To many predators such as foxes, dogs, and coyotes, chickens are an all-you-can-eat buffet. Keeping chickens safe from these animals is a challenge, which is why electric fences offer a safe and effective means of protection. The goal of an electric fence is simply to keep chickens in a certain area and predators out of that same area. I'm often quite surprised at just how … [Read more...]
Keeping Chickens During Pregnancy: A Safety Guide
Introduction When it comes to the question of if it is safe to keep chickens during pregnancy the answer is, "Yes, but with extra safety precautions." After all, for thousands of years humanity has kept chickens, including during pregnancy, but with modern advances in our understanding of germs and bacteria, we also know that while it may be safe to keep chickens while … [Read more...]
Which Animals Protect Chickens From Foxes?
Foxes are a perennial problem for anyone who keeps poultry. If you’ve ever lost chickens to foxes you’ll know how heart wrenching it can be, so taking all necessary precautions against fox attack is near to the top of the list of things to do when first planning to keep chickens. There are of course a range of measures you can put in place to deter foxes, from constructing … [Read more...]
Which Animals Eat Chicken Eggs and How Can I Prevent it From Happening?
Picture the scenario; you’ve headed out into your yard first thing in the morning, egg collection basket in hand, and you stroll over to your nest box hatch. You open it and find yourself greeted by a horrifying sight: instead of the eggs you had earmarked for breakfast you see shards of shell and a gooey eggy mess. Any number of different predators can help themselves to … [Read more...]