Feeling like a total idiot

[PrimroseMom1]

I feel like a total idiot. After posting last night about successfulI outdoor brooding Iwoke up this morning to a massacre in my guinea keet brooder. Apparently 1\2 inch HWC is not small enough to keep out weasel hands. It's so small! There were two dead in the brooder with heads and limbs missing. Another was missing one leg and wing and was stuck in the HWC alive. I obviously put it out of its misery. It has been a whirlwind of emotion. The weasels must have stood on a plastic tote I have underneath storing wood chips. Then did their dirty work. I feel so guilty. BEWARE OF WEASELS. I got too comfy and they rocked my worlkd. I added plastic tiles to the bottom of the broode r and removed the tote. Hopefully that can keep them out. They killed my only pied keet and 2\3 lavender. Hard hard lesson.

first, I was babysitting some chicks in a brooder for my neighbor. 1/2 HWC. I went to check on them and one was mauled like you described. That brooder was locked tight. I never could figure it out. We do have weasel’s.
second, I thought my babies were totally safe. I went out in my yard one morning. One was missing, the rest were killed. I guess whatever it was ate one and decided to massacre the rest. I know how horrible that feels.

 

[Pots]

They should sell box traps get a small ish one. Do you know how big it is? If not start lf with a small one then get a bigger one if that doesn't work after a while. They are tricky to catch. I will post a pic of the trap I used. I would set up a game camera as well. Also you can get prededer light its a red light. Prededers don't like it. Could it be a rat? Rats eat there feet and they will eat chicks/ keets heads of like weasels. Rats will come around not because your nasty but because of the chicken feed. I have had one before. If it is a weasel get this size trap. If its a rat get poison.View attachment 2284159

Try an electronic rodent zapper. It emits a high voltage shock that kills most rodents. Either use electric hook up or batteries. Don't leave in rain.

 

[rmcbride]

I was just checking out the Henry Survival .22! Breaks down and all fits in the stock, Pretty cool. There seems to be a decent range of options in my 300 dollarish price range. Thanks for the recommendation!

Cheaper way is to fill your garbage can with water, insert trap with raccoon, wait twenty minutes and dispose raccoon in your trash pickup.

 

[LoneOak]

I am not offended and appreciate your input. I agree this wasn't ideal but I had to do something last night to protect my birds. Period. I got off work at 6 pm and borrowed the only trap I could get my hands on...it worked.

I too live in deep woods, nestled in 13000 acres of protected forest land that has a state park in it. There are only four residents in a five mile radius of me. I brought this raccoon deeper into the woods, farther away from people. My birds are safer, no animals lost there life, and it is farther from humans than it was before. I fail to see how this was "seriously unethical"...as far as the law...

If I lived in the burbs and dropped it off at a playground I would fully concur with your conclusion, but in this instance I believe I did what was best first for my animals. I will most likely continue to set the trap for a few nights in case it comes back.

That being said...I NEED A .22 BAD.

You should be able to find a Ruger 10-22 starting at 189$. It is one of the perfect weapons to have around a small farm to get rid of nuisance creatures. I have never been able to get rid of a coon I have caught in one of my traps, they get really aggressive and want to chew you up while your trying to open the trap door and they often have rabies. Shooting them is the only good option I have found. Possums are totally different, all you have to do with them is be real mean for a couple days and set the trap out in the sun. They will calm down real quick and let you open the trap door to release them way down on the other end of the creek!

If your in west Ga I can help you with your firearm.

 

[LoneOak]

Cheaper way is to fill your garbage can with water, insert trap with raccoon, wait twenty minutes and dispose raccoon in your trash pickup.

I've done that with Rats before but not coons, it does work!

 

[KaltasinKoopSookeBC]

I am not offended and appreciate your input. I agree this wasn't ideal but I had to do something last night to protect my birds. Period. I got off work at 6 pm and borrowed the only trap I could get my hands on...it worked.

I too live in deep woods, nestled in 13000 acres of protected forest land that has a state park in it. There are only four residents in a five mile radius of me. I brought this raccoon deeper into the woods, farther away from people. My birds are safer, no animals lost there life, and it is farther from humans than it was before. I fail to see how this was "seriously unethical"...as far as the law...

