Dogs do not have sharp enough teeth to consume animals cleanly. If birds show signs of bites all over, a dog may have attacked the flock. If birds are only wounded, not dead, various predators may be to blame.Also, raccoons may work together, with one scaring the chickens to the far end of a pen and the other picking off the birds’ heads. Raccoons sometimes pull a bird’s head through the wires of an enclosure and then can eat only the head, leaving the majority of the body behind. If birds are dead and not eaten but are missing their heads, the predator may be a raccoon, a hawk, or an owl.Also, you might notice that internal organs have been eaten. If birds are dead but not eaten and have parts still intact, a weasel may have attacked the flock.Such predators sometimes leave some feathers and wings scattered away from the site because they are not able to swallow these parts. If chicks are missing but no other signs of disturbance exist, the culprit may be a snake, a rat, a raccoon, or a house cat.Hawks typically take chickens during the day, whereas owls take them during the night. These predators typically are able to kill, pick up, and carry off an adult chicken. If adult birds are missing but no other signs of disturbance exist, the predator probably is a dog, a coyote, a fox, a bobcat, a hawk, or an owl.Often, the condition in which you find your flock is an indicator of which predator is involved. To develop an exclusion plan, you need to determine which type of animal is preying on your birds. Of course, this tactic is easier said than done. The best long-term solution for protecting your flock is preventing predators from getting to it. Hawks, including Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, and Cooper’s hawks.Members of the weasel family, especially the least and long-tailed weasels.Common predators that feed on poultry flocks include the following mammals, reptiles, and birds: Some of this wildlife are predators of poultry. With the loss of their natural habitat, more wildlife is entering urban settings.
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