Frequently Asked Questions

If cared for properly, ducks can live to 7-10 years, and some exceptional birds may live longer than that. Geese normally live 10-15 years, but there are stories of some that have lived much, much longer--40 years or more! Around 3-5 years, duck fertility and egg production lessen, and many keepers choose not to keep older birds because of this. But there are many reasons to keep ducks into their older age. We discuss some of them here. Other reasons to keep older birds can be found in this creative My Pet Chicken blog article (it refers to chickens but...

Hawks and owls can most certainly be a danger to chickens (heck, even CROWS can be a danger to juveniles or bantams). However, only a few types usually bother chickens. The raptors most often associated with flock losses are red-tailed hawks, goshawks, and great horned owls. Having a rooster can help alert the girls to a predator in time for them to run for cover. Some people choose to keep a run covered with netting so flying predators are not a problem. Generally speaking, hawks are mostly a problem in the spring and in the fall when they are migrating...

If you allow your chickens to range freely, you WILL lose some to predators-- make no mistake. It can be devastating, especially to those of us with small, well-loved flocks. For some people, the thought of a loss is too overwhelming to consider the alternative. However, if you keep your chickens confined, even if the run area is roomy (defined as 20+ square feet per bird), their lives will absolutely be more... boring. They'll be more likely to peck one another, a headache for you (and worse for them!), and less healthy overall. They'll also require more of the feed...

Yes--A possum (a.k.a. "opossum") that gets into your coop or run can eat eggs and young chicks, but they have certainly been known to kill adult chickens as well. Small bantams are especially at risk. When they kill adult chickens, they will take one or more and leave remains quite similar to what a raccoon leaves: the body or bodies will usually be left where they were killed, rather than carried away. The birds will usually be killed by bites to the neck, and the opossums often just eat the contents of your birds' crops and occasionally some of the...

Name: Wolf, Coyote Canis lupus, Canis latrans Description: Wolves and coyotes are both members of the dog family, and appear as large (scary!) dogs with silvery or brownish fur. Wolves can be up to 5 feet long (excluding tails), and nearly three feet tall at the shoulder. They can weigh up to 175 pounds, but average around 80. Coyotes can be up to about 3 feet long (excluding the tail), and about 2 feet tall at the shoulder. They can weigh up to 75 pounds, but average around 50. Distribution/Habitat: Coyotes are found in North America. Various species of wolves...

Domestic dogs--including those belonging to you as well as those belonging to other people--are the most common predators of chickens in both suburban and rural areas. Most dogs are not trying to kill your birds. They simply want to chase, but even chasing can be fatal, because chickens often break their necks trying to get away, or die of heart attacks if they have no where safe to escape. In cases where your chickens are neither hurt nor killed by a dog attack, they can still be thrown off laying for days or even several weeks due to the upset....

If you keep chickens, you need to know that raccoons will absolutely prey on your flock if given the opportunity. To keep your flock safe, you need to make sure you outsmart them using the tips you'll find below. With their black masks adding to their reputation as scoundrels, raccoons can be up to 30 inches long and weigh up to 20 pounds. As such, without your help, chickens are no match for them. Raccoons may very well be the number one land predator of chickens in the United States. The can be found almost everywhere in North America, as...

Name: Snakes Serpentes spp (nearly 3000 species) Description: *Legless reptiles of many colors *Snakes range in size from just a few inches/a few ounces to those that are more than 25 feet long and more than 200 pounds Distribution/Habitat: Various species are found throughout the world Hunting Behavior: Most snakes too small to be predators of adult chickens. Instead, they tend to be predators of eggs and young chicks. (The largest snakes are inhabitants of rain forests, and we suspect that very few backyard chicken keepers will live in the Indian or South American jungles.) Very small snakes won't even...

Name: Weasel, ermine, ferret, mink, badger, fisher, ermine, wolverine, skunk, etc. Mustelidae and Mephitidae spp Description: This group contains diverse predators including those listed above. Those species interested in preying on your chickens generally are small to medium, long-bodied, short-legged omnivorous mammals. Some are tiny; for instance, some weasels aren't much bigger than a mouse, but they can kill rabbits and chickens many times their size. Some members of this group are very large; for instance, wolverines have weighed up to 70 pounds. Distribution/Habitat: Various species are found throughout the world Hunting Behavior: Some in this group are not predators...

Domestic house cats very rarely attack adult chickens, but they can be a serious danger to baby chicks, and occasionally to juvenile birds or small bantams. That said, not all are, to be sure.  With chicks, it's better safe than sorry, but there are plenty of examples on the interwebs of cats cuddling and loving on baby chicks, like the above. Occasionally we do hear from people whose cats seem interested in their adult birds. Since many of the most common chickens are just as big as house cats, this is pretty rare. If a cat kills an adult chicken...

