Leprechaun
There are a number of potential predators-skunk, ‘possum, coyote, bobcat, mink-that I won’t discuss because we’ve never had a problem with them. Please do become familiar with the likely predators and their modus operandi in your own locale.

I will discuss one potential predator we’ve never had a single loss to, simply because we see this leprechaun of the woods so frequently, and meet so many people who complain that they can’t keep chickens on their place because of-foxes. Brer Fox is resourceful and wily, a competitor for our chickens worthy of our respect. I have friends who wail every time I see them about all the chickens they’ve lost to the fox. Invariably, I recommend electronet fencing. Invariably, I hear the same tale of woe next time I see them. I want to shake them and demand, “When are you gonna start raising chickens-rather than feeding the fox?!”

We love to see the foxes come through our property-beautiful creatures who seem to be enjoying their outings to the fullest. Many times I’ve seen them walk within yards of my flocks and not even glance at the birds-doubtless they’ve already gotten a snoot-full of the wizardry in my fence.

The most recent sighting occurred just a few days ago. A red fox came into the back yard while Ellen and I were having lunch by the kitchen window. As it entered the orchard, I assumed it was “just passing through,” like so many foxes we’ve seen on our place. But when it suddenly doubled back, I wondered-since it was obviously a rather young fox-whether it would make an attempt on the chickens, not having been properly instructed by my fence. It crept closer to the fence, apparently intent on prey. Then it pounced-and came up with a plum that had fallen from a tree. Holding its better-than-nothing plum daintily in its mouth, it made off into the woods.

A sly fellow
It’s easy to keep most intruders out of the henhouse. It is almost impossible, however, to keep out a snake. Aside from giving one a start when one comes upon them unawares, though, snakes are unlikely to do a great deal of damage. Keeping the rodent population in check will help limit the interest of snakes in the poultry house, as they usually come in first seeking rodent prey, and only then discover the joys of eggs in nests and recently hatched chicks.

My most interesting close encounter with a snake followed my discovery one day that one of my Muscovy ducklings was missing. Next day a second Duckling had mysteriously disappeared. When yet a third was missing next morning, I ransacked the poultry house, and found a big black snake under a piece of plywood, three distinct lumps decorating its ample length. Putting on long thick gloves, I pinned the snake’s head with a stick and caught it with my free hand. When I took it up to the house to show Ellen, I held it up as high as I could, its head in my left hand, its tail dragging the ground. Since I am five feet eight, the snake was well over six feet long-the biggest black snake I ever encountered on our place.

The rule here with snakes (black snakes are the only ones I’ve ever found in the chicken house) is this: If I find them when they’re still just checking things out, I catch them and release them elsewhere on the property. If they’ve already had a taste at Harvey’s Diner, they have to go: I catch them, tie them inside a feed bag, then drive about six miles away, where I release them in some woods, hoping they’ll readily make the transition to the new environment.

Visitors from above
With only rare exceptions, subject to my correction, I have found that electronet gives complete protection from anything on the ground with a nervous system. But it is no defense from aerial predation, and we have occasional losses from Raptors. I don’t mind “occasional losses,” since I have great respect for the hunting birds, and am grateful for the services they provide, particularly rodent control. On only one occasion have I come close to “fighting dirty” with a raptor-a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk who wore out his welcome Chez Harvey. I lost count of the number of half-grown chickens taken by that Cooper’s-he was eating those little guys like popcorn. Just as I started looking at the old literature’s strategies for taking out a rogue hawk, my friend moved on, I assumed as the next stage in his migration. Our homestead’s bounty certainly strengthened him for the journey.

Be aware of local and federal laws protecting raptors-they can be quite severe, and for good reason: These magnificent birds deserve our protection. Under certain circumstances, the owner who is losing poultry to a raptor may apply for a permit to kill the bird. A better option, though, might be to contact a local falconry club-often, aficionados of this sport have the equipment and the expertise (and the permits) to live-trap hunting birds. My friend Mike and I called on a member of a falcon club one year after a number of “hits” from the same Red-shouldered Hawk. He set up a live trap of most interesting design, cleverly baited with live pigeons (not accessible to the hawk), and left it in place for three weeks. We didn’t catch a hawk, but we didn’t have any more hits, either.

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