Bobcats, Eagles and raccoons oh my!

[oldwynooche]

A bobcat got most of our chickens last year, the one that's left is living with a flock down the street. We're considering Jersey Giants next, and adding a rooster this time. The pen is our garden, 50'X50'. The fence is rabbit fence topped by barbed wire, about 4.5' high. The plan was to run the chickens in half and garden the other half and then switch. Now we're thinking about letting the chhickens run in the whole garden and just fence off the veggies. Any other suggestions?

 

[blucoondawg]

Only that a 4.5 foot fence is not sufficient to keep predators out especially bobcat. The barbed wire strand around the top will do very little if anything to deter a climber. You would be far safer with a strand or 2 of electric fence. Even jersey giant roosters are no match for a bobcat

 

[ComerSmitley]

I've not seen a bobcat, outside of a zoo, anyhow! Although I have read that even 6ft fence is no problem for a bobcat, because they can jump 12ft, and the main deterrent I've read about is an electric hotwire running through the fencing area as well. Of course there's also options like netting or overhead wires, and I've also read someone suggesting a small red security laser-like light may appear to some predators as if another predator is watching them as well, and maybe a deterrent.

 

[blucoondawg]

These lights aren't the answer for bobcat. Cats are very sight oriented hunters and a light such as that can actually attract them. I read on a trappers forum of a guy who used such a light on his trap sets to actually attract the cats and was very successful doing so

 

[JerryGoodyear]

I have free range ducks. I have a small brook behind my house the ducks like to play in. In the past 5 days I lost 2 ducks. I went up and down the water side all I found was feathers. There was 2 different piles of feathers no blood on bones. What do you think this is? Could it be a eagle. There was 2 sighted in the area or could it be a mink or muskrat taking them down or up brook for there meal?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

.... Cats are very sight oriented hunters and a light such as that can actually attract them. I read on a trappers forum of a guy who used such a light on his trap sets to actually attract the cats and was very successful doing so

Another bobcat trapper's trick is to suspend a turkey feather about 7 feet over a foot hold trap. A bobcat may spend hours stalking and finally springing at this feather only to catch himself when he lands. Remember that curiosity killed the cat.

Bob cats are all around us and are hard to see. An old man who was a game warden for years told me that he had less that 5 minutes of wild bobcat viewing time and this man spent almost ever work day and half of most nights in the field.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have free range ducks. ...In the past 5 days I lost 2 ducks. I went up and down the water.... all I found was feathers. There was 2 different piles of feathers no blood on bones. What do you think this is? Could it be a eagle. ... or could it be a mink or muskrat...?

My money is on four legged varmints like foxes, coyotes, or bobcats. This time of year I would guess a fox. seeing there is a stream nearby maybe a gray fox. Anyway fox kit rearing should be in high gear now.

 

[blucoondawg]

I have free range ducks. I have a small brook behind my house the ducks like to play in. In the past 5 days I lost 2 ducks. I went up and down the water side all I found was feathers. There was 2 different piles of feathers no blood on bones. What do you think this is? Could it be a eagle. There was 2 sighted in the area or could it be a mink or muskrat taking them down or up brook for there meal?

Muskrat are not predators they're herbivores