Killing predators

[cherrynberry]

We had quite a few attempted attacks with aerial predators. But we have had a few snakes, bobcats, and dogs show up as well.

And a racoon. But that was many, MANY, years ago with my very first chicken encounter.

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. I had a bobcat kill 14 birds one night. I did eliminate it. It made the mistake of coming back.They will just keep coming back once they make a kill. Good luck...

 

[McChooky]

Not everyone has the time,experience or money to buy things they need or have the tools or skills they need to make a secure coop and run but I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep my chickens safe and will dispatch any predator that tries to kill them.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Have not had a loss to predators in 2 years, when we got our most recent crop of Easter Eggers. We then trapped a raccoon and transported it several miles away and released it. Realizing that was not a proper method of disposal I then obtained a more lethal means but have not had a need for it since then. Should I, however, capture another one marauding my henhouse, I would not hesitate. Here's why. Yes, predators kill and eat prey, that's what they do for a living. It's nature's way. But prey also, in nature, are free to flee, hide or fly away. Humanity disrupts that cycle. We have captured prey, imprison them, exploit them for our own use. At that point we become responsible for them. We become their protectors. We do our best to contain them in predator-proof environs, but when we fail and a predator breaks through our defenses, sometimes we have to eliminate that predator. The alternative may be to just provide that predator a nightly buffet until all our birds are gone. Protecting our flocks, our herds - that's what we do. Speaking for myself, I have tried to make my runs and coop as predator-proof as possible, but if a predator should again breach my defenses, to the extent the law allows and as humanely as possible, I will kill it. I do not judge others or tell them what they should do.

 

[StinkyAcres]

My feelings changed, too, but in the opposite direction. When we lost our first chickens I wanted to kill the predators, and we did; a fox, skunk, and two raccoons. Did it help? Nah. There were too many to catch. What did help tremendously was making their coop and run more secure. The more chickens I lost the more I realized it's just something I have to live with as long as I keep my chickens in a place where predators can enter. Yes, it's very sad when I lose a chicken, but it's also very sad when a wild, native species with a population of a few thousand dies because it found food in our yard. It's hard to replace a wild animal. We don't have mountain lions here anymore because people killed them (and their food, the White-tailed Deer) to protect themselves and their livestock...

 

[Kaesi2020]

I appreciate reading all of these different opinions! Everyone makes very good points.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

My feelings changed, too, but in the opposite direction. When we lost our first chickens I wanted to kill the predators, and we did; a fox, skunk, and two raccoons. Did it help? Nah. There were too many to catch. What did help tremendously was making their coop and run more secure. The more chickens I lost the more I realized it's just something I have to live with as long as I keep my chickens in a place where predators can enter. Yes, it's very sad when I lose a chicken, but it's also very sad when a wild, native species with a population of a few thousand dies because it found food in our yard. It's hard to replace a wild animal. We don't have mountain lions here anymore because people killed them (and their food, the White-tailed Deer) to protect themselves and their livestock...

The lack of mountain lions might be for the best.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/02...rnia-park-where-bicyclist-was-fatally-mauled/
https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/police-warn-residents-after-mountain-lion-enters-san-bruno-home/
https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/l...iego/509-0f7811d6-8987-4589-9631-5a8e4a02f96d

 

[The Moonshiner]

 

[RosemaryDuck]

I don't really. Bobcats are really sensitive animals and don't come close to houses typically. I am more about making sure the chickens CAN'T get eaten than killing what eats them. As long as they have a predator proof shelter, this shouldn't be an issue. It's illegal to kill some preadators as well. I free range, but with free ranging comes great reasponsibility. It should never be a predator's fault. They do what they were made to do. Its our job as the owners of prey animals to protect them. I only let the chickens out if I know I am watching them. I have had several attempted attacks that never took place because I was watching. Predators eat prey. That's just how the world goes, as hard as loss is, that's a fact.

I have nothing to add to this post, but I just wanted to thank you so much for being level headed and writing this response.

So many people on this site are so ready to kill kill kill, and destroy everything that walks onto their property. The fact is we're pushing predators closer to people by destroying their habitats, and chickens are just free food that happen to be there. It isn't their fault. We should be working with nature, not against it.

Without predators we'd be in a whole lot of trouble. A fox or a raccoon or a snake might be annoying to deal with, but they control populations of prey in the wild and stop them from overtaking everything.

 

[Folly's place]

Having a very safe coop and run will eliminate the need to kill most predators, usually. Building that safe housing is a big part of the problem, as most of us learn by making mistakes, rather than doing it right the first time!
It's been a few years since I've killed an invader, because our coop is so much safer! And our last predator attack, and our worst, was one of our own dogs, when the dog fencing failed. Something can always go wrong...
Learn by reading, rather than by having bad experiences; there's lots of good advice available.
Mary