Predators come to the homestead in all sizes and take different plans of attack. We usually don’t even realize we have a problem until it’s too late.
The day a bobcat killed six of my ducks was a sad day that I hope will never be repeated.
I had done everything right….or so I thought.
And yet he still got to my ducks. I learned several lessons that day and in the weeks to follow.
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Table of Contents
How do you protect your animals from predators?
The first lesson to learn is that if you have animals, then there are predators keeping a close eye on your property.
-PERIOD-
No matter where you live, whether you live in an urban, suburban, or rural setting, there is something lurking that wants to eat your livestock, and whatever it is, it’s just waiting for the chance.
No matter how small your homestead is. If you have animals, livestock security should be on your mind.
In fact, this is something you should prepare for even before you get your animals. It’s much better to have your shelter completely built and your security measure in place before you ever bring your animals home.
That’s why it’s important to stay one step ahead of them.
The best defense against a predator is to be prepared.
Related>> Homestead Emergency – Are You Prepared To Evacuate?
Predators and Prey
Whether you keep poultry, cows, sheep, goats, alpacas, or other types of livestock, there are predators that will try to make a meal out of your animals.
Unless you are raising some pretty exotic animals on your homestead, all livestock are prey animals.
Predators are not just trying to ruin your day. Killing animals is how predators stay alive. And if your livestock looks like ‘easy pickins’, then you are likely to have a bullseye on your homestead.
Each type of animal comes with its own vulnerabilities, so unique responses are required. The best approach to protect your livestock is to make predators think that eating at your house will be harder than feeding in the wild.
Related>> All About Raising Alpacas For Fun And Profit.
Top Predator
Sadly, dogs are the number one threat to livestock. They will chase cows, goats, and sheep. And kill their babies. They will also kill chickens and ducks. If they form a pack they can even kill the larger animals.
Many people let their dogs run free and some dogs get out even if the owner is trying to do the right thing.
If you are in a situation where a neighbor’s pet is killing your livestock, please go to the neighbor first. Some will not listen to you, some will claim that it is not their animal that is responsible. If possible provide them with some form of proof, a game camera works great for proof.
If that doesn’t work, there are legal avenues that you can pursue.
Local law enforcement or your local animal control agency should be able to tell you the county’s dog laws, or give you a copy of the county or state laws. Most states allow a livestock owner to recoup payment from a dog’s owner for both damage and deaths to livestock.
…But sometimes the dog is your own.
Some dogs can be trained to leave chickens and other livestock alone and others…well…the hunting instinct is just too strong.
My daughter woke up one morning to a dead chicken in her living room. Needless to say, her chickens no longer free-ranged after that.
Bucky is a great family dog, a wonderful watchdog, but alas, a chicken guardian he will never be. (He does remove many opossums and raccoons from the property though)
Now that we have accounted for your own dog and the neighbors….
More Reading: Raising Ducks 101 – How To Take Care Of Baby Ducklings
Other Top Predators
Skunks, opossums, and raccoons just love chickens. Raccoons are incredibly intelligent and can open doors, stack things to climb, and get pretty much anywhere you don’t want them.
Eagles, falcons, owls, hawks, and other birds of prey come out of nowhere and will take your chickens right during the day while they free range.
Snakes will eat eggs.
Foxes, coyotes, weasels, and minks will do great damage taking many birds a night. And don’t think they will only come out at night. I’ve seen foxes walking across the lawn in broad daylight heading towards the chicken coop.
Then there are bears, wolves, and mountain lions, and other big cats…..like bobcats…..
I made sure that I had a “secure” shelter for my ducks when I first got them. They were in a chain link dog kennel with their coop inside and we had even thought to cover the top with welded wire.
We never shut them into the coop at night because they were so “secure” and it’s hot here in Florida. What I never figured on was that ducks like to sleep lying against the wall. Or in this case the fence. When the bobcat showed up it reached right through the chain link with its powerful arms and razor-sharp claws and did great damage. He wasn’t able to pull any birds through the fence, but he killed or injured six ducks so badly we had to put them down.
I would never have imagined that we would have a bobcat in suburbia.
That was the day I realized just how smart, and determined predators could be.
Predators You Might Not Think Of
For our fellow beekeepers, bees have predators too.
Keep your hives strapped with ratchet straps. That will keep raccoons out, but for bears (and yes they do like honey as much as they show in the cartoons – maybe more) you will need to use an electric fence. I’ve seen a whole bee yard decimated by one bear in one night.
Related Reading: 10 Things To Know Before You Start Beekeeping
And don’t forget your duckling swimming in the water. Snapping turtles come up from under the water and your little duckling will never see it coming. Snapping turtles can maim older ducks too, so make sure your duck pond is free of snapping turtles. A dig free fence will keep them out.
