# What animals protect chickens?



## TXFarmGirl

We are having predator problems...hawks and foxes are getting our chickens. Barn and fencing isn't the problem. We are wandering what animal(s) we should get to protect them? LGD isn't an option. Thanks!


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## Alaskan

Why not an LGD?

I can't think what else would keep fox away, those sure can be smart and crazy bold. 

For hawks....  if it is just smaller hawks, a flock of geese might work.   Eagles though will take out  geese.


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## TXFarmGirl

Hmmm, ok. Thanks. 

We don't have enough time to train a LGD puppy for 2 years, and continue loosing chickens to it and the predator during that time.


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## Baymule

Look at the dog rescue sites and Craigslist. Sometimes there are good dogs that are available because of their owners moving, sickness, etc.


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## AmberLops

A donkey?


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## Bruce

Most likely the hawks will require overhead netting. I have also heard that donkeys hate canines and will attack a fox. I have no personal knowledge though.

However, proper fencing should keep foxes out, especially if there is some hot wire over the top.


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## B&B Happy goats

Hawks will avoid owls,  we have ordered several that there heads move with the breeze, but we have seen them at lowes. Several neighbors have them and they say it works around here. And we have lots of hawks !


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## greybeard

Black Widow
Cheetah
Desert Eagle
Panther
Bushmaster
Python
Taurus Bull
Redhawk
Bearcat
Diamondback
Rhino
Bulldog and Bulldog Pug
Llama
Raptor
Blackhawk
Warthog
Bruin
Scorpion
Marlin
Golden Mallard
Kestrel
And of course...a Colt.



(so says  the "Trigger Happy Cowboy")


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## frustratedearthmother

Only problem with those suggestions is that they might keep the other predators away - but there wouldn't be any chickens left to protect, lol.  I think the "Trigger Happy Cowboy" is the best predator deterrent!


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## AmberLops

I've done a little research and it seems that donkeys (standard and mini) will protect chickens after they bond with them....And they definitely do kill coyotes/foxes


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## Bunnylady

If the fox is getting to the chickens, your fences are definitely part of the problem.

My mini mule has tried to attack chickens (fortunately for them, they are quicker than she is), and has probably managed to connect with a couple of ducks. Mules and donkeys protect their territory, not so much the animals inside them, and are known to get nasty with anything they think doesn't belong (sometimes including new members of species they are already familiar with). Also, they don't "patrol," and if the fox comes while they are sleeping, it can literally get away with murder.

The only animal that will reliably protect chickens is *you *(I think greybeard's list are names of guns named after animals)


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## babsbag

I know that you don't want an LGD but they do keep hawks away. When my dogs and chickens lived together I never lost a chicken to a hawk. The dogs would watch the sky and bark and chase any that even tried to get close to the birds. Now that the chickens and dogs don't share a field a lose chickens to hawks so I know that the dogs were working.


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## greybeard

frustratedearthmother said:


> Only problem with those suggestions is that they might keep the other predators away - but there wouldn't be any chickens left to protect, lol.  I think the "Trigger Happy Cowboy" is the best predator deterrent!


Depends on how good one is at target acquisition and bullet placement...
Black Widow=North American Arms .22 magnum
Cheetah=Beretta .380 ACP
Desert Eagle=Magnum Research, arguably the most powerful handgun on the planet
Panther=An Italian .177 or .22 air pistol
Bushmaster=Remington Adaptive Combat Rifle
Python=Colt Combat Magnum in .357
Taurus Bull=large bore handgun chambered for .44 magnum or .454
Redhawk= A Ruger revolver, .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, and .480 Ruger.
Bearcat=another Ruger revolver chambered in .22.
Diamondback=an AR-15 pistol in 5.56
Rhino=40DS revolver in .357 magnum
Bulldog and Bulldog Pug=Charter Arms revolver in .44 special or .357 mag.
Llama=1911 clone spits .45ACP and .38 super
Raptor=Kimber Arms .45ACP or 9mm
Blackhawk=Ruger single action revolver in .357
Warthog=ParaOrdinance 1911 in .45ACP
Bruin = a Dan Wesson 1911 in 10mm
Scorpion=CZ/USA 9mm "pistol"...
Marlin=Rifle in a variety of calibers and configurations.
Golden Mallard=Beretta autoloader shotgun in
Kestrel=UK Gunmark shotgun..double barrels 12 ga
And of course...a Colt.=any Samuel Colt product...


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## greybeard

Bunnylady said:


> The only animal that will reliably protect chickens is *you *(I think greybeard's list are names of guns named after animals)


Precisely.


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## OneFineAcre

@greybeard 
Not an animal, but I've had my eye on one of these for "plinking".  Might make a "fox" gun.
Just came out about a month ago. Not nearly as pricey as a Single Six.

"Wrangler"

https://ruger.com/products/wrangler/specSheets/2002.html


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## frustratedearthmother

Bunnylady said:


> he only animal that will reliably protect chickens is *you *(I think greybeard's list are names of guns named after animals)


Ha - shows you how much I know about guns, lol!


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## greybeard

Used to, ya couldn't give me a Ruger, but I have become a fan of them over the last couple 3 years. That's a pretty good price on the Wrangler.


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## OneFineAcre

greybeard said:


> Used to, ya couldn't give me a Ruger, but I have become a fan of them over the last couple 3 years. That's a pretty good price on the Wrangler.



I've got a few Rugers.  My parent's gave me a Security 6 when I turned 21.


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## Baymule

I had donkeys that stomped chickens to death.


