Do You Have An Opinion On Killing Predators?

[Citychicken12]

Trefoil

Well said. I couldn't agree with you more

 

[Trefoil]

Gday trefoil, maybe things are different over there but I doubt it, I also suppose it would depend what type of "Farm" one was working.
I am recently retired off 20,000 acres and to say lets not kill any predators this year.........well, i may as well just toss many thousands of dollars in the bin, and God help us the year after.
When I started farming the main predator was the Dingo, after 20odd years of trapping, shooting and poison we have not seen a Dingo for many years down here.
Next on the agenda was the wily red fox, I guess many Americans would be up in arms if they knew how many Kangaroos we shot a year, overnight.
And of course, the very stupid Emu,
So to say its a waste of time to do predator control.... well, all I can say is "I wonder what sort of farm you worked?"

Cheers..........The Dog

I understand what you're saying. We, for the most part eradicated native Americans using the same rationale. BUT, neither pertains to the keeping of fowl.

 

[MuckyPuppy]

Sorry, I just realised that I didn't really answer the question. I have no problems with people legally killing animal predators to protect their livestock. If I lived in the States, I would like to think that I could in the defence of my livestock but I would first have to have learn how to shoot.

 

[Citychicken12]

Trefoil,

Once again, great response.

 

[Amarisus]

Well the way I look at it, if one animal enters another animals territory The other animal will try to kill the intruder to protect its territory. Why are we so different in defending our property? I'm not saying I would go on some crazy animal killing rampage for critters minding their own bussiness. But if they are causing problems then killing a few will not damage the ecosystem or the species. We are not in short supply of racoons or other creatures of that nature. They make more than we kill I'm sure. Cyotes are at least smart enough that you only really need to kill one (at least in my experience) and the others get the message and stay away. I don't know if other creatures are like that or not.

I know when a tiger starts hunting man its usually a sign of age or sickness because man is an easy target. So would it not be similar to an animal that only preys on easy to catch domesticated animals? So you might even be doing the species a favor

a little farfetched I know but thats how I see it sometimes lol Just my opinion.

 

[J-Sanders]

I understand what you're saying. We, for the most part eradicated native Americans using the same rationale. BUT, neither pertains to the keeping of fowl.

No. "WE" did not do any such thing. Your family may have but my family never did. Please try to stay in the realm of reality.

You are free to manage your livestock the way you see fit. But you are not free to make unrealistic accusations against those who manage their livestock differently and make believe you are superior to them. Bad form.

 

[bobbi-j]

We have too much time and money invested in our chickens not to eliminate critters that are trying to eat them. I free range, so the buffet is open here, but there is plenty of other food available around here for the native wildlife to eat. We live in the country - 20 miles from town and over a mile to the nearest neighbor, surrounded by cropland so they don't need to come around the buildings and eat my chickens. If they do, they're gone.

 

[CAjerseychick]

I guess what I am saying is that -- how do the wild animals know that your chickens arent theirs to eat? They were here living their lives and then we walk in and decide to have chickens... and rope off a chunk of their range and call it ours....

Thats why I like dogs (it could also be llamas, or geese, or what ever flock protector you come up with) as a deterrent-- at the least the wild dingos, or roos, or emus or whatever--- have a warning that this territory is not to be entered at threat of death-- otherwise they are just hopping along, find a wondorous bounty of crop/ or chicken and help themselves -- and Boom are slaughtered just doing their thing--- (I grew up in Brisbane BTW, but my dad was an economics professor so we went inland alot to farms, before moving to AR, and now the Sierras... after a 20 yr hiatus in San Francisco!)..
But of course if I walked into my run and found a raccoon I would give it a few good whacks with a stick or whatever and not feel too badly if it expired....

 

[CAjerseychick]

Sounds like a cat is killing the rats and squirrels , one of my cats will eat them one just kills for sport

Thats what I was thinking... no way could I kill a cat (we have an indoor cat as well).... I guess the dogs will have to take care of the kitties.. I did say I was a wimp....

 

[bobbi-j]

I guess what I am saying is that -- how do the wild animals know that your chickens arent theirs to eat? They were here living their lives and then we walk in and decide to have chickens... and rope off a chunk of their range and call it ours....

Thats why I like dogs (it could also be llamas, or geese, or what ever flock protector you come up with) as a deterrent-- at the least the wild dingos, or roos, or emus or whatever--- have a warning that this territory is not to be entered at threat of death-- otherwise they are just hopping along, find a wondorous bounty of crop/ or chicken and help themselves -- and Boom are slaughtered just doing their thing--- (I grew up in Brisbane BTW, but my dad was an economics professor so we went inland alot to farms, before moving to AR, and now the Sierras... after a 20 yr hiatus in San Francisco!)..
But of course if I walked into my run and found a raccoon I would give it a few good whacks with a stick or whatever and not feel too badly if it expired....

Um, no. They were not living here and we walked in and decided to have chickens and roped off a chunk of their range to call ours. This farm was homesteaded over 140 years ago. There is not a raccoon or possum in the area that's that old. To the ones that live in our grove and on the prairie near here, we were here first. There are plenty of fields, groves, sloughs and wildlife areas around here. Hundreds of acres. Many sections of land. They hold lots of other wildlife and natural prey. They don't need to come near the buildings. If they find their way in, and get to my chickens because I didn't secure the coop well enough, then that's my problem. But if they're being destructive (not only to my chickens, but buildings, machinery, etc) they need to go. We don't just blow away every coon or possum we see (skunks, yes). Only if they're being a nuisance. BTW, I'd never get close enough to a cornered coon to give it a few good whacks with a stick. First of all, they're ferocious when cornered and will fight back, secondly, it would take more than a stick to whack it hard enough to kill it.