Prized for their soft fleece, alpacas serve double duty as guard animals for smaller livestock and chickens. An open field without cover is a deterrent to predators. There’s almost nothing more devastating than the sudden loss of a beloved chicken to a predator. While it can seem overwhelming and hopeless, there are many ways you can be proactive and protect your flock from common chicken predators. How do ducks protect themselves? Dogs are not justified this way, but we only want to make comparison between them and other possible predators that always kill the chickens … That means the chances of a predator finding and preying on your chickens is high if you don’t take every precaution to keep them at bay. So I’d like to give you a list of chicken predators and how you can identify them from the evidence you have left if one finds your flock. In … Keep your compost pile far away from the coop. A determined, hungry animal can and will break through chicken wire. Do’s for Protecting Chickens from Predators. It is illegal to kill birds of prey and I would never want to do that. Make sure even the smallest of holes are secured. Put lights around the coop at night; motion-sensor lights work well. Do use 1/2 inch hardware cloth to secure openings in your coop. If you have a flock of chickens, you’ll want to protect your investment of chickens, eggs, and pets from hungry predators just waiting for a hearty meal. Dogs are not known as predators that kill the chickens for feed, but they forgot themselves in the game and hurt the chickens in the end. Now it's time to delve into the world of protecting chickens from predators. Do not allow food scraps to linger. Protecting chickens requires a little forethought and some regular maintenance. When installing your enclosure, considert not only how high your chickens can fly but also how high predators such as coyotes can jump. I live right next to the woods and we do have nesting hawks. When building your run, make sure you bury hardware mesh at least 2 feet deep around the compound- 4 feet deep would be ideal. Clean up any food scraps that the chickens do not eat before nightfall. So, here are my top five ways to learn how to protect chickens from hawks and other aerial predators. Chickens can be very vulnerable to predators such as foxes, coyotes, and other carnivores. One thing to remember: chicken wire will keep chickens in; hardware mesh will keep predators out. 1. Recognition of the enemy can help you to get into the right direction of adopting appropriate ways for the defense of your chickens. The prime step to take is to identify the predators of your area such as possums, hawks, raccoons, snakes, owls, coyotes which are common.. Keep your chickens safely corralled in a designated run surrounded by a strong, sturdy fence. Your best defense against a predator attack is a strong offense – a combination of strategies to prevent an attack from happening. First, realize that predators are lazy opportunist. Total darkness makes chickens go into a kind of stupor. Now that you know that you have at least 13 types of predators to be aware of when keeping chickens, it is also important to cover how to protect your flock. The reality of my situation is that my chickens free range during the day. Chicken keeping is such a wonderful hobby for anyone with a small amount of space in the backyard or garden and a desire for fresh eggs (and entertainment). One is to fortify the coop and keep it closed tight at night. It’s more like a lot of little things all working together to keep predators away from your chickens. Protecting Your Backyard Chickens From Predators. Off the ground where predators lurk the birds remain quiet and still. How to Protect Chickens from Feral Animals. Make sure every window and door is shut and locked. While they can't take on huge predators, they're quite effective at keeping foxes and smaller carnivores away from their charges. When chickens spot an aerial predator, they need a place to hide. Stay airborne. No doubt about it, your backyard chickens depend on you for health, housing and safety. If you need to catch a chicken, go out with a flashlight a couple hours after darkness has fallen, and you should have no problem, providing you know where they roost.