Hen gone; lots of feathers

[RevaVirginia]

<raises coffee for toast> Here's to catching him, we may be close. If you're one of the types that relocate....somewhere in the Middle East please.

 

[Whirlwind]

Don't know about Virgina but here in Ok the game warden will come and get them if you trap it.

 

[woolymama]

Quote:
We're not far from you at all - we're in Fluvanna county, about 25 miles east of Charlottesville. I don't think we'll relocate it. There's so many of them that it won't put a dent in their population, and I don't need hungry bobcats out in the woods competing for food!

 

[woolymama]

And the saga continues......I fed the flock today - gave them some kitty food for extra protein - 10 minutes later there's a big red fox sniffing them out. Fortunately my dog barked at it and it ran.
I swear I must have every predator in the state hanging around my birds!

 

[Redhead Hen]

For years I had no predator problems. Then this past spring I had the same problem ... just feathers and no blood or bodies. One night when I went out to lock them up ... low and behold there was a raccoon in the run! I locked them up for months and then got out of the habit. (I know bad girl!) One of my RIRs was taken this past week. Once again feathers everywhere. I looked all along my brush line and there I found the body. Head gone, de-feathered chest and stomach, innards gone and crop opened. Lesson learned.

I think I'd just freak out if I found a bobcat in my yard! I will tell you ... these predators keep us on our toes! Good luck in getting that bobcat! I hope you win the war!

 

[RevaVirginia]

Quote:
Noticed your Roos in the sig line. When I ponder possible predators while watching the crew make their way around the field inevitably the rooster will crow and I wonder If he's really not making a chow call. "Still time left to eat!! a-roo".

Then I think what a hard job he has and how diligent he is performing it, split between the wanderers and the new peeps and momma hens still confined to the run. Shame we couldn't just arm our roos.

 

[gsim]

Wow! Trap may be just the thing. Far easier than an armed stakeout and way less time consuming. Raccoons will hunt in daytime, and even in pairs. Any pred will do a daytime raid if they are hungry enough.