Anyone else keep the "pests" around?

[NotabitaiI]

Note: I didn't really feel like this one was a good post for either the "predators and pests" section or the "other pets and livestock" so I'm posting it here.

Just curious to see if anyone here keeps their racoons, rabbits, possums, snakes, bats, armadillos, etc. around the farm. I do, I just feel that since I'm living in their backyard I should be willing to live with them. If any of them cause problems I run them off but in general they are always super chill, they clean up spilled feed or hidden eggs and they don't hurt my animals, so I'm happy to keep the peaceful animals around and I have even named a few of the regulars.

Lmk how you feel about them

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'd prefer them to stay out of my yard for various reasons. We trap, or hunt when necessary. Had a skunk come in and crawl through a small crack in my fencing and ate two chicks before my husband got it. I have dogs, so am wary of anything that can carry rabies, and leptospirosis. Our biggest problem is the deer. They bring in deer ticks and tick diseases. Also fox and coyote are not wanted as my chickens free range. As long as critters stay out of the yard we leave them be.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I voted no but it’s not because I “don’t like them.” I get rid of predators when possible. I don’t consider them “pests.” If they can eat chickens they are predators. If they come near my house or my coop I don’t make them feel welcome. If they stay an acceptable distance (as defined by me) from me and mine I have no problem with them.

 

[OnlySympathy]

Basically the only thing I kill is chipmunks, voles, and mice. The chipmunks populations is way out of control in my backyard and they destroy my garden and the other two are killed for obvious reasons. I do everything to encourage snakes to be on my property but I don’t see them around much. The raccoons and other potential threats to my chickens are kept away by my dogs

 

[eddie_van_quailen]

Only thing we kill are gophers in the garden, and we feed those to the resident great-horned owl.

 

[kattabelly]

I occasionally take potshots with a catapult when we're getting overrun but mostly just hurl abuse at the resident rats. Stoats are a non-native invasive species here so there are traps everywhere but that's not something I'm involved with personally.

We don't really have many other predator type "pests". Cats are annoying because they scare the chickens and use the place as a litter tray but they aren't exactly wildlife.

 

[Ext 918]

I live in quasi-suburbia (aka hell). We still have racoons, skunks, possums, owls, Hawks, ..etc. I personally let them be. Even when living rather remotely, the only thing I exterminated were ground squirrels. I had a foal break a leg in a hole out in pasture and I took that personally.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Most wildlife isn’t welcome on our property. Raccoons will beat up the cats, so my dad gets rid of those if he can. The marmots eat the garden up, as do the deer, so they’re discouraged. Gophers are trapped whenever we find a new mound. Skunks and rabbits are fine, they don’t do much harm around here. I like snakes, but baby snakes have to be relocated before the cats find them. The cats keep the mice and mole population down to a minimum, so they’re not an issue.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I don't kill any predator animal(Coyote, Fox, Bobcat, Raccoon, Skunk, Possum) unless it directly threatens my flocks. But I do plan on hunting at some point to extend our food options besides Poultry, & possibly Goats.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Wild animals are fine until they start costing me Benjamins. I scare deer, bears, coyotes, and groundhogs away. I do kill chipmunks. I hate it, but we have an actual infestation on our property that's caused damage. Oh, and mice. Mice are gross and a huge nuisance.

Everyone else is welcome. Chicken run is predator proof, except for the bear.