If I lived in the burbs and dropped it off at a playground I would fully concur with your conclusion, but in this instance I believe I did what was best first for my animals. I will most likely continue to set the trap for a few nights in case it comes back.

That being said...I NEED A .22 BAD.

I totally agree that live trapped raccoons (and released into wooded forested non-residential or farming property) is fine! We’ve been dealing with an infestation of raccoons because some idiot neighbours think it’s fine to feed them because they are so ‘cute’. So we have live trapped and released to our nearest forestry along with the kits.

Also —raccoon scat is lethal to humans and they are not afraid of tearing a dog or cat apart. Also do you have the means to build a shed for your birds? I repurposed the back of my shop exterior storage area and enclosed the run with 1/4 inch wire mesh buried 8 inches down with broken sharp pieces of metal and rocks then wrapped chain link fence over the whole circumference. Then the top has 1/2 inch chicken wire nailed and stapled within a inch of its life! Also a motion detector surveillance camera with a light for evening that is on a solar battery charger. I can get the motion detection images on my iPhone!

By the way, after I smashed a branch at the raccoon in my neighbours’ open fenced chicken yard I learned my lesson! I grew up with weasels and dang if they aren’t the worse!! Good luck and keep us posted on the outcome! Also? Maybe get a big ass tomcat to live with your chickens! My cats chase raccoons against my better judgement after I just put the pullets outside a few months back. My cats babied my chicks from 1 day old so everyone knows their pals.

 

[KaltasinKoopSookeBC]

Well, this brooder will only be in use for another month. By then my new Fort Clux coop will be done with built in brooder, electric fence, and automatic doors!! Hopefully the 10 mile trip was enough to deter this one. If not I am currently .22 rifle shopping. Think I got it narrowed down to 3, and almost have the wife convinced!

Me again! So I would be pretty careful with a rifle unless you have training however an airgun or wasp spray could work wonders! This is the wasp spray that shoots out almost 16-20 ft. I have a couple of cans for safety against predators including human ones. The pellet air guns may be a better option because of the safety factor. If all else fails just remember that gun injuries can be lethal.

 

[dbtcowgirl]

#1 I'm sorry for your loss
#2 You should not feel like an idiot, dealing with predators is never easy and no one in the livestock world is immune.
#3 I wish you success in ridding your coop of invaders
#4 Seriously you are not an idiot your are someone who took a risk and lost despite your best efforts, for that I am sorry

 

[Sydney65]

I feel like a total idiot. After posting last night about successfulI outdoor brooding Iwoke up this morning to a massacre in my guinea keet brooder. Apparently 1\2 inch HWC is not small enough to keep out weasel hands. It's so small! There were two dead in the brooder with heads and limbs missing. Another was missing one leg and wing and was stuck in the HWC alive. I obviously put it out of its misery. It has been a whirlwind of emotion. The weasels must have stood on a plastic tote I have underneath storing wood chips. Then did their dirty work. I feel so guilty. BEWARE OF WEASELS. I got too comfy and they rocked my worlkd. I added plastic tiles to the bottom of the broode r and removed the tote. Hopefully that can keep them out. They killed my only pied keet and 2\3 lavender. Hard hard lesson.

I'm so sorry..I hurt for you. I was just looking at hardcloth..to put on top of hardcloth..that's under plywood... I stress..and I don't have weasels. But we know something's been out there bc it knocked over the container I keep zeolite in at the back door.
Are weasels abt the size of a squirrel? If so, the small trap wld work. I got the bigger one bc our early spring invaders were raccoons and opossums.

 

[M Brennen]

first, I was babysitting some chicks in a brooder for my neighbor. 1/2 HWC. I went to check on them and one was mauled like you described. That brooder was locked tight. I never could figure it out. We do have weasel’s.
second, I thought my babies were totally safe. I went out in my yard one morning. One was missing, the rest were killed. I guess whatever it was ate one and decided to massacre the rest. I know how horrible that feels.

So sad