Does anyone know about whether a nutria will hurt a chicken?

[kyckling66]

Tonight I saw a nutria walking around the exterior of my chicken coop (with the infrared of my "chicken cam"). Does anyone have experience with this? Will a nutria attack a chicken?

 

[Angiebubs]

Ive never even heard of these-had to google to see what it was. Bumping this with hopes someone else will know

 

[Vamvakas]

Nutria are really big rats common in the south near the gulf coast states. We don't have them hear but I've read they only eat plants. Norway rats like eating eat, younger chickens.

 

[zazouse]

My birds are totally free range and we have these around and i have never lost a bird to them.

 

[texas hiker]

nutria rats are vegetartians, but they will eat small stuff such as snails and maybe crawfish.

nutria rats like to build borrows to live in. Maybe the nutria has built a tunnel under the chicken coop somewhere?

I personally would not worry about it.

 

[Farmer Brian]

Nutria live in marshes, wetlands, tidal areas. Are you in such a place? LA, I would assume so. Like said above, vegatarians. Don't worry about it, as long as your ID is correct.

 

[kyckling66]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the comments. Yes, I'm in marshland, near a bayou in Southern Louisina. I'm new to chickens, and although I know that the primary diet for nurtrias is vegitation, it still seemed a bit menacing that he looked so intent on getting into the coop. Maybe the smell of they hay or chicken food? In any case, thanks... I feel a bit better.