Back yard pests...

[TheRealTimShady]

ok, so my back yard is pretty heavily wooded past my property line, which is to say not that large, almost every night after dark when i put my dog out before going to bed there is some sort of...something running around back there, mainly raccoons. my back yard is fenced in so unless it climbs it can't get in, sometimes we get deer but i'm not to worried about them. has anyone had issues with coons, squirrels, possum, or any other thing trying to "break" into your cage to get your lovely quail?

if you have, what kinda measure have you taken to stop them, i have an air rifle that has about 750 fps with gamo red fire pellets, i take out squirrels whenever i can b/c they like to dig in my garden and mess with my plants. other then just straight shooting, anyone have any idea's, traps, sprays, lights?

 

[mhwc56]

coons and possum ...if you have them you aught to maybe electrify all around the base of your pens/cages b/c those critters will wreck havoc supreme on your birds ! Be sure that your pens /cages are of hardware cloth no bigger than 1/2 inch otherwise you'll be greeted with headless birds in the mornings. if you're birds are in pens have a top on it too preferably a solid top .........best of luck to you !

 

[TheRealTimShady]

i'm thinking they might be fine then, i'm using 1/4'' hardware cloth, will be elevated at least 2 feet(wanted 3) off the ground and the top will be secured on, i do have an old electric fence, but it requires a dog to be wearing the collar to get the shock. i might stay away from this, as my kids and dog play in the backyard as well, so i don't want them walking over and getting slammed. i don't know if i said it at all, but the coop will have a half in/half out, so i'm assuming at night the quail would move indoors(where it will be completely sealed in with plywood) and they would be safe from danger, i'll post a pic of the coop when i finish it tonight(hopefully after my kids go to sleep!)

 

[Ga.chickenman]

they will be safe with 1/4"hardware cloth,only thing you'll probably be cleaning up lot's of poop they will poop biger than a 1/4"so it may not fall thru. And I wouldn't assume they'd put there selfs to bed either,you will have to do that if you want them in the box.

just my opinion..

 

[Fat Daddy]

Quote:
Would like to see a pic of your pen when you get done. I too am blessed with abundant wildlife. I keep a live trap baited and set under my pens most of the time. When a known visitor is around, as many as 4 are set. A small piece of plywood on top keeps rain from making the dog\\cat food bait mushy. If I cant see them to spray 6MM's of "critter-b-gone" on them, I let them sit in the trap till morning and deal with them at my convenience... "Quail harassment" is a violation with just one penalty.... Bill

 

[TwoCrows]

Once you have tried "all of the above" I would recommend solar lighting. I used to have coons and skunks climbing all over the place. And although my aviary and pens were "critter proof" it still scared me. So I went to walmart and bought a whole bunch of really bright solar lights and placed them all around the outside of the entire pens and aviary. I have not had a single coon or skunk climbing or hanging around anywhere near the area. Supposedly the lights can look like eyes and the brightness also upsets their hunting patterns. It is an easy thing to do and I would not have poultry with out these lights.

 

[gamebirdboy]

I've had a possum tear the legs off one of my poor birdies... Two days later I got him though... he he he

 

[TheRealTimShady]

Quote:
sounds like a niice idea, only my backyard doesn't get alot of sun, tree's cover most of it, i would guess the solar lights might still work tho

 

[TwoCrows]

They don't take much to recharge I have found, and they charge very quickly even with quick morning sun. You could try buying one and placing it in a shady area and see how it reacts. If it works you could add more. Some of mine that are in the shade, I will sometimes pop the head off of the light and let it charge in the sun for a few hours.

I do know that these do work to keep the critters at bay. One of my lights burned out behind the greenhouse and I didn't know it till I noticed coon prints all over the roof of the greenhouse. It turned out to be dirty contacts on the batteries, so I cleaned them up and got the light buring again. Never saw coon prints up there again.

 

[TheRealTimShady]

thanks, if it gets to that i will check it out, might have to tho, b/c i do notice coons out there at LEAST 2 nights a week(the nights i'm off lol)