Other threats

Several other common critters may pose a threat to your flock, though many of these scavengers are more of an issue for keepers with young birds or lots of eggs.

Opossums are rather common and live in nearly every corner of the country, in some cities and most rural areas. Opossums prefer to scavenge for food rather than hunt for it. If she finds a way into a chicken coop, she’ll go for eggs first, eating them on the spot. Young chicks make easy pickings as well, and if in the mood to hunt, an opossum will target grown chickens as well.

Mice and rats are more of a nuisance than a true threat to adult chickens. While they are certainly capable of killing baby chicks, only a very large, very hungry and very motivated rodent will attempt to kill an adult chicken. Rats and mice tend to view the coop as a warm, dry shelter in which to make a nest, particularly if there is chicken feed to feast on nearby.

Unlike the mammals in the weasel family, skunks rarely hunt grown birds. They tend to go for young chicks or eggs almost exclusively. The skunk’s smell is much stronger than that of the mustelid mammals, so if you are aware of its smell, you can be fairly certain it has paid your flock a visit. ■

Kristina Mercedes Urquhart writes for Chickens magazine and is the author of the book The Suburban Chicken. She lives on a homestead in North Carolina, where she grows her own food and raises livestock.