In the scheme of the natural order of feeding, your backyard chickens have fed on some plants and animals to give them nourishment and boost their production, they should also serve as food or source of food for other animals. If they cannot be eaten by smaller animals, they can share their feed with them.

However, that is not what you want as a lover of your chickens. These animals, starting from lice and mites, to rats, rabbits, even foxes, do not care how much work you have put into grooming your flock, they will pounce on the flock and overrun them in no time if they get the chance. It is your responsibility not to give them that chance.

If they do not kill your chickens by feeding on them directly, they can kill them by introducing diseases into the flock by sharing in their feed, chicken feeder, or waterer. It becomes difficult to control the pests and try to return your chickens to their normal state of health. Therefore, you should focus on preventing the attack from happening rather than looking to control its effect.

In this article, you will be furnished with the best options when it comes to substances that help you repel pests and predators of chickens away from your flock. These products are either available as granules or liquids that can be sprayed.

Best Rabbit Repellent

Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Granular Repellent

While planning to raise backyard chickens, you may have settled on leaving them to feed on some vegetables that you have grown in your garden, to supply the nutrition. However, there is a possibility that your chickens may share the vegetables with other animals, such as rabbits and deer that do not belong to you but trespass into your perimeter.

These animals can introduce diseases to your flock if they are left to keep coming. In fact, they will soon start to compete with your chickens for the vegetable as their number will increase if left unchecked.

Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Granular Repellent is one of the best rabbit repellents you will find in the market to tackle the challenge posed by rabbits. This repellent is granular and provides protection to about 24 inches in height for the vegetables. You can also pour the granules around your perimeter to deter the rabbits from entering.

It does not harm the animals or the plants on which you put them, only the smell is unappealing to the rabbits and discourages them from coming closer.

Pros

• Helps to remove nutritional competition for your flock
• Does not harm plants and animals
• Provides protection to plants for up to a height of 24 inches
• Easy to use

Cons

• Effective against rabbits and deer alone.

Best Squirrel Repellent

Fresh Cab Botanical Rodent Repellent

Rodents in the house are annoying but they can cause more than annoying in your chickens’ coop. Rodents do not mind sharing feed with your chickens in the same feeder. Unfortunately, they carry a host of diseases around and will eventually pass it to your flock, if not controlled.

One rodent of concern is the squirrel. It is fast and an avid climber, therefore, fences are of no effect in barring them from reaching your chickens. However, Fresh Cab Botanical Rodent Repellent is effective against them.

It is made with plants, plant fibers, and Balsam Fir oil, specifically. These ingredients are combined and put in pouches, placed in locations where the smell can reach the target pests and make them leave the environment, as they do not like the smell. They are easy to use and do not harm the animals in any way.

For more effect, the content of the pouch can be removed and poured on the ground to make the smell spread faster.

Pros

• Effective against rodents, squirrels, especially.
• Causes no harm to the animals
• Saves your flock from potential disease spread

Cons

• Needs to be renewed once the smell is diminished.

Best Under Hood Rodent Repellent

Mighty Mint Oil Mice Repellent Spray

It becomes more difficult to get rid of rodents, especially mice when they have a hiding place right in your garden. You have a choice to either smoke them out the old-fashioned way or use one of the best underhood rodent repellents.

Mice that hide under brushes or ready-made holes in your garden should not be spared because they expose your flock to a host of diseases. You can get rid of them by sprinkling Might Mint’s Mice repellent at the entrance of their homes or hiding place.

This repellent contains peppermint, a substance whose smell is known to make most rodents leave as it stings their eyes but does not make them blind. Its use of natural ingredients makes it environment-friendly but most of all, its choice of ingredients makes it effective and safe for users and targets.

Pros

• Contains peppermint to make rodents abandon their holes for safer places
• Made of natural ingredients
• Proven effectiveness against rodents

Cons

• Solution needs to be reapplied once the peppermint smell fades.

Best Skunk Repellent

Safer 5929 Brand Critter Ridder

If you seek a repellent that takes care of a wide range of pests and predators, especially the larger animals, or even skunks, you should consider a repellent that combines assault to both the smell and taste of the target animals. Most other repellents target animals’ smell to ward them off an area. Critter Ridder makes animals leave and avoid an area by making them have nasty nasal and taste bud experiences there.

It is a granule repellent that can be applied to areas around your chicken coop or perimeter to mark a boundary that no skunk or dog will cross once they perceive that order. If they fail to listen to their own instinct and pick the granules, it sends a hot sensation down their tongue and they flee.

It contains piperine and capsaicin from black pepper and needs to be renewed every 30 days for continued protection of your chickens.

Pros

• Dual-action repelling formula; smell and taste.
• Easy to apply repellent
• Effective against a wide range of animals

Cons

• Needs to be reapplied after 30 days for continued effectiveness

Best Fox Repellent

Just Scentsational FU-4 Red Fox Urine for Gardeners

When you think you have taken care of critters and the smaller animals, you are left with the responsibility of protecting your flock against the bigger animals, the ones that are capable of scaling your fence or even pulling it out. However, the smaller ones are still around.

To totally be rid of them, you need to introduce a predator of theirs. One that forces them to run for their lives every time they feel its presence. How then, do you get its predator’s urine? That’s where Just Scentsational comes in.

