Chickens saved by guinneas!

[Mountainwalker]

We had a bobcat trying to get into the chicken run this morning, the guineas went ballistic so I ran outside with my rifle and there it was, trying to get in, it already killed a bunch of our birds few days ago when we were away celebrating a birthday only to come back to see our favorite buff orphington named goldy dead, a cornish cross chick badly wounded and another cornish gone, today I took one shot at the cat and missed, scoped rifle is not the best for these situations, but hopefully it won't be back, if it will, I will be prepared.
Lesson of this case? guineas are awesome! get them.
Any suggestions as to which firearm is best to deal with against predators? I'm thinking a pistol 9mm would be more efficient then a scoped rifle.

 

[speckledhen]

Wonderful that their noise alerted you to the danger! Could have been worse. I used to have guineas, but they were brutal to some of the hens and the rooster I had at the time. I loved them, though, and would like to get more some day.

 

[CntryBoy777]

I like a 30-30 with a scope on peep-thru sights. It can be a bit of overkill on some animals, but on bobcats and coyotes it has enough knockdown and range to handle most instances. It is also smaller and lighter than most others and very easy to sling and tote if doing work away from the house. We have 20acres and running back to the house for something when needed isn't an option after 2 heart attacks and a bum leg. I have used a 22 in the past, but now I tote the 30-30. It'll knock a coon right out of a tree....

 

[sourland]

Shotgun works for me.

 

[CapricornFarm]

We had a bobcat trying to get into the chicken run this morning, the guineas went ballistic so I ran outside with my rifle and there it was, trying to get in, it already killed a bunch of our birds few days ago when we were away celebrating a birthday only to come back to see our favorite buff orphington named goldy dead, a cornish cross chick badly wounded and another cornish gone, today I took one shot at the cat and missed, scoped rifle is not the best for these situations, but hopefully it won't be back, if it will, I will be prepared.
Lesson of this case? guineas are awesome! get them.
Any suggestions as to which firearm is best to deal with against predators? I'm thinking a pistol 9mm would be more efficient then a scoped rifle.

I think it all depends on how close you are.

 

[happyfrenchman]

22 rifle with iron sights. Quick sighting.... bullet will not go through too much or too far. Good for varmints of all types. Also good in lower light situations which is more likely when you will get a shot. You have more peripheral vision with the iron sights. You have to sight it in prior to using it. A scope is good in some situations, but a quick shot is better executed with an iron sight. (IMO)

 

[Howard E]

As for a weapon to douse a fast moving varmint in close quarters, standard, tried and true long term weapon of choice is a 12 gauge shotgun, loaded with #4's, #2's, BB's or #4 buckshot, depending on the varmint and the range. If you can't handle a 12 gauge, go to a 20 gauge......if not that a .410. Same loads.

But if you want to avoid that in the first place, put up an electric fence. It stands guard 24/7 and done right will deter almost all of them.

I have both weapons (can snuff anything from a mouse to a bear) and electric fence and I'd place my faith in the fence over a gun at about 1,000 to 1. When you see both at work, reliance on a gun to protect the birds seems almost silly by comparison.

 

[Mountainwalker]

The Lynx came back this morning, we forgot to close the coop at night! but luckily I closed the fence around the coop's run and made it higher so the Lynx couldn't get in right away, the guineas wen't nuts again and flew on our house roof where they observed everything from a safe distance, the chickens became really loud too(we don't have a rooster yet), it was about 6:40am, I saw it trying to get into the coop, it was taken down with one shot from an 17hmr, the cat did not suffer long and was dead within 30 seconds or less, breaks my heart to see such beautiful animals taken down but it had to be done, we already lost 7 birds to predators in less than a month.

Thank you for all your replies and suggestions, I plan to get an LGD(live stock guardian dog) Pyrenees as I don't like the electric fence idea that much.

The guineas saved the day once again.

 

[guineapeeps]

The Lynx came back this morning, we forgot to close the coop at night! but luckily I closed the fence around the coop's run and made it higher so the Lynx couldn't get in right away, the guineas wen't nuts again and flew on our house roof where they observed everything from a safe distance, the chickens became really loud too(we don't have a rooster yet), it was about 6:40am, I saw it trying to get into the coop, it was taken down with one shot from an 17hmr, the cat did not suffer long and was dead within 30 seconds or less, breaks my heart to see such beautiful animals taken down but it had to be done, we already lost 7 birds to predators in less than a month.

Thank you for all your replies and suggestions, I plan to get an LGD(live stock guardian dog) Pyrenees as I don't like the electric fence idea that much.

The guineas saved the day once again.

I have been singing guinea fowl praises for several years! They are awesome watch dogs and alarm systems for predators. I know they are not for everyone, but I love them!

 

[Mountainwalker]

I have been singing guinea fowl praises for several years! They are awesome watch dogs and alarm systems for predators. I know they are not for everyone, but I love them!

I love your profile pic! it is amazing! how did the guinea let you do this? you must be really close to her or is it a digital addon? either way super cute.
Our guineas run away from us