Do groundhogs kill chickens?

[critterkeeper25]

Critterkeep I agree with you. I'm 52 and I've never seen nor had to kill so many groundhogs the last two or three years.

We have plenty of coyotes around so I'm not sure why the population explosion.

They like to get under my coop, did a hole to their den and then pack the dirt up against the wood floor, not good.

No! Not good at all! I hate the darn things! You can't get rid of them. You can chase them away, but they just come back. You either have to trap them and haul them far, far away or kill them. We have pretty close neighbors, so killing them is out of the question. The man that farms part of our 10 acres shoots them when ever he can. They have been destroying his fields. You should have seen how much of his soybeans he planted on our property were eaten away last year! Not to mention all of the holes in his fields!

 

[Folly's place]

PLEASE don't relocate critters that you trap! Nobody else wants them either, and they'll never go in a live trap again. And it's illegal most places to relocate, unless it's on your own property, in the same county. Just don't do it. Don't bother trapping, unless you will also shoot. mary

 

[chickengeorgeto]

While groundhogs are vegetarians I would not go as far as saying that they are "strict" vegetarians.

Empty groundhog, woodchuck, or whistle pig burrows are favorite den locations for fox, coyote, raccoon, mink, skunk, and a whole hoist of other critters who all love to snack on succulent drumsticks.

 

[drumstick diva]

Ground hogs, I hate them. They do dig big holes. I found one under the gate, filled it in with bricks and some wire base. Next day, hole was back but bigger. Repeated my actions and took it up a notch higher. Seemed to do the trick. Then I was out in the yard and noticed if had dug a huge hole on the other side of the gate. I put enough boulders and bricks out there to build a barbeque pit. So far, it hasn't tried again. But probably is digging under the evergreens and stuff at the back of the yard. We've had fox, raccoons, skunks, possums going in and out of the yard. I don't go to the back wooded part for anything.

 

[jenhus]

We have just 2 whom we let out of their pen in the afternoon to evening. Sadly we just caught a groundhog attacking them both. I'm concerned because he drew blood on them both So upset. Don't know what to do

 

[dekel18042]

We have just 2 whom we let out of their pen in the afternoon to evening. Sadly we just caught a groundhog attacking them both. I'm concerned because he drew blood on them both So upset. Don't know what to do

I have to wonder if the chickens went up to him curiously and he attacked in defense? I had a large collie as a child and he got in fights with groundhogs and the large ones could hold their own. He would kill them but he had several nasty bites about the face.
Through him, I also learned groundhogs can climb trees. Some would take off and that is where they wound up.
Thankfully the dogs now ignore the groundhogs and the groundhogs ignore the chickens although I did see one of the roosters marching off to check one out this afternoon. Nothing happened.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

We have just 2 whom we let out of their pen in the afternoon to evening. Sadly we just caught a groundhog attacking them both. I'm concerned because he drew blood on them both So upset. Don't know what to do

There are some on this forum who advocate doing nothing, even when the culprit is a fox. On the other hand i recommend that you make plans to enjoy juicy Thanksgiving groundhogs this holiday season. Yum Yum.

 

[TBirdsTheWord33]

We have just 2 whom we let out of their pen in the afternoon to evening. Sadly we just caught a groundhog attacking them both. I'm concerned because he drew blood on them both So upset. Don't know what to do

I would recommend getting some traps and baiting them with apples and bananas. DH has caught many a groundhog that way. I wouldn't let them stay on my property if I were you because they can become aggressive toward people.

 

[Folly's place]

I would like to add that groundhogs do get rabies, and I'd worry about any individual who's acting oddly. Your DNR may want to have it for testing. Mary

 

[TBirdsTheWord33]

I would like to add that groundhogs do get rabies, and I'd worry about any individual who's acting oddly. Your DNR may want to have it for testing. Mary

Good advice.