Tag: chicken predators

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Chicken Coop Upgrade – Automatic Pop Hole Doors

Chicken Coop UpgradePeople forget but hungry raccoons never do. Keeping predators from decimating a flock is the best reason for installing an automatic pop hole door on the chicken coop.

Sunset signals bed time for chickens. As daylight dims they’ll leave their outdoor run, enter the coop through the pop hole and hop up to a roost for a good night’s sleep.   Unfortunately, just as chickens tuck themselves in for the night, raccoons, opossums, skunks, coyotes, foxes and even mink wake up hungry and begin seeking dinner.

Wise flock owners tighten up their coop so nocturnal predators can’t enter, but the weak link in predator defense is the pop hole. Forget to close it even once and odds are good sleeping chickens will become a tasty meal for a hungry wild creature.

Manually closed and clasped pop hole doors work fine for keeping predators at bay but they require someone to always be available to close it at sunset and open it the next morning. That’s not always possible for forgetful people or those with busy schedules who might not be home when chickens doze off and predators waken.

Automatic pop hole doors close without the need for someone to physically be present.  They frustrate hungry raccoons but save flocks. Automatic pop hole doors don’t do anything that human fingers closing a manual door do, but they work when no one is around or someone forgets to close the pop hole. Controlled by either a timer or light sensor automatic devices close the door at a set time and reopen it the next morning.   There are generally two types and each works well.

Timer Controlled Doors

An electric motor closes and opens the door controlled by a timer plugged into an outlet. This requires the owner to set the timer to close the door just after sunset and reopen it after sunrise. Because day length changes with the seasons, resetting the timer five or six times a year is necessary so the door closes and opens around sunset and sunrise. Not too early in the evening to avoid having a chicken left outside, and not too late in the morning so chickens are not unnecessarily cooped up.

Sensor Controlled Doors

Some doors are controlled by a light sensor so they close as light dims and open after the next morning’s sunrise. They eliminate the need to reset a timer as day length changes but often are more expensive than timer operated doors. Some users have reported that the light sensor controlled doors have closed on dark cloudy days with the chickens still outside, but generally they work fine.

Some sophisticated doors can be opened and closed remotely with a smart phone and they can be fitted with a battery so the mechanism works during a power failure. A solar photovoltaic panel can be fitted to keep the battery charged. These may be appealing options for people who love technology and aren’t concerned about cost.

Automatic pop hole doors aren’t foolproof and need occasional attention. Sticks can blow into the opening and snow and ice can form. Either can keep the door from properly closing. Power failures are threats to auto doors that don’t have battery backup. However, these problems don’t happen often and doors generally work flawlessly.

A Few Things to Consider

Automatic pop hole doors are ideal for busy families. Often, no one gets home until after school or work hours, which can be several hours past sunset. Having the device close the door gives peace of mind. Pop hole doors aren’t completely free of the need for a person to visit the coop daily. Someone should collect eggs, fill feeders and waterers and make sure the pop hole door is working properly every day. Nothing beats having a neighbor, friend, or relative available to care for the flock during vacations or long weekends away.

Automatic doors of many types can be purchased through the internet, and kits are also available that offer some cost savings. A few inventive people have designed and built their own.

Automatic pop hole doors save chickens owned by people who forget to close the door or who simply love the convenience of sitting indoors on a cold morning and watching the chickens troop outside when the door opens by itself. They make life a little easier and keep hens safe.

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Chicken Predators – What You Need to Know

Hawk on a branch representing Chicken Predators

Humans aren’t the only animal that enjoys a delicious chicken dinner.

Foxes, coyotes, raccoons, dogs, mink, owls, and some hawks also find chickens a meaty, easy-to-catch meal.

Discovering chickens killed by a mink or carried off by a fox is frustrating. Fortunately, predators can be foiled.

Chicken predators are everywhere. No flock is completely safe from some carnivorous species that would like to eat them.

Raccoons and domestic dogs probably kill more chickens than any other animals and live in both rural and urban areas. Raccoons are surprisingly abundant even in New York City!

Often the first reaction a flockowner has when birds are killed is to seek revenge.

Shotguns and traps are sometimes used but killing a chicken-eating fox or raccoon can be both illegal and dangerous. Preventing predation is far more effective than shooting or trapping an animal or two.

Most chicken losses occur at night when raccoons, skunks, opossums, owls, mink, and weasels are most likely to prowl.

The best defense against night shift chicken predators is a sturdy tight coop. Chickens come inside at dusk and are almost comatose when sleeping. Once they get inside predators can easily pluck a plump hen off the roost.

The solution is making entry nearly impossible. That can be easier said than done, since a mink can ooze through a one-inch diameter hole while weasels can fit through even smaller cracks.

