Chicken Predators - Precautions Against Chicken Predators - By: ArticleSubmit Auto

There are many people who decide that they would like to have their own little chicken brood. Many enjoy keeping these animals for the fresh eggs that are delightful for a morning brunch or used to make fresh bread and other delicacies However, no matter why you are keeping your pets you should know that there are a lot of animals out there that enjoy fresh eggs and chicken as much as you do. Preventative measures will need to be top of your list to stop these chicken predators from eating your chickens or stealing their eggs.

The first step to protecting your investment is to provide shelter for them. Leaving your chickens to roam all over your property is not safe. No matter where you live, if you leave your chickens to roam freely they will get lost, and they will get eaten. So you need to establish a home for them that will not only keep them in one place, but will keep other animals from getting to them as well.

The most popular type of home for your chickens is a chicken coop. These feature a fence that was created to keep predators out and chickens in. You will also need some sort of shelter within the coop so your chickens can nest and shelter from wet or inclement weather.

Depending on the area in which you live, you may also need to consider establishing an underground fence as an addition to your coop. Raccoons, Weasels and a number of other predators will not be deterred by a mere fence, and will dig themselves in for a fresh meal. So you need to establish an underground fence, either from chicken wire or from plywood, whichever you choose.

You should also keep the area around the coop free of large bushes and clumps of grass that would provide ideal hiding places for predators. If there are a lot of hiding places, it will only encourage these animals to come closer for a look, and they will get bolder and bolder.

The number one chicken predator is considered to be the fox, and these animals are very capable of climbing over the coop and getting in from the top. Hawks are also a big danger as they will swoop down on your unsuspecting chickens. A mere fence will not discourage a number of different animals from gaining access to your chicken coop.

So you may need a coop with protection overhead as well as on the sides. These are all good things to consider and should make you shop more carefully for a specific high quality coop that will keep all other animals out.

Overall, if you have established a solid sturdy coop for your brood, then they are most likely safe. You just need to stay vigilant and keep an eye out for any kind of threat to your chickens from the many chicken predators that would just love a fresh meal.

About the Author

I have listed the top 4 chicken predators you need to be aware of on my website, and also ways to combat these predators. My website also has a FREE ebook about building a chicken coop that you can sign up for at Plans For Chicken Coop .

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