Vultures again

I came home today, my blind goose was dead with all the skin ripped off her head and neck, and my big gray Pom male had three patches of skin missing. I didn't want to have to kill the vultures, but it's time.







He has a vet appointment in the morning, wrapped it up until then.

Carrosaur said:

I came home today, my blind goose was dead with all the skin ripped off her head and neck, and my big gray Pom male had three patches of skin missing. I didn't want to have to kill the vultures, but it's time.







He has a vet appointment in the morning, wrapped it up until then.

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I've never heard of vultures attacking anything I thought they only ate carrion. This is crazy. I am so sorry about your blind goose. I don't think I'd let my geese outside until this has been taken care of. Poor Pom let us know what the vet says. None others attacked?

Miss Lydia said:

I've never heard of vultures attacking anything I thought they only ate carrion. This is crazy. I am so sorry about your blind goose.  I don't think I'd let my geese outside until this has been taken care of.  Poor Pom let us know what the vet says.  None others attacked?

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None of the others. I have a feeling that the blind Buff ran into one of the vultures and it killed her because of that, and my Pom is the most dominant of my geese so i guess he maybe was trying to challenge them, I don't know though.

First, if it was vultures before you take any action check with your local animal regulator about any protected status they may have. This is very important as some birds are protected by both Federal law and International agreements and you can get in pretty serious trouble if you take any unauthorized action. In this event you may be able to get a permit to take action against the vultures.

Now, yes vultures will attack, kill and eat prey. Usually they stick to carrion but if they perceived your goose to be injured and helpless (blind behavior) they may have attacked it. The male may have been injured in trying to protect his flock.

I have no idea if this is what actually happened but it sure sounds like it. And, I recall the picture you posted some time ago with all the vultures perched on the fence around your pool.

Carrosaur said:

None of the others. I have a feeling that the blind Buff ran into one of the vultures and it killed her because of that, and my Pom is the most dominant of my geese so i guess he maybe was trying to challenge them, I don't know though.

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You need to set up a trail camera but honestly I would not let your geese out till you have taken care of this. I have never heard of Vultures eating live animals. We see them alot but it is usually when flying over something dead. Hows your Pom? Maybe they got between the food and the vultures and that may have started it didn't you say the vultures had been eating their feed?

Google "are vultures protected" and you will see what I mean. Call your state animal folks and get their help.

They are protected federally, but they are legal to kill here in TN because they have been destroying property and killing calves. So the state wouldn't be upset, but we could technically be charged on a federal level.

The geese won't be coming out anymore until this problem is solved, I'm furious. I used to really like the birds but I can't help but be mad now.

Carrosaur said:

They are protected federally, but they are legal to kill here in TN because they have been destroying property and killing calves. So the state wouldn't be upset, but we could technically be charged on a federal level.

The geese won't be coming out anymore until this problem is solved, I'm furious. I used to really like the birds but I can't help but be mad now.

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I do not counsel anyone to break the law. However, I have seen a number of post that refer to a solution called "Shoot, Shovel and Shut-up".

jtn42248 said:

I do not counsel anyone to break the law. However, I have seen a number of post that refer to a solution called "Shoot, Shovel and Shut-up".

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Thinking that may be my best option at this point.

Miss Lydia said:

You need to set up a trail camera but honestly I would not let your geese out till you have taken care of this. I have never heard of Vultures eating live animals. We see them alot but it is usually when flying over something dead. Hows your Pom? Maybe they got between the food and the vultures and that may have started it didn't you say the vultures had been eating their feed?

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He's doing good. He's perky and walking fine, eating and drinking, fought back when I was putting the gauze on. I'm really worried about infection, though. And he is such an outgoing boy, he'll stand on you feet and peep up at you and crawl into your lap if you're sitting on the ground. His name is Blue from the Jurassic World raptors, and his bands are Left Blue Blue.

Poor Rexy, poor poor blind Rexy. I can't imagine how she must have felt, not knowing what was going on, I hope she went fast. r.i.p.