Some ways to keep predators out of the coop include:

  • At dusk and when you plan to be away until after dark, close and securely latch all doors, especially the pop hole door.
  • Cover all windows with sturdy wire mesh. Raccoons can tear through hexagonal chicken wire, so stronger wire is essential. One half inch square hardware cloth thwarts raccoons and even keeps mink out.
  • Fill in any holes or cracks in walls or around doors with concrete, caulking, wire, or expanding foam.
  • Watch for signs of animals digging tunnels under the coop walls. A concrete coop floor prevents this type of entry, but wire mesh placed on a dirt floor beneath litter and tacked to the coop’s side walls also works.
  • Eliminate predator hiding places near the coop. Piles of firewood, debris, old vacant sheds, and brush piles offer predators a safe haven as they approach. The fewer places they have to hide the less likely they are to invade.
  • Install a sensor activated light that turns on as a hungry raccoon approaches.

Preventing daytime chicken predators from snatching your birds is more challenging as the birds are often outside.

Dogs are probably the major daytime chicken killers, but several species of hawks may also prey on hens.

Mink, foxes, and weasels are occasionally active during daylight hours but raccoons, opossums, and skunks rarely are. Preparing the run in two ways will reduce predation.

First, confine the flock with a sturdy fence that keeps chickens in and dogs out. Usually a stout four-foot-tall fence will prevent heavy chicken breeds from flying over it while excluding dogs and foxes. Light breed chickens are adept flyers and a six or eight-foot-tall fence may be needed to confine them.

Second, provide overhead protection. A sure-fire way to keep raptors from snatching an occasional chicken is to cover the run with wire mesh. Small outdoor runs can feature a roof that also keeps rain and snow off the ground.

Chickens, like rabbits and other prey species, recognize that danger can come from the sky. They are safer when the run provides some overhead cover.

A few shrubs planted in the run give chicken’s places to safely loiter beneath their intertwined branches. A picnic table placed in the run also gives birds a safe haven from the bright sun and overhead predators.

Chicken predators are crafty and often catch birds and their owners by surprise. Months can go by with no loss and then many birds can be killed in just a short time. Preventing predators from accessing chickens is the best way to keep them safe.

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What To Do When a Chicken Dies

Person holding a black and white chicken representing what to do when a chicken dies

Sooner or later anyone keeping chickens is bound to discover an unpleasant surprise in the coop. A chicken has died!

Dealing with the Unexpected: When a Chicken Dies in the Coop

The unexpected death of a bird that had previously appeared healthy could be caused by predation, disease, a freak accident or even organ failure.

It is important to immediately remove the dead bird from the coop. When doing so, use personal caution. Wear a pair of rubber gloves and wash carefully after handling the body.

Decoding the Clues: Identifying Potential Causes of Death

Examine the bird and to try to determine the cause of death. If a predator is the culprit the head may be missing or the body cavity opened. However a molested bird doesn’t always mean a predator killed it. Sometimes chickens will peck at a dead comrade, mimicking damage done by a predator. Feathers scattered about and torn screens reveal forced entry from a raccoon or other felon. If a predator caused the casualty expect a return visit. Tighten up the coop immediately, making entry as difficult as possible.

Unraveling Disease Possibilities: Addressing Health Concerns When A Chicken Dies

If there is no sign of predation, disease is a possible cause of death. Usually backyard flocks are healthy but if a lethal disease is present survivors may soon sicken and die. Symptoms of ill birds include listlessness, lack of egg laying, weight loss, and having a generally unhealthy look. Consult a veterinarian.

Accident or Organ Failure: Investigating Non-Predator Cases When A Chicken Dies

If the death was neither caused by a predator nor disease, suspect either an accident or organ failure. Once in a while a chicken will fly into a window or roost and stun itself or break its neck. Finding a dead bird that appeared healthy just the day before may indicate the failure of an organ. It is rare, but happens. Because neither accidents nor organ failure is contagious, members of the flock are not at risk.

Disposing with Care: Exploring Options for Handling the Body

No matter the cause of death, the body must be disposed of. There are several ways to do this. Many municipal solid waste agencies allow people to place dead animals or animal parts in the trash. Some solid waste agencies require the body to be secured in double or triple layers of plastic bags. It’s a good idea to call your local solid waste agency to see if a hen’s body can be put in the trash before a death occurs.

Another way to dispose of a dead bird is to bring it to a veterinarian, who may have a way to cremate or otherwise dispose of the body. Expect a fee.

Burying is another option, but may not be legal in some places. If legal in your area, bury dead hens several hundred feet from the coop. Dig a hole at least two feet deep, place the dead hen at the bottom and pack the soil tightly to make it unlikely that a neighbor’s dog, raccoon, or other animal will dig it up.

Honoring a Flock Member: The Role of Burying in the Process

Finding a dead hen is always concerning and sad, but when burying her body, you can be thankful for her providing of eggs and being part of your life. Nutrients in her body will be recycled in the soil and help trees and grasses grow.  It is her final gift.

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