Birds of prey killing chickens
Chicken welfare depends on opportunities to forage in litter, to dust and sun bath, and to explore outdoors. However a free range chicken housing is difficult to protect against predators like birds of prey (or foxes).
The problem of predation of free ranging chickens occurs in 2007 and 2008 in 40% of organic chicken farms in the Netherlands, two third of which relating to buzzards (Buteo buteo) or goshawks (Accipiter gentiles). CABWIM was assigned by Dutch representatives of organic chicken farmers to produce a method to prevent birds of prey killing chickens without killing raptors.
The method CABWIM suggested was tested in a pilot at one farm, which proved successful. The methods boils down to teaching the local bird of prey not to appreciate a chicken as food. The killing of chickens was reduced 96% to a very low rate in a 10 week post-method period, as compared to the pre-method period.
Situation at the farm before the pilot: ineffective scarecrows are used to deter the birds of prey
The number of chickens killed by a raptor in a week before (blue; week 9-11) and after (green; week 15-25) a 3-week period in which the local birds of prey are taught not to recognize chickens as food.
The pilot was done in spring 2009. The farmer has no problems with birds of prey ever since, in spite of continued presence of birds of prey.
Currently the method is tested in other farms. Also the prevention of killing by foxes will be a new research project.
CABWIM welcomes cooperation, exchange of ideas, and joint research. Of particular interest is how experiences after application of a method detering adult predators affect food selection in their young.