Alligators can be a big problem in some areas too.
Related Reading: Raising Bees – Preventing Bee Stings
Keep Your Livestock Safe From Predators
If you want to keep your animals safe, you should assume that they are vulnerable to predator attacks. What’s that old saying? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Remember, your livestock are depending on you for their security.
If you have large predators you may need to bring your animals in at night or keep them close to the house. Young animals are particularly vulnerable to predation, so you should keep young ones and their mothers near your home at all times and protect them with a predator-proof fence if possible.
Physical Barriers
Permanent Fences
For larger predators, fences should be at least 8 feet high, with spaces no more than 6 inches apart to prevent large predators from being able to squeeze through.
Adding a “hot wire” or electric wire to the top of the fence will stop most predators. In addition, a welded wire
Putting up a coyote barrel (a 6″ or larger PVC pipe threaded on a wire at the top of the fence) may also be an option. It prevents dogs from getting out and other animals from trying to come in. It will literally roll the animal off that is trying to climb over.
Related>>10 Necessities To A Perfect Duck House.
Electric Fences
Electric fences have been in use for more than two decades, and they can be useful for deterring predators ranging from coyotes, wolves, and mountain lions, to domestic dogs. They may also be useful for controlling smaller predators such as foxes, raccoons, or weasels. A 1970s study by the government of Alberta concluded that losses of sheep from predation can be reduced by 90 percent with electric fencing.
The benefit of electric fences is that they are relatively cheap compared to built fences, and nearly instant. They can be electrified via solar power as well, so they need not be close to a power source. Many can also be moved with your animals, so If you want to mob graze or move your animals to new pastures, your fence can move with them.
Electric fences do, however, require regular inspection and maintenance.
There are many different types to choose from, so you need to assess which is best for your situation.
Electric fences are portable and serve both to keep your animals in and predators out. They come in many styles. From chicken fences to sheep/goat fences to wires for cows and big animals.
When free-ranging you should also make sure your animals have access to cover. Cover can be anything from shrubs to a wooded area to a mobile chicken tractor that is high enough for them to run under. This is also a good idea for giving them a bit of shade.
Scare Off Predators
A motion-detecting light helps scare some of the predators away at night. They can be direct-wired or solar.
Solar motion-detector lights to place around your chicken coop make a difference. The lights can also be useful at deterring other types of predators that venture near larger livestock in your pasture or near your barn.
Guardian Animals
There are many animals that can be used as guardian animals.
Where coyotes and domestic dogs are the problem, one or two well-trained guardian dogs are sufficient to protect your livestock, but if wolves or other large predators are of major concern, dogs may or may not work.
A note on guardian dogs. Not all dogs make good guardians. You must select the right breed and they must be highly trained from the time they are puppies. This is why they do not come cheap.
Donkeys, particularly mini donkeys, are a wonderful coyote defense mechanism. llamas are often used as guardian animals too. But they are more likely to defend their territory, not the other animals.
A benefit of using donkeys or llamas is that they live longer than dogs, and can get a good portion of their feed directly from the land via pasture and forage.
Geese and guineas cannot kill a coyote like they can mink or snakes, but they will quickly and oh so loudly alert you that danger has encroached upon your property. Their cry will send your chickens and ducks running for cover.
Roosters often keep an eye to the sky for predators and will warn his ladies, sometimes even sacrificing himself in the process. A rooster is no match for a fox or dog and an attack only takes a matter of seconds.
So, there are many different guardian options to consider. All have their pros and cons, and nothing is foolproof.
If wolves or larger predators are an issue, guardians may not work, or you may need many dogs and other guardians. In this case, keeping livestock enclosed in predator-proof pens or shelters at night may be the best option.
Related Reading: How Long Do Ducks Live? How To Extend Their Life.
Traps
If all else fails, you may have to resort to trapping. If used correctly traps can be quite effective at helping alleviate predation pressure on your livestock.
There are many live catch traps that will let you relocate a problem animal.
You’ll have to check your local laws to see if you’re allowed to trap on your own property for pest animals.
If you plan to relocate the trapped animal you’ll have to look up local laws as well. Relocating animals outside of your county or city limits may be illegal and remember to be a good neighbor, don’t release them where they will just be a problem for someone else.
Predator Laws
Many wild predators are protected or controlled by federal and state laws and regulations. If you have or suspect you have, a problem with wild predators, call the Animal Damage Control office of the USDA, or your state’s “Wildlife” office, to learn about specific remedies and laws in your area.
Even though they will kill your flock, it is illegal to kill any bird of prey or owls. So don’t shoot them.
