What predators are common in Virginia?

[Ginmary]

My daughters BFF is moving there and we want to advise her before she gets any chicks.

 

[nuthatched]

Look at your counties wildlife services website.
I'm just guessing: hawks, coon's, weasels/marten(?), possums, skunks, coyotes, red fox, owls, black bear.
I'd wait until next spring for chicks though.

 

[Ginmary]

Thanks. Sounds like just what we have here in NJ. They haven't moved yet. I just want to give them a heads up on how to plan for their coop. Something I wish I had before getting our chickens.

 

[KarynVA]

Nuthatched has it right. Even in towns, there are raccoons, possums, skunks, bears, foxes and hawks.

 

[Rldad1]

In Virginia you have Raccoons, Possums, Red & Grey Fox, Black Bear, Weasels,, Mink, Fishers, Bobcat and skunk. Outside of these you don't have a problem. What this says is that Virginia has all the predators which everybody else has to contend. Just plan on having to build a strong coop and run.

 

[NatJ]

Dogs and cats too.

 

[cmom]

Most predators are in most every state with an exception of a few. Here in Florida, we don't have weasels but have most everything else.

 

[cmom]

Here my main predators were coyote and fox. A neighbor gave some hunters permission to hunt coyotes on his land so I haven't seen many in quite awhile. I assume the hunters must have gotten them. The neighbor had some dens on his property. I eliminated a couple of fox that had killed some birds. A good secure coop and run is the best deterrent. I have electric wires around my coops and pens and nothing has gotten past the wires. A fox did dig under a gate so I put concrete under the gates and all of my pens are covered with good heavy duty netting.