Fox or Bobcat.

[Biglurr54]

So I have been slowly losing the battle to predation. My 100% free range ladies have dwindled. We have seen a big fox around. We lost our big duck first. Then 2 weeks later we lost 2 hens. Then we began using the fox detergent system which is a loud radio. This system worked great. We lost nothing with the radio on. But we only let the ladies out once I. A great while when we were home.

Today my wife let them out and didn't turn on the radio.

When I came home I let my dog out. And he ran right under the shed near the coop and barked his head off. He had something cornered. I got a 2x4 and called him out and started to come around. I heard a deep growl. Then I rammed the 2x4 under and hit a hard bodied animal that took off out the back. Never saw it. The 2x4 has a big scratch in it. I've seen big cat prints in the snow before so I know they are around. Which does this sound like.

We are missing two more hens.

Tomorrow the two wire electric fence goes up.

 

[Biglurr54]

I YouTube bobcat growls and fox growls and it sounded more like a Bob cat. I thought I had a lion under there.

 

[iwiw60]

I am not an advocate of free-ranging, and when I read such sad stories of tremendous losses such as yours I ask myself "why on earth would they still want to allow their hens to free-range? I just don't get it...I am truly so sorry for your losses...hope you catch the scumbag and

S - S - S
Shoot - Shovel - Shut Up

Now that whatever it was got under your coop it WILL be back, most likely tonight. Me? I'd be sitting out there in the dark with my rifle...but then that's just me...

 

[Rocky Rhodes]

I would coop my birds at night in a secure coop or hen-house. 100% free-range will eventually lead to 100% chicken loss. A radio is a good deterrent for a while, but the predators eventually become accustomed to it and it loses it's effectiveness. A live catch trap could help, but you would have to dispose of the predator somehow once it is caught. I would dispose of it permanently, if it were me.

 

[Biglurr54]

I have fort Knox for a coop which they are in at night. Its predator proofed. I free range because giving chickens a tiny pen out side that has three walls isn't living. I love watching the chickens fly around. Yes chickens fly. Cooped up brids won't but fee range will. I also like the insect control, The child care they provide and the entertainment of them running around. Plus free range eggs are the whole reason I keep chickens.

I'm doing a large electric fence area so they can roam and the ducks can swim in the stream.

One of these nights I'm going to put a chicken in a dig crate out side of the coop and wait around with the rifle to take care of the issue at hand.

Anyone know the law on shooting bobcats in NY when they are hindering livestock?

 

[iwiw60]

One of these nights I'm going to put a chicken in a dig crate out side of the coop and wait around with the rifle to take care of the issue at hand.

Anyone know the law on shooting bobcats in NY when they are hindering livestock?

Who cares....

S - S - S
Shoot - Shovel - Shut Up

 

[thomasboyle]

Call the State DEP officer and ask about removing bobcats. I live in CT, and you can't hunt bobcats, so I called DEP, and they confirmed that if you live in an agricultural area, you can protect your family and livestock from predators, and I could trap or shoot the bobcat if it was killing livestock. Each state will be different, so check.

The bobcat encounter I had two years ago ended my free range days. I set up electric net fence around a half acre, and now the chickens get to go free in the chicken yard without worrying about land based predators. As long as the area was large enough to stay green and not get strip mined, I am happy, and so are the chickens!