Chicken predators are numerous and here are some of the most common and ways on how you can protect your chickens against them. Getting the right chicken house is crucial to warding off these harmful predators.

One of these predators is the Fisher cat which is actually not a cat but a weasel that have dark brown or black fur.  Also called pekan cat, it attacks at night climbing on trees and attacking its prey.  Keeping your chickens inside the coop for the night is the best way to counter them.

The hawk is another predator to watch out for.  It swoops down from the skies and has amazing eyesight, able to see the tiniest mouse from far afar.  Its claws are very strong and a prey can never escape its clutches.  Provide the coop with overhead cover to help deter hawks.

Skunks do not attack grown chickens instead they attack the eggs and chicks.  Some can climb so be wary of them.  Geese, dogs and cats are good skunk deterrents.

Raccoons are common predators and usually attack the head.

Rodents or rats are the biggest threat to your flock.  They usually attack at night, carrying their prey to their hiding place and leaving behind broken shells and feathers.  If ever a chicken survives an attack, it must be checked by the veterinarian to avoid death by infection.  Poisoning the rodents has been the only effective way of getting rid of the problem.  Just make sure that all the other animals cannot get to the poisoned food.

The cleverest of predators is the fox.  Often attacking at night, foxes have now been known to attack even at daytime.  They usually snatch their prey from the coop and carry it away.  Having a good strong fence is a way to keep foxes away from your chickens.  It must be sturdy enough to withstand anything.

Coyotes have now adapted themselves to the human world and are seen around urban areas.  Their favorite prey includes ducks, geese and chickens.  Trapping them has been a good way to lessen attacks to chicken flocks.  A good fence around the coop is also a good deterrent.

Now that you know these predators, make sure to get the best and most secured chicken house for your chickens.

Welcome to Chicken Houses. Here you will find a collection of photos of chicken houses, plans for chicken coops and handy tips to help you choose the right chicken house. If you are intending on building your own chicken house, take a look below at pictures of chicken houses that can be built using the Build a Chicken House manual. If however you do not have the time and prefer to purchase a ready made chicken house, visit our online Chicken Coops store here.

1. Does your local council allow you to keep backyard chickens? Most councils should not have any problems with it but you should check first.

2. How many chickens will you keep? This will determine the size of your chicken house. The most common minimum spacing recommendations per chicken are 0.4 sq. meters in the coop and 1 sq. meter in an attached run.

3. What is your budget? If you don’t want to spend a lot of money and you have a lot of scrap materials available, building would probably be a good option for you. If however you prefer to buy a pre-made chicken house, most coops start from $300 – $500 depending on size and quality.

4. Finally do you want one now or do you have the time and patience to build your own backyard chicken house? Building your own chicken house can take time but it can be also very rewarding. Imagine being able to tell your friends that you built it with your own hands and that now you are cooking with your own free range eggs!

For Chicken House Plans, there are a few online which will take a while to find. To save you from all the hassle of researching and comparing chicken house plans and manuals, have a look at the “Building a Chicken Coop manual” which contains everything you need to building your own chicken house. It contains photos, blue print chicken coop plans and designs and guides you through step by step.

Click on the picture below to find out more..