Another way to repel predators!

[the lemon tree]

In the most recent issue of Mother Earth News (the hard copy magazine), someone had contributed a tip to keep away raccoons and other nasty critters-if you have dogs, the next time you shave or give them a haircut, take all the hair/fur and scatter it around your coop. The smell of your dog apparently helps deter these animals from getting near your chickens. I think I'm going to give it a try!

 

[mmwb]

It may help, temporarily, though if the the scent of the dog is about the place, I'm not sure it would even that.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
Sounds like it would help I do know that having your dogs mark your yard will keep away some predators unless they are desperate. I wouldn't hurt to mark it yourself too as any predator is going to steer clear of human scent.

 

[gypsy2621]

Quote:
Sounds like it would help I do know that having your dogs mark your yard will keep away some predators unless they are desperate. I wouldn't hurt to mark it yourself too as any predator is going to steer clear of human scent.

My husband does this around the coops, drives me batty but it does appear to be working, Plus when ever possible I or my Grandadughter take the dog round back to the coops and let him do his thing.
although he doesnt appreciate the chickens or turkeys rushing the fence while he is trying to defend them through scent LOL. poor puppy, 5 months old and scared to lift his leg near those big bad bantams LOL.

The only issue I have with the sheared or brushed off dog fur is that over a short period of time the scent will deminish and have to be replaced.

 

[WalkingWolf]

I think marking is better than using the fur, but one must get a dog to do the deed around nosy chickens. And some are to embarrassed to do this themselves or may get reported by nosy neighbors. My DW cringes when I walk the fence line marking posts, but so far I have only seen one raccoon and it was in my neighbors yard. A cat had it up a telephone pole(dumb cat). By the time I got my gun it was gone, and I could find it nowhere on my wooded lot, neither could my soon released dogs.

The next day I told my neighbor, and he asked for advice. I told him to mark the yard, we both have not seen one since.

An option for marking would be to use a spray bottle. Fill it in the house and use it to mark the whole yard.

 

[Davaroo]

If you're a man (or have access to one), do the "marking" yourself.

If you are woman, well, take the dog.

 

[mmwb]

Correlation does not equal causality. Many trappers have a dog with them when they set their trap lines. The dogs will show where fox and coyotes have marked. A good place to set a trap. They also will set traps where the dog itself marks. To most animals, urine is a communicator--within species--and an attractant or curiosity with other species. You can set traps and mark the sets with a strong dose of coyote urine (the top of the food chain predator in most areas without wolves or significant numbers of lions) and will catch coyotes, foxes, bobcats, stray dogs and cats, skunks, rabbits, raccoons, badgers, weasels, mink...

Some animals will certainly shy from human scent, but your places are already saturated with human scent. The biggest long term effect of putting human urine out over time will likely be an increase in salt content in the soil in those areas. Increased salt will attract more rodents. More rodents attract more predators.


I'll be the odd one out here and assert that these strategies will be temporarily effective, if at all. Animals quickly acclimatize to new things once they learn there is no real danger. Dried blood, fresh or dried urine, ultrasonic devices: All provide temporary--if any--results. Juicy chickens are a a great motivation for quick learning in predators.