Filthy bobcat attacks flock!

[aprophet]

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That is a great perspective. You can spend half your life trying to kill everything in the wilds that may threaten your chickens!

It really is not very hard to reduce the number of predators around your flock trapping season is the best time to do this then you do not see preds again usually til the next season that and the predator can be more fully utilized at that time of the year.

 

[Thamnophis]

But since you obviously have the habitat for predators any removed will just be replaced. And when their replacements show up they will likely surprise you with their sudden presence and take more birds. I'm not against shooting/trapping, but the wiser course of action is predator proofing if at all possible.

Having said that, I realize it is not always possible to predator proof. A big flock will need a big area to range and covering would likely be too expensive, for example.

I'm currently trapping and would happily shoot whatever is currently killing my birds - but I'm actively predator proofing too.

And I'm sacrificing a couple eggs per week to my resident fox snake - paying for it's service as a better mouser than any cat could ever hope to be

 

[Dogfish]

Predator proof your coop/run, then shoot the bobcat if it comes back. It has no fear of humans. Swap out the rubber balls for some #4 buckshot.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
this only happens when folks trap just an animal it does not happen when you manage a population