Proactive predator removal/elimination

[chicken-tender]

I am about to receive my chicks and restart by a small chicken flock. While constructing my coop and run, I found raccoon scat in the area. I had recently purchased Ring battery operated cameras from Costco to set up monitoring of my home, so I used one to check the coop area. In the first weeks' time, I have recorded raccoon 4 times in the area, opossums 3 times and at least 4 different house cats, all at night. I have a large garden and an extensive compost system in the immediate area, which I am sure attracts the critters. I live in SW Michigan, so anything trapped gets buried. I am not worried about the cats. I have no dog and do not want another one. My question is "Do I start eliminating the Raccoons and opossums now or wait for them to start on the chickens?

 

[Chuckie chicken]

If you're concerned, I'd start now. I have cats, coons and skunks on my trail cam regularly, but I'm confident that my coop and run are secure, and I haven't seen any signs of attempts to get in, so I haven't declared war. I do, however, keep my finger on the red button at all times.

 

[chicken-tender]

If you're concerned, I'd start now. I have cats, coons and skunks on my trail cam regularly, but I'm confident that my coop and run are secure, and I haven't seen any signs of attempts to get in, so I haven't declared war. I do, however, keep my finger on the red button at all times.

That's been my inclination too. But other half feels like "Why wait for trouble to start".

 

[Chuckie chicken]

The other half does have a somewhat valid point.

Food for thought... Another reason I've held off is, in our area, as soon as one critter gets dispatched there's another right behind it. Kind of a never ending thing. What I've got now isn't causing any trouble. The next guy, who knows?

 

[tsperry88]

I haven't heard of racoons attacks during the day. Build a secure coop, close it up every night, and I think you will be fine with them.

Foxes on the other hand. I have lost over a dozen in the middle of the day. The are safe in a secure run, but I let them out when I am working outside. They still attack when I'm not looking.

 

[aart]

You could trap and dispatch 'preventatively'.
Chances are you won't get them all, or new ones will move in.
Best to make your coop, and maybe run, like fort knox.

 

[cmom]

I agree with @aart. If you eliminate the predators as a preventative, more will move in and replace them. Predator proof your coop and pen.. I am rural on a dead end road and we have a lot of predators around. I have eliminated some that have killed some of my birds in the past and more predators showed up. Now I have electric wires around my coops and pens, good heavy duty netting covering all of the pens to protect the birds from aerial predators such as hawks, owls and eagles and concrete under the gates. I have several game cameras on my property and see predators a lot. Here they mostly roam at night. Your best defense is to predator proof. This website may help and give you some ideas. Good luck...
http://www.poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/tips-for-protecting-poultry-from-predators

 

[Ridgerunner]

I permanently remove threats. While "some" predators may be "more active" at night, practically any of them "can" hunt during daytime. I've trapped a raccoon in the middle of the day. I once saw a possum eating from my compost pile at 1:00 pm on a bright sunny day. I'll admit that surprised me with a possum. My compost pile attracts critters too. I've seen several coyotes, a bobcat, and even a mink hunting in daylight. To me one of the biggest threats is dogs. They can hunt any time.

I think it is a good idea to remove any that are hunting your area, but as others have said that does not stop the problem. It reduces hunting pressure but there are always others. Plus how do you know you got the right critter? One time a skunk went into our garage through a pet door and left its mark. I permanently removed 7 skunks from that immediate area over the next few weeks. I have no idea if I got the one that sprayed or not. That was during skunk mating season and skunks were moving all over.

The way to protect your chickens is with barriers. Those are always at work, you don't have to be active to stop an attack. What barriers will depend on your situation. I haven't had any real issues with flying predators so I don't worry about them. Others have. My biggest problems was dogs that people abandoned in the country. Electric netting took care of that. And I lock them in a secure coop at night. Critters are typically more active at night when there isn't human activity to scare them away.

I have nothing against being proactive and permanently removing certain critters (I release feral cats if I trap them, doves too) but to me the best way to be proactive is to provide good barriers, coops and fencing.

 

[Krugerrand]

If you're sure that your setup is secure from opossum, and if you live where lyme disease is around (including parts of SW Michigan!), I'd let them live, as they are great tick eaters.