and she was killed by a racoon.

 

[Kiki]

A bad dog.

 

[kattabelly]

Rats, stoats and birds of prey will sometimes go for birds that are especially vulnerable due to age or illness/injury but vehicles are a bigger danger than predators where I live. Lost one chicken a couple of years ago when it got trod on by a cow!

 

[CombNWattles]

Bears, hands-down. No physical barrier you build is strong enough to keep them out. Only an electric fence can stop them, and it’s a pain to keep the grass away from it and make sure it’s running at enough voltage. Not to mention the fact that it’s rendered completely useless by snow. Thankfully the bears are asleep by then…

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Raccoons. They were prolific where I lived in the suburbs because 1)you couldn’t shoot them 2) animal control said they were pests 3) only one exterminator in the area dealt with them and said the problem was so far gone it would be a waste of my money to hire him. Now that I live where I can shoot them, I do just that. If I see their tracks anywhere near my coop I set a trap and eliminate the raccoon I catch. They emit a scent when they are frightened that warns other raccoons to avoid the area so getting rid of a couple along a perimeter around the coop seems to keep their friends from coming around.