Chickens, despite their common presence in human-managed environments, remain prey animals. Understanding the creatures that view chickens and their eggs as food is important for those interested in wildlife interactions or backyard chicken keeping. This knowledge illuminates the natural challenges faced by these birds.
Mammalian Predators
A diverse group of mammals preys on chickens, posing a significant threat to domestic flocks. Foxes can dig under fences or enter coops, typically carrying off a single bird. Raccoons are highly dexterous, opening latches or tearing through wire, often killing multiple birds and consuming both chickens and their eggs. Coyotes scale fences or break into coops, preying on adult chickens and eggs, active day and night.
Smaller mammalian predators like weasels and minks are effective hunters. Weasels squeeze through tiny openings, sometimes as small as an inch, often killing more chickens than they can eat, targeting the head and neck. Skunks and opossums consume eggs and chicks, often leaving messy evidence. Domestic animals, including dogs and cats, can also become predators; dogs kill chickens for sport, leaving scattered feathers and puncture marks, while cats target chicks or injured adult birds.
Avian Predators
Birds of prey, or raptors, threaten chickens from above. Hawks, such as Red-tailed Hawks and Cooper’s Hawks, hunt during the day, capturing birds. Smaller hawk species target chicks or smaller chickens, while larger raptors like eagles prey on full-grown hens. Owls, particularly larger species like the Great Horned Owl, hunt at night, taking one or two birds, often leaving talon marks and consuming the head and neck.
These aerial predators often make repeated visits once they discover a vulnerable flock. Free-ranging chickens are particularly susceptible. Providing overhead cover in chicken runs helps protect against these threats. Protecting chickens from raptors often involves physical barriers, as many birds of prey are protected by law.
Reptilian and Other Predators
Less common but significant predators of chickens and their eggs include certain reptiles and opportunistic small mammals. Snakes, such as rat snakes or black snakes, primarily target eggs and newly hatched chicks, swallowing eggs whole. While not a threat to adult chickens unless very large constrictors, snakes readily raid nests.
In warmer climates, large lizards, such as monitor lizards, can pose a threat to both eggs and young chickens. Large rats are opportunistic predators that consume eggs and attack chicks, especially at night. These smaller predators often gain access to coops through small openings, emphasizing the need for secure enclosures to protect vulnerable eggs and young birds.
Factors Making Chickens Vulnerable
Chickens are susceptible to predation due to their domesticated nature and living conditions. Unlike their wild ancestors, domestic chickens lack the strong flight response and defensive behaviors to evade predators. This diminished natural defense makes them easy targets.
Their common housing in coops and runs, while offering some protection, can concentrate them in predictable locations, making them easier for predators to locate. Free-ranging chickens are exposed to a wider array of threats due to unrestricted movement. Chickens represent a high nutritional value for many predators. Their relatively small size, especially chicks and smaller breeds, makes them suitable prey for a broad spectrum of animals.