Help! Bobcats attacking my chickens!!

[zazouse]

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eta: we have a german shorthaired pointer mix. would he be able to keep bobcat away if we tied him up outside?

Nope cats are smart, just like domestcated cats they learn what can and can not get to them.
I had a bobcat problem once i raised up a couple more dogs i have no more problems with nothing.

 

[kari_dawn]

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rural area equals big territory, but if he has an easy food source, he will probably stick around till there are no resources keeping him there (ie-your chickens are gone)...as much as I hate to say this, as I know it will result in more people choosing to short sightedly kill a problem bobcat rather than give someone the chance to work with it...once a bobcat turns into a chicken killer, it is hard to fix it without removing the cat

I agree. One tied medium sized dog is not enough. These cats are VERY smart. Generally, they do not like to go after prey as large as a chicken, and usually resort to going after things like them and other domestic poultry in lean times but once they discover how wonderful and easy chickens can be, it can be hard to deture them. You would be better off with a large livestock guardian like a pair of anatolian shepherd or great pyranese, but you have to start them young and raise them right to get them to do what you want them to do.

If you decide to trap them, though I absolutely HATE the idea of killing one of these amazing animals (you have NO idea how wonderful, amazing, and INTELLEGENT these creatures are unless you are ever gifted the opportunity to work closely with them in large numbers like I have), because of their large territories, relocating them will most likely not solve your problem, and in all likelyhood will just make them into a problem for someone else.

In your position, I would electrify my fencing, keep my girls penned up for a while, re-enforce everything with heavy gauge wire, and get a couple of LGDs. I have a live and let live motto, and feel it is my responsibility to provide a secure area for my girls. They are prey animals after all. Of course, I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Feel free to PM me if you feel it will help you! I love sharing what little I know about these amazing animals!

 

[ZombieChickens]

Seriously, I love my chickens, but animals of prey are so awesome to me. Your bobcat pics are so awesome, and you're lucky to have them. Take care of your birds........good luck,

 

[Capvin]

As Im said in my earlier post on this thread, we have lots of bobcats and they show up on our trail camera at least once a week (many different ones). We will absolutely NOT kill them and the only way to keep my chickens protected is to watch them when I let them out during the day and to make their coop and run predator proof. I also have an electric fence around the perimeter of my coop and run and that has deterred many predator, including hbobcats.

 

[kari_dawn]

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beautiful solution. Predators can (and do) exist on ALL of our properties. No matter WHERE we live. It is our job to adamently protect our defenseless animals through inpenitrable defenses.

 

[Tracydr]

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Unless he is protected in your state. No loss of birds is worth jail time or hefty fines, and trust me, Game Wardens (the ones in charge of critters like bobcats) have a LOT of clout and power. Personally, I would like to see you talk to a local wildlife rehabber or trapper first. But if it comes down to it, and that is the decission you make, please talk to your parks and wild department to see what the regulations are FIRST. Then consider that the weather this year has made for a very strange reproductive season for almost all animals. At this time of year, it is very possible that you have a mother trying to provide for her cubs. If you dispatch her, her defenseless cubs will starve to death.

Good advice. I love big cats. Had a bobcat stealing from my coop in Tulsa one year because I wasn't getting it closed early enough in the evenings. Taught me the importance of closing the coop at roosting time.
I shot some harmless "rat shot" like we use with the fox hounds over the bobcat's butt when I saw him and scared him off. Between being better about getting the coop closed in the evening and scaring him, I didn't have anymore problems.
I count myself lucky when I get to see any kind of big cat in the wild. I was privileged enough to see cheetah, leopard, lions and serval while in Africa. They were amazing, especially the lions with their cubs which we saw up close right beside the roads.
I'd love to have one of the hybrid " Savannah" cats, they are so pretty.

 

[roospatch]

Thank you all for such great information and advice!

 

[geoff40]

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This. The method I was taught was to hang an entire wing just like you describe hanging a feather. The approach to the wing should have 2 or3 well placed and hidden leg hold traps set. The cat will be caught.

 

[RHRanch]

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beautiful solution. Predators can (and do) exist on ALL of our properties. No matter WHERE we live. It is our job to adamently protect our defenseless animals through inpenitrable defenses.

x2

 

[SleepyBeeHollowPeepers]

Hello, we also are dealing with a bobcat problem. We live in Southern OR, and today ODFW is out to assess our situation. This is our 3rd year of raising chickens. We live in a very rural setting in the mountains and have a secure coop for the chickens at night. The chicken yard is the electric netting fence which has deterred bobcats, possibly a bear, dogs in the past. The chickens are fairly close to the house and we have a large dog which roams the property, but has lately been in the house more. This bobcat has taken 6 hens and our rooster, and we have scared it off in broad daylight 3 times. It seems to have become habituated to us and while we do not wish to kill it especially we will go with what the odfw guy sets up for us. The electric netting fence caught a bobcat 2 years ago, it basically hogtied itself by the hind legs in the fence. We managed to release that one and never saw it again. Will post the options that the odfw guy has for us. We love having chickens and the eggs, down to 39 birds now.