Bobcats

[Jamesthesilkie]

Even though it's not your land can you cut back some of the brush? Or maybe something distracting like some old CD's or aluminum pie pans that would blow around in the breeze?
Or possibly a motion activated alarm? Something cats would hate.

If you have a harbor freight they have cheap motion driveway alarms. If the cats walk between the sensors it will beep while they are in the sensor area and stop when they leave. You could put them where they cats are sitting. It might make them move elsewhere.

Also, this sounds crazy but I know people in my area that do this. Scent mark the area with human urine. Or if you have a neighbor with a large dog put some dog poop in the area they are hanging out in.

Just brainstorming some ideas.

Our property is bordered by woods. It had been logged out but then brush and small trees grew in. We have bobcats, foxes coyotes and bears. Last year I went is just trimmed it out. The owner doesn't care and it gives predators less places to hide. I have had 2 bobcat attempts on my girls. Once she went after my hen Psycho. Psycho did her freak out thing and ran away. The cat just stood there in shock. Last year it jumped over the stone wall and then 20 chickens freaked out and the cat ran back over the wall.

That's such a good idea!!! Someone gave me an electric hedge trimmer and I reckon that would work. And yes I can. No one lives there and I'm sure I'd be doing them a favor cutting it back a bit as I'm sure they will do it again eventually.

I do have a harbor freight near me and I'll look for that. I do pee around my run quite often but I've heard it disapates quite quickly so not sure if that works.

They are right by my dog run which has worked really well at deterring predators. I believe the bobcat is just trying to feed her babies so she's probably desperate.

I would have been scared, then cracked up laughing if I saw that . I went into farm animals with no clue how to do things in 2019. The predators were at 0 until I guess the rabbit population went down and they've grown desperate.

Thanks for all your help!!!

 

[Jamesthesilkie]

On the note of helping - is your coop a separate building from the run? You could close the little door (assuming you have a little door) up and it would be safe during the night.

Yes it is! They are in an 8 by 8 wooden coop and I lock it up right before it gets dark at night. Just momma Bob cat decides to come out during the day now!

 

[Mtnboomer]

Even though it's not your land can you cut back some of the brush? Or maybe something distracting like some old CD's or aluminum pie pans that would blow around in the breeze?
Or possibly a motion activated alarm? Something cats would hate.

If you have a harbor freight they have cheap motion driveway alarms. If the cats walk between the sensors it will beep while they are in the sensor area and stop when they leave. You could put them where they cats are sitting. It might make them move elsewhere.

Also, this sounds crazy but I know people in my area that do this. Scent mark the area with human urine. Or if you have a neighbor with a large dog put some dog poop in the area they are hanging out in.

Just brainstorming some ideas.

Our property is bordered by woods. It had been logged out but then brush and small trees grew in. We have bobcats, foxes coyotes and bears. Last year I went is just trimmed it out. The owner doesn't care and it gives predators less places to hide. I have had 2 bobcat attempts on my girls. Once she went after my hen Psycho. Psycho did her freak out thing and ran away. The cat just stood there in shock. Last year it jumped over the stone wall and then 20 chickens freaked out and the cat ran back over the wall.

As i mentioned before on this thread, i free range, despite all the same predators you mentioned, and yes i lose about 1 bird out of 40-50 a year (we butcher our birds and have a short turn around for the flock so no more than 12-15 are usually alive and free ranging at any given time). Anyways, the reason why my loses have been so few I attribute to two things.
1. My dog. His scent marking and presence during the day deters all predators forcing them to come back at night.
2. A secure coop that has never been breached.
All the birds from my free range flock taken by a predator occurred in broad daylight either before I got my dog or on days I took him with me to run errands.

If your coop offers great protection at night, focus on making your run difficult enough to cause a predator to lose interest and create the sensation of a threat to the bobcat. If it feels like its risking itself to attack in daylight, it too will wait until the cover of darkness to return and by then the chickens are safe in their coops.

 

[Jamesthesilkie]

As i mentioned before on this thread, i free range, despite all the same predators you mentioned, and yes i lose about 1 bird out of 40-50 a year (we butcher our birds and have a short turn around for the flock so no more than 12-15 are usually alive and free ranging at any given time). Anyways, the reason why my loses have been so few I attribute to two things.
1. My dog. His scent marking and presence during the day deters all predators forcing them to come back at night.
2. A secure coop that has never been breached.
All the birds from my free range flock taken by a predator occurred in broad daylight either before I got my dog or on days I took him with me to run errands.

If your coop offers great protection at night, focus on making your run difficult enough to cause a predator to lose interest and create the sensation of a threat to the bobcat. If it feels like its risking itself to attack in daylight, it too will wait until the cover of darkness to return and by then the chickens are safe in their coops.

I did free range too. I lost like 1 chicken a month!! But my dogs don't like being outside often and my rooster took them far away.

I'm pretty sure I did scare that bobcat!! I chased it out of the run and screamed at it. Next time I saw it I got pots and started banging them by the brush I saw him at

 

[Mtnboomer]

T

I did free range too. I lost like 1 chicken a month!! But my dogs don't like being outside often and my rooster took them far away.

I'm pretty sure I did scare that bobcat!! I chased it out of the run and screamed at it. Next time I saw it I got pots and started banging them by the brush I saw him at

He more threatened it feels the less it will come around. The meal won't be worth the risk. But if think its a mother cat this is a very difficult time for her to find enough food and she is likely to be more persistent.
Killing this cat would not be an option for me suspecting that it may have cubs. Kill the mom you kill the young. Be vigilant and keep up with the deterrents and "scare tactics. " once the young are weaned her interest in your chickens may decrease with fewer mouths to feed.

 

[ChicNmom]

Aside from looking for food I think the mom is looking for an easy target to use to teach her cubs how to hunt.

If you make it seem dangerous and troublesome she should move on to something else.

I'd make sure to put some pee and some dog poop out where you see the cat and cubs.

 

[ColtHandorf]

When I moved here the land across from me was completely bare. Now it is all wooded and brush so it's a perfect hiding spot for them.

As I stated earlier, clearing brush and undergrowth to make the area uninviting and open greatly reduces the amount of cover wildlife rely on, both to hide from predators and to make their kills.

I agree that pictures of the coop and run would be ideal in being able to make suggestions on how to make it better. An enclosed run could be built with the intent to dismantle it and move it to a new place. Panels (frames with hardware cloth) could be mounted to posts. The posts could be removed without too much of a headache. I understand budgetary restraints. If you're looking to do something like that, check on Facebook Marketplace and even Craigslist. I often see people offering old coops/pens to someone who will take them apart and haul them off. People also get rid of old lumber, fencing, and metal siding for next to nothing.

If you're concerned for your chickens' safety then don't free-range them. Keeping them in a secure coop/run is the only way to be sure they are safe.

 

[Wallygators]

Want to share pics. of my predator proof coop & run. I use good grade welded wire & chicken wire over that. I have raccoons, possums, fox, coyote, hawks, owls, squirrels, nothing gets in except golfers & mice, (I trap them)

 

[ColtHandorf]

nothing gets in except golfers & mice

I just had a flashback to Caddyshack...lol

 

[Mtnboomer]

I just had a flashback to Caddyshack...lol

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