Related>>A Well Designed Duck Coop To Make Your Life Easier.
Securing Your Coup
Safely Free Ranging
Free-Ranging can be a wonderful, healthy way to raise chickens, ducks, and other livestock. It allows for exercise, keeps them high in protein as they scavenge for bugs, mice, and moles, and provides a good quality of life.
But, Free-ranging always has risks. It puts your flock at a much greater risk of being attacked by a wide range of predators. There is no way to ensure that a stray dog, a lone owl, or a fox won’t happen upon your flock. You can, however, take some steps to minimize the risk factors.
Since many predators hunt at dawn and at dusk, train your birds to make their way back to the coop as the sun goes down. This could be a time for some treats. Mealworms, sunflower seeds, watermelon rinds, or a hot dinner in the winter are a few of my flock’s favorite things. This will make them come running so you can keep them safe and happy in their coop during the night hours.
Providing outlying fencing can help keep your chickens fairly contained while also keeping ground predators out. Use electric fencing to contain your animals and train predators to stay away.
Keeping your chickens in their coop and run when they have no supervision, but allowing them to free-range when you have the time to keep an eye on them is the best of both worlds since most predators are less likely to come close while humans are present.
Related: 30 Gift Ideas For Duck Lovers
Predator Watch is an ongoing challenge.
Livestock protection is a never-ending job on any homestead.
Learn More:
The Encyclopedia of Animal Predators: by Janet Vorwald Dohner
Livestock Guardians: by Janet Vorwald Dohner
Learn how to identify predators at Fresh Eggs Daily
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Happy Homesteading!
I believe everyone can grow at least part of their own food! Let me show you how.
Sorry, it is COOP not COUP…just had to say it!
Nice article. Thank you
Thank you for pointing that out. I think I corrected them all. Spelling is not my first language. 🙂
Mary – Thanks so much for this information. It’s been so very helpful!
I did have a question for you regarding predators and getting the ducks inside a safe fenced in area. I noticed you mentioned some of their favorite foods. Would you please confirm if this applies to ducks (pretty sure it does – as I already find them big worms every day!). Also, are there any other treats they may enjoy to help me get them inside the fence at dusk each day?
Thanks so much for any input. I could use all the help / information you’re willing to share!
Kenneth
btw- I’m referring to this part of your Predator page:
“This could be a time for some treats. Mealworms, sunflower seeds, watermelon rinds or a hot dinner in the winter are a few of my flocks’ favorite things. This will make them come running so you can keep them safe and happy in their coop during the night hours.
Providing outlying fencing can help keep your chickens fairly contained while also keeping ground predators out. Use electric fencing to contain your animals and train predators to stay away.”
I have ducks, my daughter has chickens and ducks. They both eat pretty much the same things. You will find that your individual flock has a favorite. I however have never seen any bird that doesn’t like mealworm, alive or dried. Use a tin can. Put a couple of pebbles in it. When you go out to call them, shake the can. When they follow back to the coop give them the treats. They will associate the noisy can with good stuff. Also, restrict food until you want them to come back to the coop. Then when you rattle the can they will be hungry and come running. (a lot like me 🙂
I have a really dumb but serious issue to me: Buying mountain property in N. Ga. & I want a pool. However I DO NOT want bears in my pool or near my small dog. I’m thinking a perimeter stock fence with a wooden top rail, wooden posts and lined with electric wire on the outside. I don’t want it to block my views or take away from the beauty of the land. Any suggestions? Or just give up…?
Natalie,
How wonderful for you! I agree you don’t want to block that beautiful view. I’m jealous. 🙂 As far as the fence, Bears will probably not be a problem if you don’t entice them with garbage cans and livestock. If you do, electric is the most effective. Unfortunately, we can’t have everything. Sigh. Best of luck to you on your move.
Great article! My family and I were very City before moving to Arkansas. We now have a small, but growing, flock of ducks. My first venture was an extremely expensive 15x25ft pen. The bottom foot is half inch poly coated wire mesh that skirts out to prevent digging and is reinforced with fence panels. The next four feet up is all half inch wire mesh, then the top few feet and “roof” is 2×4” welded wire. This only protects them at night as I put the up every evening. What worries me is that they are vulnerable all day. They are very accustomed to foraging and travel quite a bit around our property and the neighbor’s. My wife and I both work 20+ minutes away and they are left to fend for themselves during the daylight hours. As much as I enjoy the wildlife around our place, I have pretty much declared war on all predator species. It has to be done. I have live traps, foot holds, and always keep a .22 Magnum ready in case I spot something. I’m happy to have found your blog and look forward to reading historical posts and following I the future.
Great to have you aboard!