Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[Edie2011]

I have lost to 4 to raccoons may be more, 4 to one weasle just wants their blood, then a bear came along and cleaned up the remains before I got home from work, 1 to a hawk in the winter and I caught an owl in the evening trying to get to them. However, I lost or had a chicken coop destroyed by a bear. I got the electric chicken fence- had enough of killing and the coons are constantly on our deck looking for cat food, etc. even though we bring it in at night. Coons are not scared at all of people. Thinking of getting a baby monitor too for night use, but I also need my sleep to work.

 

[bwockbwock]

The list is missing Fishers. Anyone have any experience trapping one? What did you use for bait?

 

[Edie2011]

There are many methods to catch a fisher. If using a have a heart trap use a fish, one of the dead chickens or dead squirrel. A leg hold trap is the best but you can't have pets around for that. Be cautious with this animal as they are real mean and teeth to show it.

 

[gd4sumthnmom]

We have a mountain lion and a black bear on our property. A few pack rats too, but it is the cat and bear I am most worried about.

 

[Edie2011]

wow, I think the mountain lion I would fear the most. I found the black bear usually doesn't bother them but had one clean up the chickens that a weasle killed and I couldn't clean up in time and get to work. I haven't put up my electric chicken fence yet but hoping it's the key. My chicks are to small to go out yet but, I'm going to test it with cat food to make sure nothing can get in. Bears can't see well but can smell pretty far away. Our bear runs when he finally see's us - he came on our deck while we were eating pizza - screen open - talk about a good nose. I don't trust mountain lions from reading about them, they can be unpredictable and if they lose fear, watch out. Not all lose their fear but it wouldn't hurt to have rubber bullets to get the message across. Our county said we can't shoot the bear with a paint gun, but we can shoot people??? They said he can't wash it off the bear and might lick it off. Always some strange laws around here it seems. Can't shoot the bear unless it is coming into the house- who wants to wait for that? He's coming to the door isn't that enough??

 

[cwalsh2]

For me it has been horned owls. I let my game chickens have free range and had no fences. I very good Airedale protected the birds from anything on the ground. When the owls find a tree with hens roosting in it they clean it out within a week. Sometimes 50-60 chickens.Hawks and coyotes would get one once or so a year, but horned owls take them all. When I lived in town someones dog, running loose got into my daughters 4H chickens and killed most of them once.

 

[Musashi]

I'm scared to think how many predators we might have at our place, but one thing I'm pretty sure aren't out here....Coyotes! There is a large cattle ranch nearby and I'm almost certain they don't want to be losing any calves to Coyotes so I would imagine they have some sort of eradication method.

 

[Silkie<3]

Dog's O_O

 

[Tamilulu]

Hawks and eagles here. Love to see the beautiful bald eagles.......wish they were further away.

 

[Loco Chikin Rancher]

We have a number of red-tailed hawks nesting adjacent to our property, so we see and hear them daily. Owls are also frequent visitors, along with occasional raccoons, possums, coyotes, skunks and foxes. Cougars have also been spotted nearby. At one time or another, we have worried about all of these various critters using our girls as meals, but... our only casualties due to predators in the past few years have been from loose dogs. Grrr!