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## AmberLops

Baymule said:


> I had donkeys that stomped chickens to death.


hmmm maybe that was a bad suggestion on my part  I had a mule once and it killed my neighbors goat that jumped the fence to my pasture....


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## Baymule

I had a mule, raised her from birth. I finally sold her because I was tired of her wanting to stomp everything that was not a horse. One time she killed a coral snake. At least that was good, but I sure had to watch and keep everything away from her.


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## AmberLops

Baymule said:


> I had a mule, raised her from birth. I finally sold her because I was tired of her wanting to stomp everything that was not a horse. One time she killed a coral snake. At least that was good, but I sure had to watch and keep everything away from her.


I've honestly never met a nice mule...they scare me to death! I worked at a Warmblood (Holsteiner) breeding farm for a couple years and those horses were 19hh of insanity...and I would take them on any day....but never a mule!!
So, are donkeys temperamental too then?


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## greybeard

OneFineAcre said:


> I've got a few Rugers.  My parent's gave me a Security 6 when I turned 21.


Before I die, I want to own and shoot a Ruger Precision Rifle in 6.5 creedmore.
3" groups at 1000 yards is something right down my alley, .......... as soon as I move somewhere I can shoot 1000 yards and not impact on someone else's property that's a whiner..

https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsupers...uger-precision-rifle-6.5-creedmoor-with-m-lok


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## Sheepshape

I'm not a gun person....though we do have a dysfunctional BB gun (even the tin cans laugh at me!) and an antique flintlock which doesn't work.

We don't have any of those 'serious' predators over here (Wales) as they can't stand the damp. On a serious note (if we must), though, foxes will wipe out the lot, and buzzards, hawks and eagles will pick off the best. Starts seem to want to kill them for sport.

Some little things to consider....firstly big breeds of chickens  and adult birds are less likely to be attacked from the air by buzzards and small flying raptors.

I'm assuming that they all go into the barn at night? The fox is largely a night predator, having them locked up at night will stop this pest

A big and grumpy rooster will do his best to protect 'his ladies' and will certainly see off some small predators. However, he may see you as a predator and be aggressive with you, too. In this case he will make a very nice soup (so I'm told, 35 years a vegetarian).

At times having them confined seems to be the best solution and, even then, there are predators who dig in if the ground is suitable.

I hope you find a viable solution.


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## Baymule

AmberLops said:


> I've honestly never met a nice mule...they scare me to death! I worked at a Warmblood (Holsteiner) breeding farm for a couple years and those horses were 19hh of insanity...and I would take them on any day....but never a mule!!
> So, are donkeys temperamental too then?


Donkeys are brilliant smart, don't be fooled by their cute fuzzy exterior. People think donkeys are stubborn and stupid, but a donkey will refuse to do something that it thinks may put it in danger (as do mules). The stomp everything to death on a mule's part comes from the donkey.


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## Simpleterrier

I got a great mule.  I'm Sure she is part of the reason I don't have predator problems. But she don't want chickens in her pen.  Best animals God created besides airedales. And foxes do come out during the day and hunt I have seen plenty and have removed a few. Had a den about 30yrds behind my barn never lost an animal. Maybe cause I kept their belly's full of ground hogs.


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## Bruce

yep, I've lost chickens to foxes hours before sundown.


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## Sheepshape

Simpleterrier said:


> And foxes do come out during the day and hunt I


 If the fox is out by day, then it usually has cubs and is particularly likely to kill. It will usually be the dog fox who is bigger and meaner than the vixen. Town foxes tend to be more strictly nocturnal, but they are more likely to want to raid the bins of the local McDonalds as an easy food source.


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## Bruce

I believe that is the case Sheepshape. Every time I've lost a hen to a fox in daylight hours it was the end of April or early May. I don't think the "usual" food sources have ramped up production by then.


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## Sheepshape

Bruce said:


> Every time I've lost a hen to a fox in daylight hours it was the end of April or early May


Half a world apart, but the same pattern exactly. We're very rural. Last week a huge dog fox strolled across the lawn in front of my face at about 7:00a.m. First time this has happened out here, so I knew he meant trouble. My old Border Collie was lying beside me, so I shouted 'Crows!' (his cue word to go chase whatever member of the animal kingdom is in his vicinity) and opened the French windows. He and I both shot out snarling and barking. I'm now extremely-vigilant to ensure the chickens are locked up at night (apart from a mean rooster called AJ....A*"hole Junior...who can take his chances).


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## TXFarmGirl

Update::: We did end up getting an LGD in November 2019. SHE WAS A GOOD CHOICE! We dreaded the 2 years of trainin, weren’t comfortable getting an adult LGD, were scared of the loses we might suffer from one, but it didn’t go that way. She accidentally killed 1 chicken(yes it was our favorite hen), but the one loss saved the whole flock. We haven’t lost a single chicken to a predator since we’ve had her. She Counts them every night, she checks on them, she is sad for one that has a poopy butt, and she knows when we get new chickens(she doesn’t like newcomers much, but eventually excepts them). Thank you all for all the impit you gave. She is turning out great with a bit of work, and we are working on more every day.


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## Alaskan

Thanks for the update...

(But wow talk about time travel....  Nov. 2020 isn't here yet)


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## TXFarmGirl

Whoops! Lol


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## TXFarmGirl

Alaskan said:


> Thanks for the update...
> 
> (But wow talk about time travel....  Nov. 2020 isn't here yet)






Whoops!


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## Bunnylady

Good to hear another LGD success story!


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