Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Gypsi]

Trapping a hawk is illegal. Trapping a weasel is nigh on impossible, been trying for a couple of months. My answer to the situation: fix the chicken pen. In the case of the hawk a net stretched over your "free range area" or use of a tractor, will probably save you some birds. If the hawk becomes entangled in a protective net, it is different than if you trapped it.

My pen fix finally worked. I left my largest, oldest and wiliest house cat in the run before I fixed the pen. No such luck, no weasel body.
I fixed pen, didn't make birds sleep in coop, lost another bird. So I used my oldest hen for bait after I chased down more small openings. After a month, a very hot month that featured getting up before dawn to open the pop door, I let the birds sleep in the run again. I've got the pen secure now. But I still haven't caught the darned weasel. And I have a beautiful new shady coop and run that Needs about $200 more in fine chicken wire and hardware cloth before I can put a hen in it safely. My oldest hen will be the guinea pig when it is done. She doesn't lay, but she is "personable."

 

[fowlman01]

Trapping a hawk is illegal. Trapping a weasel is nigh on impossible, been trying for a couple of months. My answer to the situation: fix the chicken pen. In the case of the hawk a net stretched over your "free range area" or use of a tractor, will probably save you some birds. If the hawk becomes entangled in a protective net, it is different than if you trapped it.

My pen fix finally worked. I left my largest, oldest and wiliest house cat in the run before I fixed the pen. No such luck, no weasel body.
I fixed pen, didn't make birds sleep in coop, lost another bird. So I used my oldest hen for bait after I chased down more small openings. After a month, a very hot month that featured getting up before dawn to open the pop door, I let the birds sleep in the run again. I've got the pen secure now. But I still haven't caught the darned weasel. And I have a beautiful new shady coop and run that Needs about $200 more in fine chicken wire and hardware cloth before I can put a hen in it safely. My oldest hen will be the guinea pig when it is done. She doesn't lay, but she is "personable."

In my experience weasels like to kill what they eat, so I have used cull birds to catch them. They are also very curious so sometimes you can get lucky and take them out with a gun. I use a box with air holes and one side open behind the havahart trap and put a bird in it..open side against the back of the trap so the critter can see what is in the box. The only way they can get to that bird is to go into the trap and since it is the easiest kill for them they usually go for it.

Walt.

 

[stonykill]

Trapping a hawk is illegal. Trapping a weasel is nigh on impossible, been trying for a couple of months. My answer to the situation: fix the chicken pen. In the case of the hawk a net stretched over your "free range area" or use of a tractor, will probably save you some birds. If the hawk becomes entangled in a protective net, it is different than if you trapped it.

My pen fix finally worked. I left my largest, oldest and wiliest house cat in the run before I fixed the pen. No such luck, no weasel body.
I fixed pen, didn't make birds sleep in coop, lost another bird. So I used my oldest hen for bait after I chased down more small openings. After a month, a very hot month that featured getting up before dawn to open the pop door, I let the birds sleep in the run again. I've got the pen secure now. But I still haven't caught the darned weasel. And I have a beautiful new shady coop and run that Needs about $200 more in fine chicken wire and hardware cloth before I can put a hen in it safely. My oldest hen will be the guinea pig when it is done. She doesn't lay, but she is "personable."

killing a hawk varies state to state and if you can prove it is killing your livestock. Hawks are not on an endagered list in everystate, so it varies. But I'm sure the best advice is if you have to kill it don't say a word to anyone ever.
As for weasels. A good cat. My outdoor Maine Coon mix has 2 confirmed weasel kills this year.

 

[fowlman01]

killing a hawk varies state to state and if you can prove it is killing your livestock. Hawks are not on an endagered list in everystate, so it varies. But I'm sure the best advice is if you have to kill it don't say a word to anyone ever.
As for weasels. A good cat. My outdoor Maine Coon mix has 2 confirmed weasel kills this year.

I believe rapter protection is a federal thing, not a state thing.....but I wouldn't bet the farm on it. The second sentence is very good advice. Good cat!!

Walt

 

[stonykill]

I believe rapter protection is a federal thing, not a state thing.....but I wouldn't bet the farm on it. The second sentence is very good advice. Good cat!!

Walt

I read the NYS law which is the one that pertains to me. It stated ...to paraphrase "if all other methods fail contact officials to get proper state and federal permits". Yeah, like that is going to happen

William is an amazing hunter for a 9 year old cat. His favorite food is grasshoppers. The chickens give him steep competition

 

[MagicChicken]

Maybe one of Walt's big Shamos might be the way to go for those who don't want to train a pup!

