poultrykeeper logo

Home > Poultry Predators

Poultry Predators

Poultry Predators

Articles and guides about poultry predators.

Table of Contents:

A range of different wildlife will take an interest in your poultry and their eggs. Unfortunately, if you keep poultry, then at some time or another, you are likely to encounter predation or at least an attempt of something trying to eat your birds or their eggs! 

The habitats of some predators are limited. For example, you won’t find a raccoon, opossum or wolf here in the UK, but the habitat range of the red fox, rat, magpie and crow is vast, covering most regions of the world. You will have different predators, depending on where you live, so it’s often useful to talk with other local poultry keepers to see what predator problems they have had so you can be prepared.

Most of the articles in this category cover UK predators, but many will be useful in other parts of the world too. I hope to add further articles on other predators when I  find suitable experts to write about them; my knowledge is limited to the UK. 

Controlling predators such as foxes is now generally accepted as the wrong approach. The wildlife population is usually limited by the resources available in the local area, so controlling their numbers becomes a temporary solution. The remaining animals produce more young if the local habitat, food and water supply allow.

Note:

Please be aware that some of the articles in this category show images of predators that have been killed or trapped.

List of Likely Poultry Predators

The following table gives you some ideas for the most likely predators that will eat or steal eggs, kill or eat chicks, or adult birds. Not all predators will be found where you live; this is a global list. The links take you to articles about the predator. 

Eggs: Eaten or Missing

Chicks: Killed or Missing

Adults: Killed or Missing

Mammals

Badger
Bear
Coyote
Dog
Fox
Mink
Opossum
Otter
Raccoon
Rat
Skunk
Stoat
Weasel

Mammals

Badger
Cat
Coyote
Dog
Fox
Mink
Opossum
Otter
Raccoon
Rat
Skunk
Stoat
Weasel

Mammals

Badger
Bear
Bobcat

Coyote
Dog
Fox
Mink
Raccoon
Skunk
Stoat
Weasel
Wolf

Birds

Chicken
Crow
Jay
Magpie
Seagull

Birds

Crow
Falcon
Hawk
Jay
Magpie
Raven
Seagull

Birds

Buzzard
Eagle
Falcon

Hawk
Raven

Reptiles

Reptiles

Alligator
Crocodile
Snake

Reptiles

Alligator
Crocodile

Articles on Poultry Predators

Unless you live on an island (such as the Isle of Man), then the fox is likely to be the biggest worry to you in the UK. Whilst there can be other serious threats to your birds (such as a badger, buzzards or mink), these predation problems are usually relatively isolated.

Foxes and Chickens

Foxes: Poultry Predator #1?

Mr Fox has to be every poultry keeper’s number one enemy. Sadly, many people have lost their chickens or other poultry to a fox. When it happens, it can be devastating.

How to Get Rid of Rats

How to Get Rid of Rats

This guide will help you to learn about rats and how to reduce the rodent carrying capacity of the environment around your chickens.

Magpie

Magpies – Stealing or Eating Eggs

The magpie is a very distinctive black and white bird that comes from the Corvidae family. Unfortunately, they can be trouble for poultry keepers. Magpies will steal chicken’s eggs and even kill chicks and young birds if they can get to them.

Crows and Rooks

Crows and Rooks

Crows and Rooks can be very damaging to your birds. Chickens or ducks that are sitting on a nest, or have young and are not

Stoat

Stoats And Weasels

Stoats and Weasels will not usually attack large chickens but can be a problem with smaller birds such as bantams, guinea fowl, call ducks, quail

Chick with cat watching

Will Cats Attack My Chickens?

There are cases where cats have attacked and killed chicks, small bantams and occasionally smaller hens (hybrid size) but rarely fully grown chickens.

Protecting poultry

The most successful way to protect your poultry and waterfowl is to use an enclosed run or fence of some sort. The type of protection will depend on the sort of animals you’re trying to keep out, but generally speaking, if your fence is strong enough to prevent a brute force entry, you will need to stop diggers as well as climbers.

An electric fence or ‘hot wire’ works extremely well if it’s installed correctly. It only needs to be touched once or twice for an animal to learn to avoid it. 

Poultry Fencing

Poultry Fencing

Poultry fencing isn’t often covered in poultry books, and yet it is a fundamental requirement to keep birds safe from predators. In this guide, I

Electric Poultry Netting

Electric Poultry Netting

One of the joys of keeping chickens is to see them wandering around the garden going about their chicken business (or destroying your annual bedding

Books

My recommendation

It’s heartbreaking losing birds to a predator and frustrating not knowing what killed them. What’s Killing My Chickens by Gail Damerow is a detailed manual that provides detailed information on predators, their habitat and the signs they leave. It also offers practical advice on how to protect your poultry. 

Using Repellent to Stop Foxes

To keep foxes away, some people have used animal repellents successfully. Just like dogs, foxes have a highly developed sense of smell and use scenting

The Kit!

Equipment I've used & reviewed that you will see in this category

To keep your poultry safe, you will need a secure poultry run or fence. It is also best to lock your birds up every night at dusk, to keep them safe from predators. I have reviewed some equipment below and you’ll see it in my photos and articles in this category.

VSB Door Opener

VSB Chicken Door Opener

I own three VSB Chicken Door Openers and have just bought a forth for another hen-house; I thought it was about time to write an Equipment Focus review!

Chicken Guard Automatic Chicken Door

ChickenGuard Automatic Chicken Door

The ChickenGuard is one of the latest automatic chicken door opener/closers. In this Equipment Focus, I test the Chicken Guard Premium model on one of my chicken coop doors.