Lady feeding raptors - law on my side?

[spolicas]

If you look at the link I send you about the FEDERAL LAWS you will need that permit to even shot off the fireworks.

or the feds will get you under that law.


I will add this.... since the lady has caused this problem your only solution may be to use the permit and kill them. Not the best option in my opinion but they are there to stay, they have food so why leave.

True. Okay, I will take a look at that law there! Thanks!

 

[Headgear]

It's hard to kill animals who are just doing what animals do but unfortunately it sometimes needs to be done. I refuse to confine my birds to a pen. I have roughly a 100 birds and they are all free range. I have had all kinds of predator problems and just had to adapt. I had a bad problem with hawks and called DNR and they told me to shoot the hawk, that I had a right to protect my livestock but, he said only you can kill the hawk, it has to be while it is killing or eating your chickens, you can possess no part of the hawk and you need to bury it quickly and do not tell anyone that you have done it and especially where it was buried.

I have had to do this several times over the years and it's no fun but I do it. I am pretty secluded which makes things a little easier. Sometimes predators get a little overwhelming. I usually don't get too shook up about an occasional loss but once they learn that there are easy pickings it can get bad. Two years ago my gardens were getting destroyed by coons. I caught and killed 27 of them. Last year I did not do anything about them and out of fifty melons I got two. my tomatoes and corn were destroyed. This year I am back to catching and killing. I hate it. The critters are just doing what they would normally do but it is out of control. After tearing into my gardens earlier this spring they finally got around to killing a couple of guineas and chickens. In the last 6 weeks I have taken 21 coons and 10 opossums. It is such a waist. There used to be coon hunters and trappers but not anymore at least not around here.

I have not read all the other posts but jailing your birds is not a good solution IMHO. I have had to also kill fox, dogs, a weasel rats and others. I have Great Pyrenees goats and cows all running together with my chickens. I have farm fence backed with four foot high welded wire with several strands of electric carrying 9300 volts. You just got to keep trying to add anything it takes to keep them safe if you are going to free range your birds. After all of that, unfortunately there is not any GOOD solution, you have to thin them out. What ever you decide, and only you can decide, be careful and good luck.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Predators and pests! You have both! I think everyone can agree and sympathize with that. Finding the solution is very tough for sure...and while I can say what I do for my flock and situation only works for me, I'd gotta just give my support and respect for the way you are researching and weighing opinions, you're obviously a rational person in a bizzare situation. ( that woman is coocoo for cocoa puffs for real) so that said your real neighbor probably noticed this and may be rational as well, perhaps willing to help in a solution?

 

[spolicas]

Predators and pests! You have both! I think everyone can agree and sympathize with that. Finding the solution is very tough for sure...and while I can say what I do for my flock and situation only works for me, I'd gotta just give my support and respect for the way you are researching and weighing opinions, you're obviously a rational person in a bizzare situation. ( that woman is coocoo for cocoa puffs for real) so that said your real neighbor probably noticed this and may be rational as well, perhaps willing to help in a solution?

That's what I'm praying for. Thank you so much for the encouragement.

Yes, we are keeping all options on the table and will be diplomatic about the entire thing.

Thanks to everyone on this forum, I was able to look at all my options. Thanks everyone!

If there are any developments, I'll keep you guys updated. If anyone has any advice, please share!

Thanks,
spolicas

 

[RedStarLady1207]

Where I live it is not illegal to feed wild birds but you cannot possess or transport them, without permit. You can't shoot protected species either, which is most birds (except those permitted to be hunted via regulation as game species). You won't get much sympathy from wild bird enthusiasts, especially if a native species, against an argument about domestic chickens which are not native and not protected in the same way.. As previously said however, the right to farm has some merit, but I don't think it will apply against someone feeding wild birds. As stated, protect your birds from predators, which are in the area anyway, even though this lady has attracted more by feeding them. I don't see her changing her mind because wild birds of prey take chickens and there doesn't seem to be any legal ground to stop it IMO.

I do not agree this lady calls a wild hawk her 'pet' makes it a pet. It is wild bird unless she has a permit to keep it contained, but then it is still a wild bird. It just has become tame to her because she feeds it. She can't contain it, kill it, capture it, transport it, etc. without permit to do so. Call the game warden and have them check her out to see if she has any contained wild birds and if she has the proper permit to do so. That is within your right.

The SSS policy - I have to say I don't care for that. Birds of prey are magnificent and are protected. A chicken is a domestic animal and doesn't have any status as a wild bird or even a companion animal as far as I know. At least not where I live. I do like my chickens, in fact I'm attached to them emotionally, but I would not kill other birds to protect them. Protect your birds from harm. If they run loose then you take the risk something will get them. The responsibility lies with the chicken owner, not everyone else's fault. Just saying.

 

[En Plein Air Farms]

Have you ever contacted the property owners? Surely as farmers themselves, or at least have farm income, they would be interested in what is going on? It doesn't sound like there is any point at all in talking to the raptor feeder, she is just digging in her heels.

 

[spolicas]

Have you ever contacted the property owners? Surely as farmers themselves, or at least have farm income, they would be interested in what is going on? It doesn't sound like there is any point at all in talking to the raptor feeder, she is just digging in her heels.

I have spoken to the owners, I've made them aware of this. They told me they needed to buy her falconer gloves so she did not injure herself on their property. So, lo and behold... she now has gloves!

They do not seem to mind her doing this, of course they don't have chickens - instead they just have geese and horses...

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Wow. Birds of a feather....

 

[AmyLM]

Personally if it were me: I would call the media. Its one of those public safety things. If powerful birds of prey begin to associate people with food you can end up with a dangerous situation like when people feed other animals because they think its cute.

I don't understand why what shes doing is legal in your area for red tailed hawks but NOT osprey. That sounds like a law that can be changed if its pointed out. Personally I would be furious if my neighbor did that. Not just for the risk to the chickens but because you do NOT feed wild animals, especially not potentially dangerous predators. Wild animals are NOT pets! In my homes state what shes doing is illegal. I looked it up.

 

[spolicas]

Personally if it were me: I would call the media. Its one of those public safety things. If powerful birds of prey begin to associate people with food you can end up with a dangerous situation like when people feed other animals because they think its cute.

I don't understand why what shes doing is legal in your area for red tailed hawks but NOT osprey. That sounds like a law that can be changed if its pointed out. Personally I would be furious if my neighbor did that. Not just for the risk to the chickens but because you do NOT feed wild animals, especially not potentially dangerous predators. Wild animals are NOT pets! In my homes state what shes doing is illegal. I looked it up.

Thank you! And yet another tool to use - the media. I will look into this...

How would I go about doing this though?