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Keeping hens alive is a lot harder than most people would predict however. I mean it varies from area to area, but foxes killing hens is a stereotype for a rea

Keeping hens alive is a lot harder than most people would predict however. I mean it varies from area to area, but foxes killing hens is a stereotype for a reason. Cats will try too as will many other predators depending on area. You leave that door open one night and expect to return to a garden of feathers...

gadders 14y ago
Well, yes. You can either buy a coop with an attached, enclosed run or a fox-proof electric fence. Our cat did try and stalk the hens for fun when we first got them, but never attacked them and he was a decent mouser.
- foley 14y ago
  That is something I have never been able to understand, everyone I know who keeps chickens either has cats or their neighbours have cats. Why would the cats ignore the chickens?
  - jules 14y ago
    Because chickens are strong and have sharp beaks, and even if they manage to overpower a chicken it will hurt. As long as the cat has enough food it probably won't try. A large rooster would be able to win a fight with a cat.
    - cowpewter 14y ago
      Also, cats usually won't go after anything that's willing to face the cat down, even smaller animals like rats. I have both cats and rats and the cats will watch the rats in fascination, and even sniff noses with the rats when I have the door to the cage open, but the rats show no fear to the cats, and will even rush the cage bars if they decide a cat is too much in "their territory" and the cats respect that. This has held true through 8 different rats so far, and like 6 or 7 different cats (mine and various roommates). In general, to a cat, "runs away" == "prey" and "comes right up to me" == "equal and/or potential threat"
  - adamauckland 14y ago
    Partly perception - chickens are taller than cats and with wings spread out they can look quite large. Partly aggression - chickens are/can be nasty and will attack other animals with sharp beaks. Combine this with the fact that they're flock animals, one cat isn't going up against multiple flying, aggressive, pointy ended foes.
GuiA 14y ago
Is it hard only because of predators? I.e. if they're in a sturdily fenced enclosure, are you pretty much free from any risk? Or are other things like cold, diseases, etc. tricky to manage? I love eggs, and have often thought about having my own chicken... although with my current urban living situation, it would be quite hard :)
- gadders 14y ago
  We've had reasonably deep snow, and they've been OK (as long as you have more than one so they can keep each other warm). In terms of diseases, there are some nasty ones like red mites that can suck their blood, but disinfecting the coop takes care of that (and I've never seen any evidence of it). The only thing my chickens have really suffered from is scaley leg, but you can get ointment for that. I also find they decide to pluck their own feathers out at odd times due to moulting or broodiness. //edit//Also, for urban chicken keepers: http://www.omlet.co.uk/ http://www.omlet.co.uk/
- pixl97 14y ago
  A sturdy fence helps, but it also costs too. The biggest issue is this guy... http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raccoon-chicken-predators-how-to-protect-your-chickens-from-coons http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raccoon-chicken-predators-... Racoons are very sharp creatures and can open cages and pens that aren't designed well. If your wire mesh is too large and your chickens stay close to they edge they will lay wait and grab them thru the cage.
  - creamyhorror 14y ago
    A comment on that page led me to read about guard llamas, guard donkeys and mini horses. I hadn't realised llamas could be used as guard animals at all. http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/ansc442/semprojs/2002/predation/llamas_and_donkeys.htm http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/ansc442/semprojs/2002/predat... - Being that dogs and coyotes are among the greatest predators of sheep, a llama can be very effective in alerting and protecting a flock of sheep against such predators. A good guard llama is very cautious and curious of these predators and will usually charge them, and if the predator does not retreat, kick and stomp them. - One llama is capable of guarding up to 2,000 sheep in up to 300 acres, and can decrease the amount of predation in a flock up to 100%. - Also, llamas ... often will protect birthing sheep and will alert producers to sick or hurt sheep. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guard_llama http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guard_llama - Some llamas may herd the animals they are guarding into a tight group or lead them away from danger and to the spot where they may feel the safest. Quite impressive, what llamas can do.
jes5199 14y ago
when I lived in Portland, the problem was raccoons. They're a lot like primates - they're smart enough to pry open doors, plus they've also got sharp claws. Even the most experienced chicken keepers eventually lose their flock to raccoons.
Tsagadai 14y ago
Off the top of my head some of the culprits I have caught in the hen house: * Snakes (sometimes, having a snooze still full of young chickens), * Eagles, * water rats, * wild dogs, * foxes, * feral cats, * neighbour's dogs, * pigs, * kids, * and others I have probably forgotten. Needless to say, keeping chickens alive can be a tricky task. Each time it happened the coop was locked. Also, I grew up in country Australia.
- belorn 14y ago
  Agree. There was a reason why the outside yard of the hen house had a chicken grill around it, including a chicken grill "roof" for the yard. Even then, foxes and eagles ate more hens than we. The hens really like to sneak out of their yard and hen house. Did not have any issues with snakes or water rats (Sweden), but we did have a issue with flooding. With water just a hand deep, one or two would sometimes drown (the rest would either sit on the sitting sticks, or roosting). On a more positive side, I never had any issues with cats (even feral ones from what I remember) or dogs. there are no wild dogs where I lived, but we did operative a store right next to the hen house, and customers dogs (and kids) were often running around.
  - belorn 14y ago
    Chicken grill -> chicken wire.

