The Dirty Half Dozen
You can’t know what to do if you don’t know who’s doing what. Before you implement your predator-proofing plan, find out what potential threats are likely in your neck of the woods. DOG: Man’s best friend has been one of the most frequent and damaging livestock predators on our farm. While wild animals generally hunt to eat, roaming dogs will kill for the fun of it. Look for birds that have been killed or maimed but not taken away or eaten. RACCOON: The clever raccoon is omnivorous, dining on frogs, mice, eggs, fish, fruit and more. Along with helping to control prey populations, they also disperse plant seeds in their droppings. Look for bite wounds on the chicken’s back, plus gnawed heads and breasts. Given the opportunity, a raccoon will also reach into pens to grab slumbering birds and pull them partly through the wire (ick). COYOTE & FOX: These savvy predators will usually snatch the whole bird and skedaddle, leaving scattered feathers in their wake. Both are omnivores who eat a wide variety of foods, including rodents, rabbits, insects, carrion and fruit. Some studies have shown that lethal control of coyotes can actually increase populations and livestock predation. WEASEL: These sinuous carnivores are exceptional hunters of rodents, rabbits and other small animals. Capable of squeezing through very small holes, weasels usually deliver a killing bite to the back of the head. Sadly for farmers, a weasel triggered by panicking fowl may kill more birds than it can eat — not for fun but due to its high metabolism, voracious appetite and caching instinct. HAWK, GREAT HORNED OWL & EAGLE: Sometimes these powerful raptors will carry o the entire chicken, but often a hawk will eat their prey at the scene. Look for lots of plucked feathers scattered around. If the carcass remains, a munched head and neck indicate an owl, a bird that also normally operates by night. Birds of prey are legally protected, and for good reason. If it weren’t for these incredible hunters, we’d be up to our ears in rodents, rabbits and more. RAT: If you’re missing chicks in the morning or find one partly eaten, a rat is the likely culprit. Female brown rats begin reproducing early and can have up to five litters a year. Left unchecked, rat populations can explode fast.