➡ Quail Hatch Along🥚

[muddy75]

my “murder mystery” is finally solved!! Unfortunately at a huge cost of more birds! It’s ricky raccoons!! this time they got my favorite male pheasant, 1 partridge, and at least 15 quail. they finally left evidence of entry/exit......
sooooo instead of separation now we are focused on predator proofing!! now stupid question.....now that we know it was a raccoon.....should we eat the “salvageable” meat or throw it all out???

hubby just talked to “neighbor” (if you want to call it that”) from house in “disrepair” and they admitted a family of raccoons has taken up residence in their attic......now to figure out how to eradicate the raccoons before they eradicate my birds!!!

 

[Kiki]

my “murder mystery” is finally solved!! Unfortunately at a huge cost of more birds! It’s ricky raccoons!! this time they got my favorite male pheasant, 1 partridge, and at least 15 quail. they finally left evidence of entry/exit......
sooooo instead of separation now we are focused on predator proofing!! now stupid question.....now that we know it was a raccoon.....should we eat the “salvageable” meat or throw it all out???

Yikes.

 

[Sara L]

hubby just talked to “neighbor” (if you want to call it that”) from house in “disrepair” and they admitted a family of raccoons has taken up residence in their attic......now to figure out how to eradicate the raccoons before they eradicate my birds!!!

Use some of the birds already killed as bait, for live trap or sit in wait with a .22. if using a live trap, make sure it doesn't wobble when something steps into it or the critter will spook. Also make sure it's large enough for raccoons, if it's a group and one gets stuck in the door (but not actually inside) the others can work together to free it and they all learn to avoid traps. Marshmallows may lure in skunks.

 

[muddy75]

Use some of the birds already killed as bait, for live trap or sit in wait with a .22. if using a live trap, make sure it doesn't wobble when something steps into it or the critter will spook. Also make sure it's large enough for raccoons, if it's a group and one gets stuck in the door (but not actually inside) the others can work together to free it and they all learn to avoid traps. Marshmallows may lure in skunks.

I’m loaded for bare or bears! Just picked up electric fencing to run full perimeter “2 wire” system! And can add 3rd wire if necessary! Also 2 new toe traps and more live traps. Can’t use a .22 as in city limits but have my .25 pellet rifle ready for an overnight patrol!!!!

 

[room onthebroom]

I’m loaded for bare or bears! Just picked up electric fencing to run full perimeter “2 wire” system! And can add 3rd wire if necessary! Also 2 new toe traps and more live traps. Can’t use a .22 as in city limits but have my .25 pellet rifle ready for an overnight patrol!!!!

Get 'em Muddy!!!

 

[R2elk]

Use some of the birds already killed as bait, for live trap or sit in wait with a .22. if using a live trap, make sure it doesn't wobble when something steps into it or the critter will spook. Also make sure it's large enough for raccoons, if it's a group and one gets stuck in the door (but not actually inside) the others can work together to free it and they all learn to avoid traps. Marshmallows may lure in skunks.

I came out one morning to find two full size raccoons stuffed into one live trap. There was hardly enough room for either one of them to turn around in the trap. I have to keep that trap staked down because there was one raccoon in particular that would upend the trap to drop the bait out.

 

[muddy75]

the most ironic and “sickening” thing is that my poor “benjamin button” is gone too! on the same day his “mate” is due to hatch. i don’t believe they could have caught him, but must’ve flushed him out of the netting....but gone is gone still the same.
also missing at least 1 female pheasant and possibly a second chukar (i can’t remember if i had 5 or 6 after we removed the 1)
had to stop for inside break as it’s over 95 out and i’ve almost killed hubby trying to run the wire!!!

 

[Nabiki]

It still amazes me how fast they grow and get feathers. These guys are less than two week old!

 

[Kiki]

It still amazes me how fast they grow and get feathers. These guys are less than two week old!

One week.

 

[BReeder!]

19 eggs have hatched now. 3 have passed away though. 1 was stuck in the shell for quite some time and I fear wore itself out so much it didn't have energy to thrive. 1 did not fully absorbed the yolk sac and there was a bit of blood near the sac. The 3rd one was a surprise death this morning when I checked the brooder - I fear it may have been trampled by the others while tying to rest.
There may be a few more stragglers as the most recent hatch was only 15-30 minutes ago. I expect that tomorrow we will start seeing the first hatches from the second round of this staggered hatch. They are due on Sunday.

Edited to add pics.