Almost lost my husband to a black widow bite. I haven't read the other posts but don't let this problem remain - do something - anything! Just get rid of them!
We've lost over a hundred chickens, a dozen turkeys, and four geese in the last year. We seem to be controlling the possums, coons, fox, and bobcats. However, things are still going missing. Our current battle is owls and hawks. It's even more difficult since we're not on the property...
We've found that poisons are really the only eradicator. I don't want to use those around my chickens either so we just do what we can to chase the survivors off the property and keep them there. At home we battle with our neighbors - the more viligant neighbor has the least mounds!