Will a ground hog kill a chicken?

[DianaMallory]

I know they use to kill my friends barn kittens. Last night I had a opposum on my back porch trying to lick up the remains of feed out the bottom of a bucket. Then today I seen a ground hog come out of the woods. As soon as the dog started barking it ran back into the woods. I was wondering if they killed chickens? I know they dig and climb. I had never seen one climb a tree until my dog treed one. I know they are very good diggers.

 

[Baybrio]

I have one that lives under a shed next to my chickens. She has never bothered the chickens but she eats a lot of chicken food. I've caught her sprawled in the chicken feeder on more than one occasion. I imagine she might be dangerous if one of the chickens tried to get between her and her food .

 

[redsoxs]

I think they could hurt a chicken if they wanted to but have no reason to do so. They do their damage in other ways - digging, digging, digging, and eating lots of vegetation. But they shouldn't directly hurt your birds.

 

[DianaMallory]

I have one that lives under a shed next to my chickens. She has never bothered the chickens but she eats a lot of chicken food. I've caught her sprawled in the chicken feeder on more than one occasion. I imagine she might be dangerous if one of the chickens tried to get between her and her food .

Cute! My aunt had a family of them living in her breeze way. She had just moved to this farm and they came into the kitchen were she was fixing dinner and tugged on her dress for food. Freaked her out! But she had my uncle take them off because she was afraid the her dogs would kill them.

 

[DianaMallory]

I thought they were vegetarians until I looked it up after the kitten incident. They do eat meat too.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

I thought they were only veggie eaters too.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I guess a ground hog could pioneer holes and voids under your fence that meat eaters could then use to get to your birds.

 

[Mattemma]

I say unlikely to attack,but given they will eat up the garden I vote it is best to remove them from your yard.

 

[RoxanneK]

For the most part they are vegetarian however on occasion they will also eat eggs and chicks.