Having a WORSE day, any advice?

[zazouse]

Thank you so much fbc, Thang, and all of you wonderful peapeople.
I have been avoiding coming back to this thread to report that Boyo didn't make it.

I used to call Skittles and Boyo the "Dynamic Duo" because they were inseparable, which is probably how they both got into the same bad something. Looks like that "something" was probably d-con pellets. Neighbor being dealt with by landlord. That's another story and out of my hands.

Guess it's no surprise that I have been madly spoiling the rest of the gang these days.
The blueberries are flowing freely.

I can not believe that some FOOL would put out poison where anything could come along and eat it, especially pellet kind

a rat or mouse will eat hidden bait just as fast if not faster than bait out in the open.

Soo sorry you lost them both

 

[Lil Zoo]

Thank you so much fbc, Thang, and all of you wonderful peapeople.
I have been avoiding coming back to this thread to report that Boyo didn't make it.

I used to call Skittles and Boyo the "Dynamic Duo" because they were inseparable, which is probably how they both got into the same bad something. Looks like that "something" was probably d-con pellets. Neighbor being dealt with by landlord. That's another story and out of my hands.

Guess it's no surprise that I have been madly spoiling the rest of the gang these days.
The blueberries are flowing freely.

I'm so sorry

. Sending you

. I just don't understand why some people are just born stupid nasty jerks

. They were 2 gorgeous fellows.

 

[bdfive]

This is a wake up call for all of us that free range peafowl. Here are all fighting the more then usual amounts of stickers on our land. Bob and I have been pulling them before each mowing in our yard due to having 2 Mini Aussies. Our 5 acres is laden with them. We'd like to spray to kill them but not an option due to peafowl and dogs however our neighbors probably wouldn't even think about the wildlife. Next door is 50 acres with Longhorn cattle which he feeds partially with the hay he grows but it's practically all stickers now. I intend to email him asking to please let me know if he decides to spray any weed killers....I'll pen my peafowl. Will also ask other neighbors to keep me informed.

I am so sorry for your loss. I know the pain...I've lost 2 of my gorgeous birds to predators...reason why I now sleep with baby monitor picking up noises from outside.

This morning I was running around yelling "Chickie" crying. My tamest sweet IB hen was missing. The other free range birds were calling so it was pretty noisy here. After they quieted down I heard calls farther off and followed the sound. Was so happy and relieved to find her on the other side of the fence on the 50 acres. She wouldn't cooperate following me back to the gate between the properties so picked her up and carried her back. She was so happy to be home with her flock.

Please know, my heart does go out to you.

 

[Frosty]

Here are all fighting the more then usual amounts of stickers on our land. Bob and I have been pulling them before each mowing in our yard due to having 2 Mini Aussies. Our 5 acres is laden with them. We'd like to spray to kill them but not an option due to peafowl and dogs however our neighbors probably wouldn't even think about the wildlife.

bdfive, something that you can try for killing the stickers that won't harm your critters... though I won't guarantee that it will work (does work on Canada Thistle and some other weeds and grass...) Try mixing a tiny amount of dish detergent with straight vinegar and spray them with it, preferably while it's hot out and the weeds are actively growing. There are some sites that sell a stronger vinegar just for killing weeds. The dish soap is to help it stick to the plants, the acid in the vinegar dehyrates the plants and kills them. If it works but they try to come back, spray them again. Some take two applications. I doubt your neighbors will try it, it kills grasses too so they would have to hand spray the weeds. With 50 acres, that would be labor intensive.

new 2 pfowl I really hope that it was just ignorance on their part and not maliciousness... Some folks just don't think about non target species. Another possibility is that they didn't put it where your peafowl could get into it. Mice can and will get the stuff and move it to a different location (like a squirrel hiding a stash). I am very sorry for your loss!

 

[Lil Zoo]

By new2pfowls post it sounded malicious but I wish everyone would think about using bait stations for controlling their pests. If an animal eats the mouse their is not enough blood thinner to hurt them. We put numerous boxes of mice poison under the kid's trailer, the wind blew a few pieces of there skirting off. Their old dog got under there and ate all the boxes of mouse bait, before we knew the dog was sick it was to late and heart breaking. The vet said it's relative safe around your animals because most won't ingest enough to do any harm but there is always the exception with anything. Their dog was overweight and they had just put it on a rationed diet must of found D-con better than the diet.

 

[kuntrygirl]

By new2pfowls post it sounded malicious but I wish everyone would think about using bait stations for controlling their pests.  If an animal eats the mouse their is not enough blood thinner to hurt them.  We put numerous boxes of mice poison under the kid's trailer, the wind blew a few pieces of there skirting off.  Their old dog got under there and ate all the boxes of mouse bait, before we knew the dog was sick it was to late and heart breaking.  The vet said it's relative safe around your animals because most won't ingest enough to do any harm but there is always the exception with anything.  Their dog was overweight and they had just put it on a rationed diet must of found D-con better than the diet.    

Yep. I only use the bait stations as well.

 

[new 2 pfowl]

I do believe that these deaths were caused by (completely unforgivable) ignorance, not maliciousness. However, I don't have enough information about this yet to be completely sure.

In any case, please note, animal lovers: there is in fact enough rodenticide in a rodent that has been poisoned to harm predators or scavengers that eat it. For example, when I brought Boyo to the animal rescue for treatment, the director was telling me about a serious mange condition that has been striking bobcats from the gradual accumulation of rodenticide in their bodies. There is quite a bit of information online about secondary dangers of rodenticide.
Please, please, if you have a rodent problem use snap traps (where only rodents can get at them of course), not poison.

 

[Lil Zoo]

I do believe that these deaths were caused by (completely unforgivable) ignorance, not maliciousness. However, I don't have enough information about this yet to be completely sure.

In any case, please note, animal lovers: there is in fact enough rodenticide in a rodent that has been poisoned to harm predators or scavengers that eat it. For example, when I brought Boyo to the animal rescue for treatment, the director was telling me about a serious mange condition that has been striking bobcats from the gradual accumulation of rodenticide in their bodies. There is quite a bit of information online about secondary dangers of rodenticide.
Please, please, if you have a rodent problem use snap traps (where only rodents can get at them of course), not poison.

I did not know this. Thank you for posting this as time goes by information changes. We only learn by other peoples experience and sadness.

 

[Frosty]

There is a type of rodenticide that is vitamin K. Apparently rodents can't process it and it kills them? The dead rodents are supposed to be safe if a pet gets them. My prefered method is the 18 cats living in my barn doing what I hired them for. They are all spayed and neutered, fed daily, and get wormed. They have lots of straw to cuddled up in, and a heated water dish in the winter. They definately don't have to hunt to survive, but there are NO rodents in the barn where the grain is stashed. I wouldn't trust the cats around baby poultry, but they leave the adults alone.

 

[Lil Zoo]

There is a type of rodenticide that is vitamin K. Apparently rodents can't process it and it kills them? The dead rodents are supposed to be safe if a pet gets them. My prefered method is the 18 cats living in my barn doing what I hired them for. They are all spayed and neutered, fed daily, and get wormed. They have lots of straw to cuddled up in, and a heated water dish in the winter. They definately don't have to hunt to survive, but there are NO rodents in the barn where the grain is stashed. I wouldn't trust the cats around baby poultry, but they leave the adults alone.

Tell me what you are doing right. People think we are the humane society and drop their unwanted litters off. The cats here wait at the back door for food. I don't think they have a clue what a mouse is and believe me this time of year there's a plenty to make them all fat cats.