Dealing with Vermin: The Definitive Guide (Part 1)featured

You will deal with unwanted guests during your time as a chicken farmer. You spread scratch grains and other snacks for your hens every day. Although chickens are normally thorough in finding all this food, they are inevitably going to miss something. Those leftovers are going to attract a variety of different animals and many of them are predators for your chickens.

Part 1: Getting Rid of Vermin After They’ve Arrived

If you are going to “the Google” looking for articles like this one about chicken predators, you are probably in the same situation we were in. Dollars to donuts says that you already have predators running around your chicken coop and you need to know how to get rid of them fast. For that reason, we started our series with what to do when predators are already on your property. Chances are you’re dealing with one of several predators that are very common here in North America and that you’re concerned about the safety of your chickens. And yes, you are right to be concerned:

Raccoons

They may look like cute and cuddly animals, but raccoons can be incredibly dangerous to chickens. Raccoons are nocturnal animals, and they are very strong and agile. This makes them a big threat to chickens, as they can easily climb into chicken coops and steal eggs or even attack and kill the chickens. Raccoons are also known to carry several diseases that can be passed on to chickens, including salmonella and canine distemper. If you want to see what a bad animal looks like, just take a look at the image below.

Foxes

Foxes are opportunistic predators that can easily prey on small chickens. They are stealthy, and can easily sneak into yards and chicken coops without being detected. Foxes are omnivores and will eat a range of items, including small birds, eggs, and other poultry. They can also carry diseases that can be passed on to chickens, making them a serious health risk.

Weasels

Weasels are one of the deadliest predators to chickens. They are small, agile mammals that feed on almost anything they can catch, including chickens. Since weasels are nocturnal, they are most active at night when chickens are more vulnerable. Weasels have sharp teeth, claws, and incredibly strong jaws, making them capable of killing even adult chickens in a matter of minutes.

Possums

Possums are a nuisance to many backyard chicken owners. They are known to kill and eat chickens, as well as their eggs. Possums have sharp claws and teeth that they use to tear through chicken wire, to invade hen houses, and to kill and eat chickens. They can also be carriers of a number of diseases, such as salmonella, that can be passed on to chickens.

Coyotes

Coyotes are known to hunt chickens for food and can be a major problem for chicken owners. In some cases, coyotes can kill entire flocks of chickens in a single night. The most common way for coyotes to target chickens is by stalking them in the night when they are vulnerable. They are also known to dig under fences to gain access to chicken coops.

Skunks

Skunks are a common pest that can cause a lot of damage to chickens. These nocturnal mammals are known for their distinctive black and white stripes, but they also have another unique feature: their ability to spray a foul-smelling liquid as a form of self-defense. This odorous liquid can be quite distressing to chickens, and it can also lead to health issues if not dealt with promptly. Skunks are known to prey on chickens, and they will sometimes enter chicken coops and yards in search of food. They are also known to eat eggs, and their sharp claws can cause serious injury to chickens.

One last note on Skunks; They are quite bold. Of all the vermin we have dealt with on the farm, the skunk is normally the most willing to stand its ground. Be sure to give it a good escape route.

Humane Removal of the Vermin

If this is the third or fourth article you have read about removing threats to your chickens, you have already paged through a variety of different “humane solutions” or “life hacks” for getting rid of vermin. The sites probably told you to start spreading used cat litter around the chicken yard to convince the vermin that a predator is nearby. In the case of our groundhogs, Epson salts and cayenne pepper were both highly recommended. I knew I had wasted my money after spreading a noxious mixture of both substances and watching the groundhogs dig right through it. Please don’t waste your time.

Go to Tractor Supply Company or Rural King a pick up a humane “Catch and Release” animal trap. We use this one and it works incredibly well. The 42 inch x 15 inch x 15 inch design is ideal for any of the vermin we have listed in this article, except the coyote. If coyotes are your problem, you’ll need a larger trap. While you are at the store, also pick up a pack of plastic sheeting if you don’t have a pickup truck. More about this later.

Baiting and Setting the Trap

Cantaloupe and apples are both very effective bait. Cut the cantaloupe into slices or cut the apples into quarters before putting it in the trap. The odor of the cut fruit will be better at attracting your target. Foxes and Coyotes are omnivores so you’ll need to bait the trap differently for these critters. We have no personal experience catching either, but dry dog food or beef jerky feels like the best possible bait selection.

We normally place the trap directly on the route the predator is using to enter the chicken yard (if we know what the route is). Otherwise, place the trap near the area they are visiting for food. In the case of our groundhog infestation, we knew they had an affinity for our cucumber vines. Placing it right next to the planting location was an effective strategy for quickly trapping them.

“Humane Traps” lose their “humanity” if you don’t monitor the trap. We check ours several times a day. Once the animal is trapped in the cage, it has no protection from the weather or the sun. It will also have no food besides the bait in the trap. Quickly identifying that you’ve caught a critter and quickly re-homing it is the best way to reduce the stress on the animal.

Re-Homing the Wretched Beast

You can’t just take the critter to the end of your street to release it. Most folks recommend taking the animal at least 10 – 15 miles away to ensure it does not return to your property. We are also conscious about not making the vermin someone else’s problem, so we don’t release them next to farms or populated areas. A wooded area next to an electric substation several miles up the road is where we normally re-home any animals that we capture.

So far, we have re-homed two raccoons, one possum, and nine groundhogs. Of the 12 animals we have caught, only the male groundhog showed any aggressiveness. In order to ensure we remembered our brief time together, the groundhog blessed us with explosive, fear-driven diarrhea on his way to his new home. The smell was insanely bad.

Which Brings us to our Last Thought about Transport

The animals you capture are scared to death and will urinate or defecate in the trap on their way to be re-homed. The most ideal way of transporting them is with a pick-up truck. You can simply wash down the bed after you are done with your delivery.

If you have an SUV, it is finally time to use the plastic sheeting we picked up at the store earlier. Be sure to put down a generous layer of sheeting under the trap while you are transporting the animal to save your vehicle. You can reuse the material if the animal does not have an accident. If the critter does poop or pee, it’s very simple to gather up the soiled sheeting and dispose of it.

Finally, scrub the cage with soap and water after you return for re-homing the animal. It will certainly have the scent of fear and will not be effective for catching another animal until it is cleaned.