The Potential Chicken Predators A Chicken Owner Should Be Aware Of

Someone deciding to keep chickens will know why for their own reasons, but there are a number of these reasons that I need not go into here. Most people keep them because the will provide daily fresh eggs that are delicious, but they are also kept for their meat in some cases. However, when you keep hens, you will have to take care of them. And it does sometimes involve slightly more than simply providing them a home and feeding them. You see, there are a host of predators out there that love chicken and fresh eggs just as much as you do. And once these predators discover your little secret coop, you will have to become smarter than they are.

There are a number of animals that are always on the lookout for their next fresh meal. And when they see a whole host of chickens all in one place, they are apt to become very excited very quickly. They have found an ideal place to catch a fresh meal whenever they would like one. And unless you learn how to stop them, they will continue to stop in for a quick meal very often.

Chickens have a lot of predators unfortunately. Among those animals which pose a threat to your precious chickens are cats, dogs, hawks, raccoons, weasels, foxes, and even rats. But there are countless things that you can do to keep your hens protected and safe.

The first thing to consider is build your chickens a home. There’s nothing more appealing to a predator than chickens wandering around without any protection. Unless you keep your brood protected and sheltered by a coop, then you are just asking for trouble. Many also suggest stringing barbed wire at the top of the coop to keep animals from climbing over it.

The best protection is to bury your fence by at least two feet into the ground. The two most common materials to use are plywood or wire fencing to stop predators from digging themselves under the fencing. Unless you take these measures they will do it.

You should also keep the area as clean as possible. Clear away clumps of grass and bushes from the area. If you remove all of the areas that would provide ideal hiding and stalking places, then it will discourage other animals from sneaking in to catch a glimpse of the mouth watering dinner that they cannot help but stalk. Keep the animals at bay and they are less likely to approach the pen.

It can be slightly trickier when it comes to smaller rodents and pests. If you are dealing with rats or even large mice, make sure that you are keeping feed tightly closed and put away. Nothing will bring these rodents in quicker than fresh feed. There are also a number of poisons that you can lay out for these pests, just remember to make sure that they are safe for the chickens to be around.

Having a chicken house provides an ideal shelter to keep them safe from predators. However, you still have to be proactive and aware at all times. Keep a close eye out, catch the warning signs early and you can prevent your flock from being ravaged upon.