Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[Mamaboid]

I don't know about over all, but right now, I vote for HAWKS. This probably has something to do with the fact that I have lost 3 birds to a hawk in the last 4 days.

I know I cannot do it, but I would really love to give that bird a bad case of LEAD POISONING.

 

[Quinn4321]

Quote:
My scottish terrier killed a mink all by herself. I was so proud of her. It's in the freezer, in case our nature center wants to stuff it.

 

[Quinn4321]

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someone said if you place nails in a tree randomly in a small circle and put peanut butter in the middle they stick their hands in and get stuck. But it is lethal to the raccoons. Can't remember exactly how it was done. Hope this helps.

 

[RescueMama]

Ours here would be my own dogs who are interesting in my brooding bantam. They get a little sniff happy.
Seconded to urban foxes and cats.

Thankfully, I've not yet lost any. *knocks wood*

 

[Alas]

Quote:
You have to anchor the live traps. A couple of times it looked like they had picked up my trap and shook the food out before tossing the trap away. We started to anchor the traps so that they couldn't move them any more. Tuna usually got them in there. Good luck

 

[Patsy29332]

I am new to chickens and it was immediate love. I have had chickens 3 months. I have had a .22 for years but only ever shot paper. I just dropped my first skunk...(and had to dispose of myself!) Yuk...but protecting my girls is first in my book...nothing can stink as much as losing one of them!

 

[JD4570]

I just killed a 23 pound coon this morning. It was pulling the tin off the coop door! I used two and half inch decking screws with washers to fasten the tin and he pulled the washers through the tin! When I shot him he sounded like a small bear. I haven't heard one like that since 2003 when I killed a 36 pound monster. We called that one coon-kong. I wonder if these two were related?

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

The worst of the worst predator isn't even listed and is as low as low can go, which is whale do do. THAT IS A HUMAN. There is nothing lower that a CHICKEN THIEF. You can forgive animals for being animals but humans know better.

OOPS Sorry it was there as man. It should have had a bigger percentage. It's getting quite common here.

 

[KSCluckah]

Well, we have had our first experiences with predators, and sad to say we've lost 6 of our flock, including my favorite Naked Neck rooster Bello,
and his sister, beautiful golden blonde Gloria.

Due to the heat we've been allowing the flock to roost in the maple tree above their pen, though a few roosted on the edge of the pen or in lower branches...
enter BOBCAT!!! Took five of the six. We pretty well peppered him with a .22, since he did us the courtesy of letting us to get about fifteen feet away from him.
So far so good on the cat front...no more night time disturbances.

My boy Bello was taken by a hawk. This was assumption at first on our part until our niece took a walk around the front pasture and pointed out feathers.
Then as I was out on the tractor picking up round bales I could see the scene of the attack...Bello was big and this hawk had to land at least three times with him before dispatching and eating my poor boy. Suffice it to say the bigger coop project is under way and we are far more watchful of the area at night.

I can think of nothing sadder than finding my little Gloria lying on the ground, eyes closed as if she were asleep, left behind when I came flying out of the house, into the pen just to see that
darned cat leap the fence as though it were nothing. I'm getting the very smallest concrete mesh to put over the top of their enclosure this week and making sure the coop is fortified against
coons...I've read previous posts about "Coon-Kong" and will be sure to batten down everything.

No matter if they're just eggs and meat, they still touch our hearts and we are better for their company and saddened by each and every one we lose.

As an answer to my sadness, however, I am glad to report that I have found a kind chicken man who has beautiful Copper Marans
and I'll be taking my 8 extra roosters to the Yoder chicken auction to trade to him for some of his Marans pullets.

The Universal has a way, as always, of evening things out.

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

My friend had what looked like a rabid raccoon running towards their dog, and chickens. They shot it so it wouldn't bite the dog... Can't say I feel sorry for the thing. Raccoons used to be my fave animal... Now least fave. In order to love my chickens I am forced to hate my dog, rat, and one of my cats. The other cat is so stupid... I once put a chicken on her, and she looked at me like "Why did you put that "thing" on my back? Cut it out!" I keep her on onside of my lap, with a chicken on the other. No prob yet. She once was nose to nose to my PET rat, and didn't hurt it. She got sick when she was very young, and other things happened, so we just think she is that way. Sorry did I get off topic?