Fishers cat

[Bizzybirdy]

A Fishers cat so far has massacred 12 of my purebred hens and 5 mixed breed hens, including one roo in three different houses this week. We have sat out for 5 nights now and it has so much nerve as to kill in one house while we are watching another...I have 5 large, fortified hen houses. I don't know what to do as it only eats the heads and drinks the blood from the necks of live chickens...is not interested in any other body parts nor a dead chicken in the trap.

Am devastated...last night it killed all my 2 year old Buff Orp hens. We have cement under the doors, two houses are built off the ground, sheet metal around all the walls and hardware cloth everywhere. It dug a 4" hole under one wall and climbed another wood wall straight up to get into a small opening. These are VAMPIRES, mean, nasty and I can't sit out and I can't sit out all night watching 5 houses....it has killed in three of them so far.

A question I have, sick as it may be...how long, how many hours, after a kill can I process one of the chickens? And does anyone have any other ideas on how to get rid of this monster?? Am afraid for my cats now also...have put all the remaining chickens in the house but can't keep this up.

Here is the front of the Orps house...and run..before I removed the rooster. :-(

 

[BBQJOE]

Lock up your birds, dogs and everything else at night. Put out a few bowls of anti-freeze.

 

[yochickiemomma]

You can buy a large live trap that has an interior wired cage to keep a live animal safe while louring the predators in. Also motion lights will either discourage it or let you know where its at. I use foot traps and a large live trap. We have issues with feral cats, fox, and raccoons. If you have dogs or domestic cats that go outside I'm not sure I would recommend foot traps unless you are willing to set and trip that everyday as it will break your pets foot. Let us know how you eradicate the problem. Best of luck.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Thanks...I brought all the rest of my purebred hens inside my garage room off the house, 35 more than was already in there. I cannot stand another loss like we have been getting all week! We sat out for 3 hours and nothing, but I will go back out around 3am until dawn, as I think it has come then 2X but we actually saw it at 9:30pm the night after the first massacre.

Have FIVE huge chicken houses with chain link runs now sitting empty because of this evil thing. Am so upset and sad for the ones that were killed. It only took a tiny hole in each case. My husband tried to redo one of the other doors but gave up tonight so we took them in.I have battled raccoons, possums, foxes and neighborhood dogs but this thing is the most trying to keep out and to get rid of. Have lived here 30 years and never seen a Fishers before, never even heard of them.

I put my 4 cats up every night also. Am afraid when I let all the chickens out the Fishers may try to get them during the day. Someone said they are diurnal. I used a motion light in one of the empty houses this evening and the mice kept setting it off. Now I know we have a MOUSE problem also. At least they will be easier to get rid of.

 

[yochickiemomma]

If the fishers anything like a normal predator it will be able to smell you and go the other way. Can you see your hen houses from your house or maybe a barn? Somewhere with enough distance yet be able to shoot it. Also it might be a good idea to Google or u tube how to catch one. I've learned some good tips.

 

[yochickiemomma]

I just looked up pics wow that's an ugly cat! Are they protected in your area? Or can you kill predators threatening your livestock like we can up here?

 

[Cindy in PA]

Negative to putting out antifreeze. It is an indiscriminate killer & a very painful death. Better check your trapping laws before catching & killing it, as they are protected in many areas. You may need a hunting & trapping license to do so. Good luck.

 

[Tumbling K]

seems like they were re-introduced in 2002 to TN, so I will bet, they are protected.

best bet, will be a very good deterrent.

think flashing lights, and noise makers.

if that fails, and you live out in the country, "SSS."

 

[BBQJOE]

Negative to putting out antifreeze. It is an indiscriminate killer & a very painful death. Better check your trapping laws before catching & killing it, as they are protected in many areas. You may need a hunting & trapping license to do so. Good luck.

Leg traps are also pretty indiscriminate, and I but they hurt pretty bad too!

 

[yochickiemomma]

We live by the SSS rule here.
BBQ your right leg/foot traps are painful but the predator wasn't very humane when it ripped Bizzys chickens apart.

I'm not a fan of the antifreeze either.