Where there are chickens, there are predators. Be aware of potential predators where you live and be proactive so your chickens aren't attacked. The following table offers ways to keep your chickens safe from each common predator.
| Chicken Predator | Solution |
|---|---|
| Domestic dogs | Build a fence around the perimeter of your chicken coop and pen. |
| Raccoons | Use clip latches with spring-loaded locking mechanisms on
chicken doors or place padlocks on chicken doors. Place quarter-inch wire hardware cloth over chicken coop windows; secure windows even more by installing iron bars. Construct a fence around all sides of your outside pen. Make the fence of half-inch wire hardware cloth on a wood or metal frame. |
| Coyotes | Use a coyote roller bar secured to a perimeter fence. Create a well-secured chicken coop and an outside pen that is protected on all sides. |
| Foxes | Lock up chickens safely at night. Construct a fence of half-inch wire hardware cloth around the perimeter of your pen. Bury the fence one foot deep and one foot outward so that the underground part of the fence is L-shaped. Refrain from keeping free-ranging chickens if you suspect you have a fox living nearby. |
| Birds of prey | Avoid keeping pure-white chicken breeds. Provide a layered garden structure to limit visibility. Add screen tops to a secure outside pen. |
| Minks and weasels | Make sure your chicken coop and secure outside pen do not have
holes or gaps that minks and weasels can squeeze through. Trap and relocate them to a wildlife habitat. Hire a professional to trap them, or call the state wildlife agency for help. |
| Snakes | Close up holes in and around the chicken coop area. |