Raising backyard chickens offers fresh eggs and enjoyment but introduces the challenge of defending the flock against local wildlife. Chickens are prey animals that attract a wide array of opportunistic hunters, from small mammals to large raptors. Understanding the specific threats in a given area is the first step toward effective flock management. The safety of the flock depends on the owner’s ability to anticipate and manage the conflict between a vulnerable food source and persistent predators.
Mammalian Predators
Mammalian predators represent the most diverse and persistent threats to chicken coops and runs, often attacking under the cover of darkness. The common raccoon is a primary land predator, known for its dexterity and problem-solving abilities. Raccoons often kill multiple birds in a single raid, sometimes only consuming the crop or chest before moving on. They possess the intelligence to figure out simple latches and the strength to tear through standard chicken wire, which is designed to keep chickens in, not predators out.
Canids, such as foxes and coyotes, are highly successful hunters that typically operate with a “grab-and-go” strategy. A fox often carries off a single whole bird, leaving behind only scattered feathers, and may return repeatedly. Coyotes exhibit similar behavior, taking one bird at a time, though they can attack during the day. Domestic dogs, particularly those running in packs, also pose a serious threat, frequently killing multiple birds for sport rather than for food, resulting in widespread injury.
Smaller members of the weasel family, including mink and weasels, can slip through incredibly small openings. These slender predators often exhibit “surplus killing,” dispatching numerous chickens by biting the back of the neck or head. Opossums and skunks also pose threats, especially to eggs and chicks, but will attack adult birds if possible. The opossum typically targets one bird, often eating the abdomen and vent area on site. The skunk is primarily an egg thief that may also kill adult birds by biting the head or neck.
Avian Predators
Aerial threats strike swiftly during daylight hours, making them diurnal predators. Hawks, such as the Red-tailed or Cooper’s hawk, are common daytime attackers that use keen eyesight to spot vulnerable birds in open runs. These raptors typically target smaller or younger chickens and may carry the entire bird away, leaving only a few feathers. If a larger bird is attacked, the hawk may consume the breast meat at the site, cleanly plucking the feathers around the area.
Owls, particularly the Great Horned Owl, are nocturnal raptors that prey on chickens, often attacking them on their nighttime roosts. An owl attack is sometimes characterized by a headless carcass, as they target the head and neck. Because they hunt at night, the flock is susceptible even when locked in the coop, making structural security against terrestrial predators also important for defense against owls. Opportunistic birds like crows, ravens, and jays can also become predators, primarily stealing eggs or attacking young chicks.
Identifying the Attacker
Determining the specific predator responsible for an attack is crucial for implementing targeted security measures. The pattern of the kill often serves as the most immediate evidence. A bird found with its head and crop missing but the body intact suggests a raccoon, especially if the attack occurred near a wire fence through which the animal could reach. Conversely, if one or two adult birds are completely missing with only scattered feathers, a fox or coyote is the likely culprit, as they prefer to carry their prey away.
An attack resulting in multiple dead chickens with bites only to the back of the neck or head, or a pile of bodies, points toward a weasel or mink. Messy kills with extensive mauling, multiple bite wounds, or birds left maimed but not eaten are often the signature of a domestic dog, which hunts with less efficiency than wild canids. Tracks and scat also provide proof; raccoons leave distinct, hand-like prints, while canid tracks are streamlined, and opossums leave a print with an opposable “thumb” on the hindfoot. Finally, the timing of the attack—daytime for hawks, dawn or dusk for foxes, and deep night for raccoons and owls—can narrow the list of suspects.
Deterring Predators
Effective predator deterrence requires a multi-layered approach, focusing first on securing the physical structure of the coop and run. The most significant structural upgrade is replacing standard chicken wire, which is easily breached, with heavy-gauge welded wire mesh or hardware cloth. The mesh openings should be no larger than half an inch to prevent predators like raccoons and weasels from reaching through or squeezing inside. All doors must be secured with predator-proof latches that require multiple steps to open, such as a carabiner clip or a complex sliding bolt, to foil raccoons.
To prevent digging predators like foxes, coyotes, and skunks, a physical barrier must be installed underground. This is typically achieved by burying hardware cloth vertically at least 12 inches deep around the perimeter of the run. Alternatively, a horizontal wire “apron” can extend outward from the base of the coop for about 18 inches. This apron deters diggers who instinctively start tunneling directly at the base of the fence. Protecting against avian predators requires a secure roof or heavy-duty netting cover over the entire run to prevent hawks from swooping in.
Management practices and technology provide additional layers of defense against nocturnal threats. Chickens should be consistently locked inside the fully enclosed coop every night at dusk. Automated coop doors can reinforce this routine, ensuring the birds are secured before nocturnal hunting begins. Motion-sensor activated lights or flashing deterrent lights, which mimic the eyes of another predator, can startle and discourage animals like raccoons and coyotes from approaching. Finally, electric poultry netting can be installed around the run’s perimeter to deliver a non-lethal shock, creating a psychological barrier that discourages repeat visits.