The Deadliest Predator

[chickencheeper]

In your experience what is the deadliest predator? I have not lost any chickens to predators but we have an abundance around us and our coop isn’t very predator proofed. A weasel could easily get in and we have fishers and weasels around us as well as TONS of coyotes. I know people have made “the worst predator” threads before but what is the deadliest? Not the worst or most common(unless it overlaps) just the one that does the most damage

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Humans probably. Human error might be more in line with your question.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Really depends what you mean by deadliest. Hardest to ward off? Probably rats. Cleverest at opening doors? Raccoons. Least likely to be deterred by fencing? Weasels. Kills most bird for fun? Your neighbor's husky.

 

[chickencheeper]

Really depends what you mean by deadliest. Hardest to ward off? Probably rats. Cleverest at opening doors? Raccoons. Least likely to be deterred by fencing? Weasels. Kills most bird for fun? Your neighbor's husky.

The one that can do the most damage and worst damage at one time

 

[chickencheeper]

From what I’ve heard weasels fit this bill is that correct? What about fishers?

 

[Featherbrain1986]

I have only had raccoons take a chicken. It was awful and I cried when I picked up her carcass and it weighed like a tenth of what she did before. Once it came around when my small pack of Jack Russels were out in my yard and they got him. I had a vet bill alright! That coon caused nothing but grief. Next time we caught one in the barn and we took a rifle to him.

I know that it wasn't the raccoons fault, it was just doing what came naturally so I was really torn apart. Now I keep a few live traps set up at all times just in case...I have caught a few chickens in there before, a bunch of squirrels, but no raccoons so maybe they got the picture.

 

[sylviethecochin]

From what I’ve heard weasels fit this bill is that correct? What about fishers?

Had a fisher. Dog killed a fisher. Buried a fisher. Never seen one before or since. They tend to stay away from humans.

I'd guess foxes and weasels, actually. They're both pretty likely to go on a killing spree.

 

[Johnny98]

Birds of prey are tops on my list.. Can't kill'em like pretty much everything else on the list, besides humans, I guess..

 

[itsasmallfarm]

black bears are pretty bad can destroy the coop in one night. (don't have many where i live though)

 

[Hybridchucks]

The one that can do the most damage and worst damage at one time

Bobcat perhaps? I personally have no experience with bobcat due to living in England.