Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[LeggyLeghorn]

generally speaking, if a rat/prey, hear, smell sense a predator about, they will generally stay away. I'm not into killing and suffering does my head in but, prevention. and dogs and cats can do this. Nature's way.

 

[Coopscraft]

Humans, duly educated, are nature’s most humane predator. Domesticated cats play with their prey before killing it. Dogs and wolves maul and maim their prey with no attempt at rendering it unconscious before dismembering it. Humans deliberately aim for the heart, head, artery, or spine with calculated intent of minimizing suffering. Nature is beautiful. But the animals do not have the moral high ground when it comes to humane treatment of each other. Although, the cougar does pretty well. It ambushes it’s prey, and bites through the spine. I do acknowledge there are true savages of our species that enjoy animal suffering. They ought not be considered the natural state of humanity but a corruption of it.

 

[Susan Dye]

All true. I had a major infestation when I moved in a couple months ago. Not realizing it I put chickens in. Now the muroidea are fat as butter and sleek as satin. I have my store in a metal can but that doesn’t keep them from pilfering from the serving tray. I have a wonderful tomcat that likes to bite them in the head. Although he also gets distracted with other little life forms that are no concern of mine. My next step is to put out a bucket with a one way ticket to a little pond. I tried glue traps. Once I caught two rats and a leghorn pullet on one trap. The pullet survived and is doing well. Perhaps I will get a terrier too. If I can get caught up to a few here and there it won’t be so bad. Right now i’d guess I have more than a few dozen breeding does within 30 ft of my coop.

There is potentially one problem with terriers. A really strong prey drive can mean that will also go after the chickens. I have a 6 lb yorkshire terrier who has killed his fair share of critters including a 4 ft snake, 3 juvenile possums, a number of voles...and a few chicks and a couple of hens who had flown over their fence. To him, if it runs, it's prey. Just saying.

 

[Coopscraft]

so basically if I have a dog on staff, he has to completely separated from the chickens.

 

[DuckWhisperer06]

so basically if I have a dog on staff, he has to completely separated from the chickens.

There’s a good chance you’ll have to separate them. It really just depends on the dog.

 

[Susan Dye]

so basically if I have a dog on staff, he has to completely separated from the chickens.

I've had dogs who loved my chickens, but they had no prey drive. Dogs kill more poultry than just about any other predator and the stronger the prey drive, the more likely they will kill your chickens given the chance. They can be trained to leave the chickens alone, but it takes a lot of work and dedication. I'm not sure how that affects their prey drive overall. It would be interesting to hear from someone who has a dog that's a good ratter but is able to leave chickens alone.

 

[servpolice]

For the past 7 years I've had fox problems and once you think you've sorted out the problem a new fox appears a few weeks later!

Lost over 200 birds the past 7 years with most of them being geese.

Foxes are too smart and actually wait and stare at you when you walk the fields.

They know to attack and grab as much as they can during stormy weather when you and the dogs can't hear anything.

They're way too smart and way smarter than they should be!

Once you find a solution to the fox problem they get smarter and find out how to defeat the solution.

They're getting so smart that they don't leave any feathers for evidence there was a predator!

Some of my geese will fight off the fox and the fox runs away to find a weaker goose that will be too scared to fight back.

I've seen mink here but I've never had a problem with one. The hawks and eagles don't swoop down to my animals.

Only the fox is smart enough.

Once a fox finds out you keep poultry you will have him around until you have no poultry anymore.

As people say here "if a fox knows you keep birds you will have a pet fox too".

You'll always will have a predator around even when you haven't seen anything.

Keep your birds safe folks!

 

[cmom]

That is a lot of birds lost in 7 years.

 

[Bergensteinlinda]

Knock on wood we haven't lost any to predators.

Opened the nest box today to collect eggs. Had a 6 ft long fat black snake. I only have three hens, and they have become very same. My husband wants me to find them a home. They are 6 months old and laying everyday. I hate to give them up, but my husband can't deal with snakes. Plus I board and groom small dogs, and can't risk them getting bite or eaten. Any ideas would be great.

 

[Bergensteinlinda]

Very tame.