I just got my first flock this july, i have 5 hens and one roo, i have never had chickens before, so my question is, What predators should i be worrying about this winter, and year round? I know coyotes are sometimes in the area, and ive heard of mountain lions coming down, but what other ones????? I live in Hesperia Californa in Southern California which is a desert city
Raccoons. They're my only concern at the moment. If you free range/pasture your chickens, hawks are another issue too. If you don't - Raccoons are your main threat.
I'm in an urban desert area and we have to protect against hawks, owls, coyotes, raccoons and dogs. We have almost daily visits from hawks to our yard. You probably have a lot more coyotes than you know. They can be fairly secretive in the city. Once you figure out your potential predators, make sure your coop and run can keep those out.
