Back Yard Chickens and How to Protect Them from Urban Predators
To protect your flock from urban predators, it takes some careful thought and planning. This checklist will cover some of the ways in which your chickens can be kept secure.
#1 Provide a secure hen house
At night is when chickens are at the highest risk of being attacked. While us owners are sleeping, those predators are busy at work trying to break inside. The only way to keep those chickens safe at night is by always locking them into a hen house as they settle down for the evening.
A hen house can be a specially constructed building, or converted from an existing shed or outbuilding. It should be constructed of thick, solid lumber and free of holes or gaps which might provide entry from a predator. We’ve discovered that even a tiny gap in the wood can quickly become enlarged by a determined animal, as he tries to claw and chew his way into the coop. Both doors and windows should also be secured at night with a predator proof latch.
The hen house can either be elevated three to four feet off the ground or have a solid wood floor to prevent animals from digging beneath the walls. If the hen house rests on dirt, some sort of additional barrier must be installed. Chicken wire provides the best barrier, and should be trenched beneath the walls to a depth of at least 18 inches. Metal floor plates around the exterior of the building will also work.
Equally important is securing the roof. An aggressive raccoon can rip the shakes off a roof, and climb down into the hen house at night. Roofs should be solidly attached to the walls, and loose shakes or shingles must be replaced or securely hammered into place. It’s also a good idea to remove low overhanging tree limbs to discourage animals from climbing onto the roof for access.
#2 Providing a roost
A roost allows a chicken to fly out of the reach of a predator. We use several old broomstick handles, nailed to the studs about 5 feet above the floor. A thick branch or other stout stick will also work.
#3 Covered run
A run is a fenced structure that gives the chicken a safe place to run around outdoors. Like the hen house, a run must be securely constructed and covered with chicken wire. This prevents hawks from snatching the birds out of their yard, and agile predators from coming in over the fence for a quick meal.
If your chickens are unsupervised during the day, the fence of the run also must be rigid enough to prevent a animal from nosing under. Nailing the base of the chicken wire to 2″ x 4″ pieces of lumber will provide enough strength. To discourage animals such as dogs and foxes from digging under, set large cobblestones or cinderblocks along the edge of the run.
#4 Storing garbage cans away from the coop
It’s the smell of garbage that often bring urban predators into your yard in the first place. Instead of storing your garbage cans near the coop areas, it’s best to store them on the opposite end of the yard. For owners who feed their chickens household scraps, don’t give the chickens more than they can consume in a single feeding. The smell of old bread and apple parings will also attract predators as well, especially if the scraps are allowed to remain on the ground overnight.
#5 Scent the area
We own a dog who has taken it upon himself to guard the chickens during the day. The strong doggie scent that permeates the area around the coop seems to be an excellent deterrent from predators, and rarely do we see evidence of digging around the hen house. If you don’t have a dog, ask your beautician for bags of hair clippings. Sprinkled around the coop, hair clippings will heavily scent the area indicating a human presence and will also work in keeping predators away.
A solid building and secure run is the only thing protecting your flock from urban predators. By following these tips and making it a habit to always lock up your chickens at night, you will be able to keep your flock safe and secure.