The Red Fox Urine for gardeners is meant to protect farmers’ gardens from these animals. However, you can use them on your properties to mark your territory against small animals. When they perceive the odor of a fox’s urine, their senses are alert and they take off at the slightest movement, even though it’s not a fox’s.

It is safe on both plants and animals and is commonly used by farmers and hunters.

Pros

• Effective against small animals
• Causes no harm to plants and animals
• All-organic product
• Fast-acting

Cons

• Needs to be renewed frequently

Best Raccoon Repellent

Rodent Sheriff Pest Control

Are your chickens’ biggest predator raccoons, or they are just too much to handle? If there are other rodents that trouble your chickens as well, you should use Rodent Sheriff Pest Control made with peppermint oil that oozes a smell no rodent can stand.

It is completely safe to use anywhere in the home and in the coop as it does not contain any harmful substance, only peppermint oil, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, and some other ingredients. All you have to do is spray it around your coop or area where you keep your chickens.

It is effective against raccoons, mice, and other rodents that may cause worries to you and your chickens. It contains about 2000 sprays, meaning you have so much spray left even when you have to make the peppermint smell pronounced again.

Pros

• Effective repellent against rodents, such as raccoons.
• Contains more than 2000 sprays
• Uses peppermint oil as its main ingredient
• Safe for use around the house and chicken coop

Cons

• May have no effect on bigger predators

Best Chipmunk Repellent

Natural Armor Repellent for Mice, Rats & Rodents

Here is another repellent made of natural products and effective ion keeping rodents, especially chipmunks, at arms’ length from your chickens’ coop. It contains peppermint and gives off that smell that rodents can’t seem to stand.

The all-natural ingredient natural Armor Repellent for Rodents employs peppermint as its chief ingredient to keep rodents, such as mice, rats, chipmunks, and others away from your chickens, keeping them safe from diseases these rodents may be carrying around.

It is an easy-to-use repellent as you just have to shake and spray the solution as directed on the bottle. The smell lasts long, helping you save the solution for use for some time.

Pros

• All-natural ingredient that is safe for pets and children
• Effective against different types of rodents
• Long-lasting smell

Cons

• Peppermint smell does not affect bigger predators of chickens

Best Bat Repellent

MDX Concepts Mice Spray

Not all rats walk and run on the ground, some have wings and do not mind having a go at the free food in your chickens’ feeders. Bats are a menace to deal with, especially because they are arboreal and cannot be trapped like land mice and other rodents. However, you can chase them away from your chickens.

Use the MDX Concepts Mice Spray around your chicken coop and the areas of your house they usually stay. The combination of oils; peppermint, cinnamon, and spearmint, which this solution contains will make them flee from your chickens.

It is easy to use and the safety of your pets and children were put into consideration while it was being made. Therefore, you can use them on plants as well.

Pros

• Contain three oils for repelling rodents.
• Effective against a wide range of rodents
• Safe for plants, pets, and children

Cons

• The combination of oils may cause an allergic reaction if it touches some individuals’ skin.

Best Night Repellent

Thanos Solar-powered Nocturnal Animals Repeller

Most times, the answer is in exposing the predators that use the darkness as their ally to enter into the chicken coop. They wait patiently for dusk to fall and they spring into action, rousing your chickens from their rest and contaminating their feed with their fecal matter.

To dissuade these predators such as rodents, coyotes, skunks, and any other one that exists in your area, install the Thanos Solar-powered nocturnal Animals Repeller. It has two bulb sockets, shaped like eyes and bearing red LED bulbs that make nocturnal predators stay away from the area they light for fear of being seen or captured by a more dangerous animal.

The lights are powered on and off automatically in response to the level of light in the environment. It does not cost you extra on electricity bills and it is waterproof, meaning it can be used all year round.

Pros

• Can be used during rainy conditions
• Keeps chicken nocturnal predators away in the most humane way possible.
• No extra electricity cost
• Powers on and off automatically.

Cons

• May not be fully functional during winter.

Frequently Asked Questions on Best Animal Repellents

Does Black Pepper Really Repel Rats or Mice?

Black pepper contains compounds called capsaicin and piperine. These compounds are responsible for the hotness and pungency of the pepper. While they may appear unharmful to humans, their smell is not friendly to rodents.

Rats or mice that choose to be more explorative with black pepper by tasting it will not only smell the hotness but taste it. this experience is not one they will want to repeat. Therefore, it is somewhat effective in repelling rodents.

What Scent Keeps Animals Away?

Animals are sensitive to many scents. Some are sensitive to the smell of other animal’s urine while some cannot stand the smell of some plants. Plants such as peppermint, cannabis, cinnamon, and spearmint are not usually attacked by animals because the smell of their oils does not come across as friendly to them.

Other animals, such as deers, foxes, and coyotes, become extra alert or avoid an area completely if they perceive the urine of a more dangerous animal, say a leopard, in an area.

Conclusion

Protecting your chickens from predators can be a difficult task to accomplish, however, it is one that you must take seriously to avoid a chicken loss to the hungry mouths of predators or the illnesses they bring. Employ the use of different means, such as fencing and fortifying chicken coops, together with the use of repellent solutions for better results.