What preds are a problem in the North GA area

[d(>_<)b]

My wife and I are going to get a few chickens soon and we are wonder what other folks in and around the Atlanta metro area have encountered as far as predators go? We live in Loganville.

 

[arlee453]

I'm not in Atlanta, but most urban areas have the following common pests and predators:

raccoons
Possums
snakes (eggs & small chicks)
Skunks (eggs)
Flying preds like hawks and owls
Vermin can be a problem too - like rats/mice if feed is not kept up and the coop not kept clean
SOME urban areas also have coyotes

Your biggest threat in an suburban or urban setting? Yours, your neighbors, or a stray dog. From reading months of 'dog got into our coop' threads on the predator category, I can say the #1 killer of urban chickens seems to be dogs.

Make your chicken area as safe as possible from dogs and you'll go a long way towards keeping them safe.

Also, be sure to use small opening wire - NOT chicken wire, it's not strong enough - use 1/2" or 1" welded wire. That will keep racoons from reaching a paw in to kill chickens through the wire.

Finally, have a secure coop where you can close them in at night. Aside from dog attacks, chickens are at their most vulerable from possum or raccoon attack at night when roosting since they can't see at night to get away.

Hope this helps! Have fun with your chickens!!

 

[speckledhen]

Hiya, my son lives in Grayson and I used to live in Lilburn and Dacula. Now I'm a mountain girl up here in Fannin County. You have coyotes, foxes, raccoons, opossum, snakes, on occasion a black bear, cats and roaming dogs. I'm not sure about weasels, though. Naturally, you have hawks of several types, too. I have seen more than one dead coyote on Hwy 316, I can tell you.
Oops, forgot skunks!

 

[d(>_<)b]

Thanks for the advise. This will help me redesign my coop/tractor