Chicken Attacked by Mountain Lion

[Folly's place]

How about adding electric fencing to your 'free range' area, and discourage that nice kitty that way? I don't like that this cat is willing to be that close to YOU! This sounds dangerous to me, never mind the chickens. Keep the flock on lockdown, as you would if a raptor visits, and see about electric fencing.
Mary

 

[KansasChickensDucks]

How about adding electric fencing to your 'free range' area, and discourage that nice kitty that way? I don't like that this cat is willing to be that close to YOU! This sounds dangerous to me, never mind the chickens. Keep the flock on lockdown, as you would if a raptor visits, and see about electric fencing.
Mary

We are toying with idea. We would have to run fence along the edge of the forest. It’s not that long of an area where the hens like to forage. I would still stand guard out there too. Lol! I guess when you move to the country, you have to expect this, but I wasn’t expecting a big cat!

 

[Folly's place]

Big cats are dangerous, and so are bears, and we all have to worry about big dogs! This cat might decide to go for bigger game, and I would want him further away from me, for sure.
@Howard E and @cmom have good advice here, and check with Premier1supplies.com too.
Electric fencing is your friend!
Mary

 

[KansasChickensDucks]

Big cats are dangerous, and so are bears, and we all have to worry about big dogs! This can might decide to go for bigger game, and I would want him further away from me, for sure.
@Howard E and @cmom have good advice here, and check with Premier1supplies.com too.
Electric fencing is your friend!
Mary

Thank you Mary!! I appreciate it. I will definitely look it up and make a plan. Im
Hoping this cat is just passing through

 

[Hucklekree]

Sorry about your hen. I am impressed she wasn't dinner! Also impressed at your quick reflexes. I hope she pulls through.

Wildlife departments are notorious for denial of large predators in areas where historically there haven't been many or they had been eradicated for all intents and purposes. Wolves (which were formally reintroduced to the west and grizzly (which were not) are the species that fits that bill in this state. As far as cougar goes I too, all the way up in the NW, have heard tell of them being reintroduced in your area and the east. All on the downlow of course. Whether that is all hearsay to explain their sudden reappearance or truth, the Depts. of Wildlife will not be letting anything slip until they are ready.

 

[KansasChickensDucks]

Sorry about your hen. I am impressed she wasn't dinner! Also impressed at your quick reflexes. I hope she pulls through.

Wildlife departments are notorious for denial of large predators in areas where historically there haven't been many or they had been eradicated for all intents and purposes. Wolves (which were formally reintroduced to the west and grizzly (which were not) are the species that fits that bill in this state. As far as cougar goes I too, all the way up in the NW, have heard tell of them being reintroduced in your area and the east. All on the downlow of course. Whether that is all hearsay to explain their sudden reappearance or truth, the Depts. of Wildlife will not be letting anything slip until they are ready.

Thanks for this! I did talk to another neighbor that lives along the same forest ridge as us and she confirmed that there has been mountain lions. She hasn’t seen one in a while. she also said that she noticed not as many deers this year.
The Dept of Wildlife doesn’t seem to care. If I had a photo, they would only document it, not do any thing.
Bertha is doing a lot better. Still has this stunned look but enjoying their fenced pen and eating/drinking. Thank you!

 

[gtaus]

Where do you reside? My husband said he read a blog that they reintroduced mtn lions here to control the population of deer but they don’t mention this. Could be hearsay.
I called but they said they won’t trap it and I don’t have any proof....just a crazy lady! Ha ha

I know what I saw but I get it. They said they get calls and it turns out to be bobcats.
I’ll be keeping them in their pen during the day. They have a very large space anyway.
Thanks for you advice! Appreciate it

I live in northern Minnesota. A couple years ago, I had mountain lion(s) walk through my property late at night. I never saw it/them but my brother and I could hear 2 different sounds. One was a real low bass type growl, which we assumed was maybe a male lion. The other was a high pitched scream which we thought was a female lion. We found a YouTube video where a female lion in heat was screaming and it sounded exactly like what we heard that night.

Anyway, our dog, who usually is outside barking at anything that comes near, was found cowering down in the basement steps and would not go outside. First, and only time, that we ever saw that from him. I talked to my neighbor the next day and he said his dog was barking his head off inside the house but had no desire to go out.

Even though no damage was done, I still reported it to our local DNR the next day. In fact, I think I also called 911 just in case there was an incident because lions walking through a rural residential area at night could turn out to be a bad thing. I'm sure I was more excited then either 911 or the DNR, but they thanked me just the same for the report. I am not opposed to the reintroduction of mountain lions, but the lions need to stay out of residential areas for both their sake and the people who live there.

Your close encounter was too much for my comfort. Glad no family members were attacked. Hope the lions move on and don't come back.

 

[aart]

This is a pretty good book about documentation of a mountain lions trek across the country:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25663594-heart-of-a-lion

 

[KansasChickensDucks]

I live in northern Minnesota. A couple years ago, I had mountain lion(s) walk through my property late at night. I never saw it/them but my brother and I could hear 2 different sounds. One was a real low bass type growl, which we assumed was maybe a male lion. The other was a high pitched scream which we thought was a female lion. We found a YouTube video where a female lion in heat was screaming and it sounded exactly like what we heard that night.

Anyway, our dog, who usually is outside barking at anything that comes near, was found cowering down in the basement steps and would not go outside. First, and only time, that we ever saw that from him. I talked to my neighbor the next day and he said his dog was barking his head off inside the house but had no desire to go out.

Even though no damage was done, I still reported it to our local DNR the next day. In fact, I think I also called 911 just in case there was an incident because lions walking through a rural residential area at night could turn out to be a bad thing. I'm sure I was more excited then either 911 or the DNR, but they thanked me just the same for the report. I am not opposed to the reintroduction of mountain lions, but the lions need to stay out of residential areas for both their sake and the people who live there.

Your close encounter was too much for my comfort. Glad no family members were attacked. Hope the lions move on and don't come back.

Wow!! Your poor dog. We let our ducks out this AM well after dawn because it’s important for them to get the calcium from the wild. They did not want to go near the edge of the forest..they were on alert, maybe from the other night. Of course we walked with them the whole time and were packing just in case.
It was scary. I couldn’t believe that thing jumped out. I think everyone thinks im crazy but it was not a bobcat.
Not wanting it to come back but would love to get a photo. Lol!!
Thanks for sharing your story!!