Silly bird
Chloe poised for flight
Do chickens fly?Well, it depends. Some do, some don't, none do very well. It depends on their body and feathers. "Meat birds" are bred to have large breasts, are heavy and can't do much in the way of getting off the ground. Birds with weird feathers like frizzles and silkies do well to hop up and down steps. Many leaner chickens can fly enough to get over a fence and some into trees to roost. Some owners clip the wings of their chickens to prevent them from getting out of their enclosure. It doesn't hurt the birds, it's like cutting fingernails.
Do chickens attract predators?
Chickens are quite tasty to many animals: raccoons, possums, dogs, foxes and hawks. However, chickens do not attract predators. I've seen no more of these creatures that are common to Sewanee in the 2 years I've had chickens than before. I lost my Silkie, Natasha, to a hawk this past spring, but it's not like I have hawks circling above my yard now. There is a fox that lives in my neighborhood. My daughter saw it at the foot of the front porch steps the other night. I have seen no evidence of it or anything else near the chickens. I was working in the garden late in the evening last week close to dark. A possum walked by not noticing me. It was up by the house, not near the chicken house.
What about rats and snakes?
Rats are attracted to chicken feed not chickens. It's important to keep chicken feed in a tightly closed container - tight enough to keep out raccoons and strong enough to keep squirrels from chewing through. I keep mine indoors.
Black snakes are harmless "good" snakes that like to eat eggs (as well as rodents). You'll see them in trees on their way to a bird nest, but they won't break into or hang around a chicken coop. It is important to keep the chicken house secure from all predators including snakes.
An animal is only going to try so hard to get at a meal before it looks elsewhere.
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