gadders 14y ago

Well, yes. You can either buy a coop with an attached, enclosed run or a fox-proof electric fence. Our cat did try and stalk the hens for fun when we first got them, but never attacked them and he was a decent mouser.

foley 14y ago
That is something I have never been able to understand, everyone I know who keeps chickens either has cats or their neighbours have cats. Why would the cats ignore the chickens?
- jules 14y ago
  Because chickens are strong and have sharp beaks, and even if they manage to overpower a chicken it will hurt. As long as the cat has enough food it probably won't try. A large rooster would be able to win a fight with a cat.
  - cowpewter 14y ago
    Also, cats usually won't go after anything that's willing to face the cat down, even smaller animals like rats. I have both cats and rats and the cats will watch the rats in fascination, and even sniff noses with the rats when I have the door to the cage open, but the rats show no fear to the cats, and will even rush the cage bars if they decide a cat is too much in "their territory" and the cats respect that. This has held true through 8 different rats so far, and like 6 or 7 different cats (mine and various roommates). In general, to a cat, "runs away" == "prey" and "comes right up to me" == "equal and/or potential threat"
- adamauckland 14y ago
  Partly perception - chickens are taller than cats and with wings spread out they can look quite large. Partly aggression - chickens are/can be nasty and will attack other animals with sharp beaks. Combine this with the fact that they're flock animals, one cat isn't going up against multiple flying, aggressive, pointy ended foes.

GuiA 14y ago

Is it hard only because of predators? I.e. if they're in a sturdily fenced enclosure, are you pretty much free from any risk? Or are other things like cold, diseases, etc. tricky to manage? I love eggs, and have often thought about having my own chicken... although with my current urban living situation, it would be quite hard :)

gadders 14y ago
We've had reasonably deep snow, and they've been OK (as long as you have more than one so they can keep each other warm). In terms of diseases, there are some nasty ones like red mites that can suck their blood, but disinfecting the coop takes care of that (and I've never seen any evidence of it). The only thing my chickens have really suffered from is scaley leg, but you can get ointment for that. I also find they decide to pluck their own feathers out at odd times due to moulting or broodiness. //edit//Also, for urban chicken keepers: http://www.omlet.co.uk/ http://www.omlet.co.uk/
pixl97 14y ago
A sturdy fence helps, but it also costs too. The biggest issue is this guy... http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raccoon-chicken-predators-how-to-protect-your-chickens-from-coons http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raccoon-chicken-predators-... Racoons are very sharp creatures and can open cages and pens that aren't designed well. If your wire mesh is too large and your chickens stay close to they edge they will lay wait and grab them thru the cage.
- creamyhorror 14y ago
  A comment on that page led me to read about guard llamas, guard donkeys and mini horses. I hadn't realised llamas could be used as guard animals at all. http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/ansc442/semprojs/2002/predation/llamas_and_donkeys.htm http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/ansc442/semprojs/2002/predat... - Being that dogs and coyotes are among the greatest predators of sheep, a llama can be very effective in alerting and protecting a flock of sheep against such predators. A good guard llama is very cautious and curious of these predators and will usually charge them, and if the predator does not retreat, kick and stomp them. - One llama is capable of guarding up to 2,000 sheep in up to 300 acres, and can decrease the amount of predation in a flock up to 100%. - Also, llamas ... often will protect birthing sheep and will alert producers to sick or hurt sheep. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guard_llama http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guard_llama - Some llamas may herd the animals they are guarding into a tight group or lead them away from danger and to the spot where they may feel the safest. Quite impressive, what llamas can do.

jes5199 14y ago

when I lived in Portland, the problem was raccoons. They're a lot like primates - they're smart enough to pry open doors, plus they've also got sharp claws. Even the most experienced chicken keepers eventually lose their flock to raccoons.

Tsagadai 14y ago

Off the top of my head some of the culprits I have caught in the hen house: * Snakes (sometimes, having a snooze still full of young chickens), * Eagles, * water rats, * wild dogs, * foxes, * feral cats, * neighbour's dogs, * pigs, * kids, * and others I have probably forgotten. Needless to say, keeping chickens alive can be a tricky task. Each time it happened the coop was locked. Also, I grew up in country Australia.

belorn 14y ago
Agree. There was a reason why the outside yard of the hen house had a chicken grill around it, including a chicken grill "roof" for the yard. Even then, foxes and eagles ate more hens than we. The hens really like to sneak out of their yard and hen house. Did not have any issues with snakes or water rats (Sweden), but we did have a issue with flooding. With water just a hand deep, one or two would sometimes drown (the rest would either sit on the sitting sticks, or roosting). On a more positive side, I never had any issues with cats (even feral ones from what I remember) or dogs. there are no wild dogs where I lived, but we did operative a store right next to the hen house, and customers dogs (and kids) were often running around.
- belorn 14y ago
  Chicken grill -> chicken wire.