I had actually considered that for a minute or two. Don't think I have enough space to make those shamos happy, tho.

Actually, both the squirrel and hawk problem can be helped with the use of a good dog being a constant presence in the chicken's space. Dogs are a great tool for livestock protection and can also double as pets or companions when you are out in the yard and choring about.

Good point. Problem is I've never HAD a dog and I'm not sure I want to learn to train one now. I sure wouldn't want to learn on a jack russell!

Quote:

Quote:
Walt is correct. Raptor protection is federal. There may be additional state laws, but killing hawks without a permit is verboten and will bring the wrath of the feds if they find out. Just possessing a couple of raptor feathers can land you in trouble if you don't have a permit. And permits are not easy to get.

As for shooting the ground squirrels, I don't really have the heart for that. Don't mind trapping them and relocating them or feeding them to the chickens, but I don't want to shoot them. That's my weakness. I will take Walt's earlier comment to heart, though, and will put the new chicken pens elsewhere on the property. There are ground squirrel colonies on all my neighbors' lots as well, so there's no way I can totally eliminate the critters. But I can avoid putting the chickens on top of an established colony. I'll just have to come up with some other way to give the chickens more shade.

Sarah

 

[stonykill]

I had actually considered that for a minute or two. Don't think I have enough space to make those shamos happy, tho.


Good point. Problem is I've never HAD a dog and I'm not sure I want to learn to train one now. I sure wouldn't want to learn on a jack russell!

Quote:

Walt is correct. Raptor protection is federal. There may be additional state laws, but killing hawks without a permit is verboten and will bring the wrath of the feds if they find out. Just possessing a couple of raptor feathers can land you in trouble if you don't have a permit. And permits are not easy to get.

As for shooting the ground squirrels, I don't really have the heart for that. Don't mind trapping them and relocating them or feeding them to the chickens, but I don't want to shoot them. That's my weakness. I will take Walt's earlier comment to heart, though, and will put the new chicken pens elsewhere on the property. There are ground squirrel colonies on all my neighbors' lots as well, so there's no way I can totally eliminate the critters. But I can avoid putting the chickens on top of an established colony. I'll just have to come up with some other way to give the chickens more shade.

Sarah

how can you feed squirrels to the chickens if you can't kill them? Like I said above on hawks. Federal and state permits required. It is a total B'S' law imho, but it is the law.

 

[Beekissed]

I had actually considered that for a minute or two. Don't think I have enough space to make those shamos happy, tho.


Good point. Problem is I've never HAD a dog and I'm not sure I want to learn to train one now. I sure wouldn't want to learn on a jack russell!

Quote:

Walt is correct. Raptor protection is federal. There may be additional state laws, but killing hawks without a permit is verboten and will bring the wrath of the feds if they find out. Just possessing a couple of raptor feathers can land you in trouble if you don't have a permit. And permits are not easy to get.

As for shooting the ground squirrels, I don't really have the heart for that. Don't mind trapping them and relocating them or feeding them to the chickens, but I don't want to shoot them. That's my weakness. I will take Walt's earlier comment to heart, though, and will put the new chicken pens elsewhere on the property. There are ground squirrel colonies on all my neighbors' lots as well, so there's no way I can totally eliminate the critters. But I can avoid putting the chickens on top of an established colony. I'll just have to come up with some other way to give the chickens more shade.

Sarah

Why don't you just control your feeding of your chickens? Just feed them what they can clean up in one setting and this leaves little for feeding the mice/rats/squirrels. Everyone loses a little to vermin but you don't have to leave out a buffet.

Having a good cat is an excellent option as well but it sounds as if you live in a close neighborhood and this is probably not the best place for an outside cat...causes problems all around.

 

[schrunk11]

I used to have Rhode Island Reds out free ranging, a hawk came down, grabbed a hen, but luckily it was to heavy for the hawk to lift off the ground. The hawk flew off and I never saw it again.

 

[fowlman01]

I read the NYS law which is the one that pertains to me. It stated ...to paraphrase "if all other methods fail contact officials to get proper state and federal permits". Yeah, like that is going to happen

William is an amazing hunter for a 9 year old cat. His favorite food is grasshoppers. The chickens give him steep competition

In the mid 50's my dad was always griping about "all these new regulations"...hahaha......he would surely have a stroke in these times. Well grasshoppers must be good eatin cuz he is a smart cat. I have had feral cats here and they have been great keeping the rodents down.

Walt