Name: Lynx (including bobcats), Cougar Lynx spp and Puma Concolor Description: *Lynx up to 66 pounds and over 4 feet long (in North America, the species are smaller, up to 30 pounds and 41 inches) *Cougars can be up to 220 pounds and up to 9 feet long (including the tail) Both lynx and cougars are large felines, and can have large paws for their relative size. Lynx have short tails, while the cougar's is long. Various lynx species may be generally golden or pale in color. Their fur may be plain or spotted, and they have lighter fur on...

Name: Crows and other corvids Corvus spp Description: *Corvids are large perching birds, usually with dark coloration, although some (especially tropical species) can be very brightly feathered. *Some in this group can be up to three pounds Distribution/Habitat: Found throughout the world Hunting Behavior: Crows are among the most intelligent animals, and can even make and use tools. They can also recognize individual people by their faces. If they attack your flock at all, it will probably be an attack of opportunity on chicks, very small bantams or very young birds. They may also be sneaky and try to steal...

Unfortunately, scoundrels are found everywhere. Most humans are not predators of chickens, of course, but the fact is that some people are dishonest slimeb alls--so if your flock suddenly disappears or is destroyed, don't rule out people as the culprit. We hear from people with neighbors who are so against the whole idea of chickens in a suburban area that the neighbors feel theft or violence is justified. They may do so because they feel it's inhumane, or they may just have a grudge against you. Another motivation is different: some people love chickens so much, that they will steal...

Chicken feed and droppings will attract rats, yes! That's why it's so important that you do two things: store your feed in metal bins, and carefully prepare your chicken run using a heavy gauge half-inch or less hardware cloth material. Why rats are a problem Some people don't much mind rats lurking around their coop. We get that. It's old school, and we're not here to judge. But there are some very good reasons why you should try to eliminate rats around your chicken coop area. First, rats carry disease and can make your flock--or you--sick. When rodents eat feed,...

Name: Snapping turtles Chelydra serpentina or Macrochelys temminckii Description: Snapping turtles are large freshwater turtles . Common snapping turtles weight up to 75 pounds, but generally average around 35 pounds for an adult. Alligator snapping turtles have weighed up to 249 pounds in captivity, but in the wild *only* get to be as large as 175 pounds or so. Still giant! Distribution/Habitat: Found in eastern and southeastern North America Hunting Behavior: These are uncommon predators of chickens, although they may pose problems for you if you have snapping turtles in your area. Females especially are known to travel relatively far...

As a flock-keeper, it is important to know that birds of prey, including raptors who hunt in daylight like eagles and hawks, and owls who hunt at night, will definitely kill and eat chickens in your flock if given the opportunity. Birds of prey come in many different sizes and colors, and various species are found throughout the world. This article will help you understand their hunting behavior and give you tips to help protect your flock from their aerial assault. How birds of prey hunt Unlike the most ground-bound predators of chickens (which may kill many birds or an...

Name: Bear Ursidae Description: Large mammals, most species are omnivorous. (Polar bears are mostly carnivorous, while pandas are mostly herbivores.) *Most bears weigh between 200-300 lbs, but some species can weigh as much as as much as 1,700 pounds. Distribution/Habitat: Found widely throughout the world. They tend to frequent more secluded places. While you may see occasional reports of bear incursions into towns, these are usually short-term visits where the bears are getting into garbage cans for scraps, for instance. Make sure to keep any food waste or garbage as secure as possible to avoid attracting any wild animals--not just...

There are many considerations to take into account when determining the best location for a chicken coop. Here are 10 tips that can help you find just the right spot:  1. Keep Your Coop Close to Your Home. If your coop is far away from your house, it's easy to lose interest in caring for your birds on a daily basis. There's no need to make chores more difficult! Therefore, position your coop close enough to the house for easy egg collection and daily care tasks. Yet far enough to keep any smells or flies away from the home. Also,...

What is a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD)?|Livestock Guardians are animals that protect livestock on the farm. They can be llamas or donkeys, but in most cases, they are dogs that have been specially bred over many generations with a focus on natural protective instincts coupled with low prey-drive. These dogs are known as Livestock Guardian Dogs, or LGDs for short. There are many different breeds of Livestock Guardian Dogs, but they all share some common traits: Large (usually) and have strong bite power to handle threats Trustworthy personalities and reliable behavior Generally low energy but capable of powerful bursts of...