subject: Chicken Coop Plans – Predator to Watch Out For [print this page] Chicken Coop Plans Predator to Watch Out For
There are many dangers associated with raising chickens, one of which is attacks by predators. Due to humans encroaching on more and more wilderness each year, predators are forced to find new food sources, one of which is your chickens. Predators will go after your chickens or eggs if they are given a chance to do so. Here I outline some common predators you might come up against. As you start to build you might have to modify your chicken coop plans in order to defend against these animals. But regardless of where you live, you will undoubtedly come across at least one of these animals.
Raccoons
Raccoons are one of the most intelligent animals you will have to deal with. Although their primary interactions with humans are as scavengers, in nature, raccoons are mainly predators of wild birds and other small creatures. The tricky part about defending against raccoons is that they have very nimble fingers that can undo latches and locks very easily, so a simple latch will not do if you live in areas with raccoons. Also, they are known to reach through fences in order to get to the birds if they are close enough to the end of the cage. So be sure to build any outdoor runs with enough room so that your chickens can safely get clear of the fences.
Foxes
These animals are typically found living on the edges of woods. A distinctive trait of foxes is that they often eat their food whole. This may seem like a difficult thing to do with a whole chicken, but often after fox attacks all you will find are feathers and riled up chickens. Also, foxes go for the max attack in that they will kill more chickens than they can eat at one time.
Hawks
Birds of prey like hawks add a new dimension of trouble when it comes to protecting your chickens. Usually if chicken coop plans come with instructions on predator protection, they will only address animals like raccoons or foxes, but not birds of prey. Make sure that every part of your coop, especially the top, is enclosed in wire or netting to protect against these type of predators.
Protecting your Chickens
Regardless of if you have clever predators, like raccoons, jumping predators like foxes, or air predators, like hawks, techniques for protecting you coop remain the same. Make sure that you are the only one who has access to your coop. The easiest way to do this is to build a chicken run, this is a great way to keep your chickens safe and controlled.
Another idea to keep in mind is that ground predators like to dig. So for maximum protection, dig a trench where your walls will be and start your fencing underground. You could also put floor tiles under the dirt at the base of your fence to keep burrowing predators out. Like I said before, typical chicken coop plans do not include these types of insights on how to protect your chickens, but give some thought to basic defense and you will have a coop that lasts a long time.
