FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[Wednesday]

Excellent post Nikkers. We are in central Florida and have bobcats, coyotes,
raccoons, bears, hawks and stray dogs on our 7 acres. We had to give up the dream of
free ranging after losing two flocks to predators. My 9 year old
said its like the Hunger Games here. In our version, Katness and Peeta didn't make it.

 

[sono-chic]

I am looking for frizzle polish. Anyone know of someone who has hatching eggs or a young pullet?

 

[Shawneegyrl]

I would like to find some bantam EE hens and bantam Colombian Wyandotte hens in within an hour of Seminole County.

 

[aj1971]

I'm in Davie Florida looking for help with some info just started my coop 2 month ago had eggs for 2 weeks and it stoped. Also looking to buy more chickens

 

[nikkers390]

Well, my nightmare has come to light.
I fed the chickens this morning. left them in the enclosure. Went to check a while ago. Carnage! Daylight attack, out of 12 chickens, only 3 alive. Must have been the bobcat with kittens. I saw different size prints. They only ate 1 the others were just killed and left whole.
Kind of late for preventive measures. I thought the pen was secure. Electric wire is going up tomorrow. Gotta catch the last 3 and put them in the pen with the ducks and geese. I'm totally sick over this. I hate to even mention what I paid to have this "secure" pen built.
Solar electric tomorrow, reinforce the gate and back to the drawing board for more chickens. @#$#%%#@&&^*++!!!!!

I just had them for less than a week!!!! They were near laying age.

The geese and ducks in the adjacent pen are ok.

 

[kwol]

Excellent post Nikkers. We are in central Florida and have bobcats, coyotes,
raccoons, bears, hawks and stray dogs on our 7 acres. We had to give up the dream of
free ranging after losing two flocks to predators. My 9 year old
said its like the Hunger Games here. In our version, Katness and Peeta didn't make it.

 

[kwol]

Well, my nightmare has come to light.
I fed the chickens this morning. left them in the enclosure. Went to check a while ago. Carnage! Daylight attack, out of 12 chickens, only 3 alive. Must have been the bobcat with kittens. I saw different size prints. They only ate 1 the others were just killed and left whole.
Kind of late for preventive measures. I thought the pen was secure. Electric wire is going up tomorrow. Gotta catch the last 3 and put them in the pen with the ducks and geese. I'm totally sick over this. I hate to even mention what I paid to have this "secure" pen built.
Solar electric tomorrow, reinforce the gate and back to the drawing board for more chickens. @#$#%%#@&&^*++!!!!!

I just had them for less than a week!!!! They were near laying age.

The geese and ducks in the adjacent pen are ok.

So sorry to hear about this. I have been watching your posts and the advice from other members closely on your issues. After a taste for chicken, I wonder if the Bobcat or the kittens will ever stop trying to get to your poultry. You may need to capture and relocate or exterminate the predators. Maybe some young hunters would be willing to lay in wait for you.

 

[Wednesday]

I am so very sorry for your loss too. I know its sickening and heartbreaking.
What kind of pen did you have? Was it chicken wire or hard cloth
wire? Did it have a top? Did they dig under? Just want to know to try and help others prevent an attack like
this from happening. Again, my condolences.

 

[cmom]

So sorry for you loss. We had a Bobcat kill many of our Pheasants. We eventually caught it in leg traps. We tried live traps but they didn't work so we put out the leg traps and it came back for more. It was the only pen that we didn't have electric around. We relocated it permanently in the back 40 and have since put electric up around that coop and pen. I had put out a game camera but never saw it on the camera. We did see fox, coyote and owls. Actually got the owl on video after it had killed several birds in several nights and was eating one of the chickens.

 

[nikkers390]

Kwol, Wedensday and cmom
Thank you for all the kind words.
The pen is built of 6" welded wire (2x4) 6' high the bottom 3 feet are reinforced with 1" chicken wire, there is an 18" skirt on the ground of 1" chicken wire.
The top is totally covered with heavy duty shade cloth ( the kind they sell for chain link privacy wind screens) They circled the perimeter and tried to dig under, but they got in by pulling the gate just enough to get in.
I reinforced the gate with zip ties and wire. It will not move now.
The poor chickens are terrified. They are restless and flighty and squawky now that it is dark. They seem to be saying "don't leave us!"
A leg trap sounds feasible, but a little cruel. On the other hand, This is MY livestock they are killing.
Since professionals here do not want to deal with bobcats, some young hunters sounds like a good idea. I just have to find them. It is hunting season for them till March. BTW the donkeys were totally useless! These are not minis but standard size eating machines!
Tomorrow will be spent working on installing electric wire.
My husband is disabled and wheelchair bound and I'm getting quite "VINTAGE". Staying out all night to watch is not an option, but I am sorely ticked.
I believe in live and let live, but they totally crossed MY line!
A friend offered me some of her chickens, but I will wait till It's more predator resistant.
I had the most beautiful jersey giant/RRR rooster. He was a sight to behold and some australorp pullets and some NN pullets. I have 1 NN and 2 australorp cockrels. I have a couple of BR pullets in the goose pen since they grew up there and didn't want to leave. That's it for the chicks. We'll see what I find in the am.
My dogs are outside now, barking up a storm, but they bark at everything including the occasion vehicle which goes down our dirt road.