#Keeping predators out of chicken coop install
#Keeping predators out of chicken coop free

With fewer food sources around your chickens, predators will be less likely to bother your birds.įor many people, backyard chickens become members of the family. Similarly, try not to keep your trash cans or compost piles near your chicken coop or run.

#Keeping predators out of chicken coop free

Try not to leave excess feed or spills out, either, as the free food will also attract hungry pests. Eggs tend to draw in snakes, rats, and other smaller predators, so make sure you collect them as quickly as possible. Your chickens aren’t the only things that will attract predators. If you don’t have an automatic door, be sure to shut the coop and check that everything is secure before you leave your flock alone for the night. Even if your chickens roam freely in your yard, you should still train them to return to their coop at night. Be sure to plant your fence a foot into the ground so that creatures can’t burrow under it.

#Keeping predators out of chicken coop install

You can also install an electric chicken fence or other fencing options around your coop and run to deter predators. A mesh overhead net prevents hawks, owls, or other birds of prey from swooping down on your flock. FENCINGįencing is a key point in this guide to protecting chickens from predators. Intruders are far less likely to mess with your chicken fencing if they have to sit out in the open to do it. It’s also a good idea to keep the area around your coop and run clear of bushes or other vegetation where predators can hide. This will keep rodents, snakes, and other smaller predators from finding a way inside. You can also raise your coop a couple of feet off the ground. Keep predators out of the coop and run by installing motion lights to scare them off or to alert you to their presence. Your coop should always be a safe, secure place for your chickens. It’s used to pen chickens, pigeons, pheasants, turkey poults, ducks, and goslings. To help you keep your flock safe, here’s our guide to protecting chickens from predators. One-inch mesh, woven from 18-gauge wire, is commonly called chicken wire. From hawks flying overhead to raccoons skittering around in the night, your chickens face many different threats.

These valuable, entertaining birds are a massive draw for all sorts of predators. Unfortunately, your eyes aren’t the only ones that your chickens will catch. Whether you’re a first-time chicken-keeper or an experienced farmer, it doesn’t take long to fall for your flock.