This fall here in Oklahoma has been late on frost...so the garden has been productive and the predators and freeloaders have been frequently visiting looking for easy meals.
This can really hit the bottom line on feed and chickens and you have to be prepared for anything.
So far, we have had a mother coyote bringing her April born pups to check out the creep feeder for the calves and a few visits to the barn yard at night without success. Several have been shot by our coyote hunter.
But last week, we had an all out assault on the Cochin pen. I lost three yearling cockerels and five hens. Roger thinks one went over the chain link fence and somehow pulled open the 2x4 wire fence gate across the front of the coop and another may have loosened the gate to the pen enough for birds to escape thru the opening into the jaws of some happy youngsters. One pullet must have put her head thru the fencing and was pulled thru and half eaten. Another pullet was left behind with a broken neck. We found feathers in three different pastures.
We are setting out snap traps at night and have made improvements on the pen. Right now the remaining 10 Cochin are separated into three different pens with other birds.
In addition, We thought an owl was flying into the 8 x 12 breed pens and taking a young juvenile while sleeping in the coop leaving a 1/2 eaten carcass. Had this happen in two breed pens that aren't covered and were open for birds to seek shelter at night by choice. These were locked up at night too. When it happened in the CW Wyandotte 14 x 16 completely covered hoop pen yesterday morning, I figured it was either a raccoon or possum. So I set up a live trap and caught this one....Now on her way to predator heaven. Will set the live trap again for several nights just in case.
In addition, we have been overrun with rats in the barn and rats and voles around the pens growing fat on pellet feed. It is amazing how much food those critters can carry off. So the 22 rat shot has been my go to arsenal for that even though it is hard to find. Got another one last night so 50 down out of 52 shells. TomCat rat poison in chicken proof containers is bringing down the multitude of mice and remaining rats in the barn and under the coops. My barn cat is 10 years old and gets locked up at night because of the coyotes.
The sparrows and starlings that raid the feeders during the day are now my only other problem...so far not successful with the bird traps. So I limit my feedings to the chickens to only what they can consume in a morning and evening feeding and they free range during the day.
This can really hit the bottom line on feed and chickens and you have to be prepared for anything.
So far, we have had a mother coyote bringing her April born pups to check out the creep feeder for the calves and a few visits to the barn yard at night without success. Several have been shot by our coyote hunter.
But last week, we had an all out assault on the Cochin pen. I lost three yearling cockerels and five hens. Roger thinks one went over the chain link fence and somehow pulled open the 2x4 wire fence gate across the front of the coop and another may have loosened the gate to the pen enough for birds to escape thru the opening into the jaws of some happy youngsters. One pullet must have put her head thru the fencing and was pulled thru and half eaten. Another pullet was left behind with a broken neck. We found feathers in three different pastures.
We are setting out snap traps at night and have made improvements on the pen. Right now the remaining 10 Cochin are separated into three different pens with other birds.
In addition, We thought an owl was flying into the 8 x 12 breed pens and taking a young juvenile while sleeping in the coop leaving a 1/2 eaten carcass. Had this happen in two breed pens that aren't covered and were open for birds to seek shelter at night by choice. These were locked up at night too. When it happened in the CW Wyandotte 14 x 16 completely covered hoop pen yesterday morning, I figured it was either a raccoon or possum. So I set up a live trap and caught this one....Now on her way to predator heaven. Will set the live trap again for several nights just in case.
In addition, we have been overrun with rats in the barn and rats and voles around the pens growing fat on pellet feed. It is amazing how much food those critters can carry off. So the 22 rat shot has been my go to arsenal for that even though it is hard to find. Got another one last night so 50 down out of 52 shells. TomCat rat poison in chicken proof containers is bringing down the multitude of mice and remaining rats in the barn and under the coops. My barn cat is 10 years old and gets locked up at night because of the coyotes.
The sparrows and starlings that raid the feeders during the day are now my only other problem...so far not successful with the bird traps. So I limit my feedings to the chickens to only what they can consume in a morning and evening feeding and they free range during the day.