Predators can’t be avoided, but barn doors can help.
The story of Carla Tilghman.
reading time: 4 minutes
If you’ve had chickens for a very long time, there’s a good chance you’ve lost at least one or two birds to a predator. Losing a favorite hen is never fun, and unfortunately sometimes it’s the first sign of a predator.
Problems when we lose the first bird.
While there is a long list of predators that will take a chance on a good chicken meal, there are only a handful of animals that you are most likely to encounter in your chicken-farming adventures.
raccoon
Raccoon is a common animal throughout North America. Although she looks cute and charming in the picture, she will definitely prepare a meal of eggs, and she will also prey on whole, whole birds. They prefer to eat the heads, often the crop and the entrails, leaving the rest of the carcass behind.
Often a group of raccoons will work together to harass the birds through the fence, one of them will scare the birds away and drive them into a corner, and the other will catch the birds while they pile on each other. Raccoons tend to kill more than one bird at a time, even when working alone.
opossums
Another animal that preys on chickens is the opossum. They prefer chicks and eggs, but under the right conditions, they will also attack adult birds, especially if they can sneak into the coop and get a bird while it is sleeping.
Like the raccoon, opossums prefer internal organs to actual meat, but opossums are also scavengers, sometimes eating the entire carcass. Opossums usually only attack one bird at a time, and they like to bite off heads.
Foxes and dogs
Foxes will carry poultry, and if they are able to catch more than one bird, they will stockpile some by burying the carcasses to eat at a later time. Once I found a buried chicken with its head sticking out of the ground…still alive. She had minor injuries which we were able to treat, but most birds that have been attacked by foxes aren’t so lucky.
Dogs often simply play with chickens as if they are transporting chew toys. Thus, you will see a lot of bite marks and a large scattering of feathers, but the bird may not be eaten.
hawk
Birds of prey will also take out chickens. Although there is no bird of prey taxonomically specifically called a “chicken hawk”, there are three species of hawk that are often grouped under this colloquial name.
Both Cooper’s hawks and sharp-shinned hawks prey on birds. While their natural diet is wild fowl, they have been known to prey on chickens, and bantams are particularly vulnerable. The third “chicken hawk” species, the red-tailed hawk, prefers to prey on small mammals and reptiles, but when they are scarce, the red-tailed hawk will happily eat a hen.
Secure your ban
Creating a secure enclosure area that includes a fenced in path and a covered walkway is the surest way to keep predators at bay. But if you want your chickens to roam freely to take advantage of foraging for insects and eating seeds and grasses, you’ll have to provide some amenities to offer them.
They have a safe place to return to.
Keeping the area around your chicken yard clean and free of clutter can help deter predators. Don’t make the compost pile too close, so you don’t
Invite raccoons and opossums in, and keep brush away to minimize hiding places for predators.
door
Chickens love to go to their coops at night to stay, and unfortunately,
The aforementioned predators are happy to slip through
the front door. Including birds of prey. Cooper’s Hawks are incredibly agile
Flyers and have been known to fly through an open door, even a small one that is only for chickens. Yes, I saw that too. Fortunately, the chickens were out of the coop at that time, and there were large enough chickens
A human door to be able to open and allow the falcon to continue its fun
road. It is a federal crime to corner or harass a bird of prey, so raise your hand!
Closing and taping the coop door when the birds return at night is the best way to keep your chickens safe at night. Unfortunately, that means someone has to go out after dark and lock and lock the door.
Automatic doors
If going out at night or in the cold or pouring rain isn’t your idea of ​​fun, or if you have a job that keeps you off the farm at night, good news! There are many automatic barn doors available that can do the job for you.
Some of these automatic doors operate without a counter. This may be the simplest and least expensive option, but a power outage means you need to
to reset the timer. It may also mean that the door may not close, making the chicken vulnerable. You will also need to set timers as the day gets longer or shorter to avoid keeping the birds in for too long or having the door open for too long. Other doors operate from a photocell, causing the door to open or close based on the amount of visible daylight.
With either version, make sure the door fits snugly into the frame. Clever predators can force their way through an inadequate door, even if it is
It’s locked, and if they can grab the guillotine door, they can lift it up
enough to press through. Raccoons are known to be nimble and clever enough to make simple latches. A sturdy latch with a carabiner clip should stop them. But for added security, a small padlock can provide that extra level. (Just be sure to put the key somewhere where you won’t forget it or put it in a pocket and won’t be able to find it.)
Of course, automatic doors do not mean that you can go out to visit the chicken coop every day. Your birds still need fresh food
water, and you will want to collect those wonderful eggs. But in hard
Struggling to keep your birds safe from predators, an automatic door can give you a little peace of mind. No matter which option you choose, your chickens will appreciate your efforts on their behalf!
resources
• Jill Damero What is killing my chicken?
Carla Tilghman She is an urban chicken lady, raising primarily egg layers. Whether ordering fertile eggs or working with a farm friend to raise heritage chickens, she has the full incubation experience. In addition to weaving and knitting, she is an editor Backyard poultry magazine.
Originally posted on Community chicken website and then in the August/September 2023 issue of Backyard poultry magazine. It has been regularly checked for accuracy.