Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[Aimless Farmer]

Just lost the second in 6 days...third in a month...to the blanketyblank hawk!!
RIP Aurora, Dandelion and Rosie

Cooping them in isn't the instant answer, however, as my neighbor knows well. For the third year, almost in a row, he has lost 25-35 chickens & ducks in one night (that's about 90 birds total) to weasels that get into the coop at night through the tiniest of gaps.

Fish in a barrel to hawks or weasels?

Scrambling to figure out a solution in this 25 degree weather, with frozen ground, ASAP, so my yard can stop being the neighborhood KFC.

Grrrr...

This morning noticed Violet's feathers weren't laying right. Checked her out, and her left shoulder has essentially been skinned! Into the dog crate in the livingroom with her. She was just reintroduced to the flock last weekend after a bout of sour crop. Now I have two in the house (the other has an impacted crop, going on two weeks now).

This has been a terrible month for my chickens and I here.

 

[shend]

ok, now I'm freaked out!!

No chickens yet, starting early spring and I've done all I can think of to keep them safe, but I've got almost all the above critters in my area. Racoon's will come in the cat door and also get in my little fish pond and chase the gold fish. I've quit feeding the wild birds this year to discourage the wild life from looking for a quick meal. Had a black squirrel problem in the attic last spring because it was sooooo close to the black sunflower seeds!! We've even had cougar sitings the past few years. I worry about the kitty-cats too.

Do most of these murders happen in the night? Which critter is the smartest finding a way in? I wasn't gonna cover the top of the run, but......

I haven't built the run yet. Was waiting for spring to afford the hardward cloth, but maybe its best I research some of you guys ideas in building the run.

Help!

 

[Aimless Farmer]

Cover the run.

Our little house is on 3 foot legs, and closes up tight at night, so all of our murders have been during the day.

Neighbor's weasles always hit at night.

 

[Vilkatis]

I actually lost five to javalinas. The chickens were free range and kept disappearing. This was a puzzle until I saw a javalina chasing them around the house. Put them in a large enclosure and the disappearing chickens didn't happen any more.

 

[PupuMcgoo]

I wud hav voted for the neigbor kids down teh road but it aint on ther. I voted for them coons. ther sur heck on birds but least yu can cook em up real nice got more fat on them bones then them possums

 

[MVchickens]

have lost 1 bird to hawk 1 bird to racoon 4 birds to neighbors dog....

 

[Talihofarms]

I have had problems with Hawks, Coyotes, Coons, Owls. Skunks, and Hawks.


I have controlled all.... but the birds of prey with electric fence, Expert Markmanship, and a well trained Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Just released a Great Horn Owl caught in my live trap. He has had bad luck since all my birds are tucked away at night.

Main thing for birds of prey is put the birds away at night. Tractors if free ranged.
It seems that when a Hawk is in the area we decide to shoot some trap. They don't stick around when we are shooting sporting clays.


All others R.I.P


Just my.02

Good luck

 

[delila]

I have some chickens in an old dog kennel. Just recenty 2 of the have been killed. The first one did not have a head on it. The second one was eaten completely. The kennel has a small opening at the door all the way to the top. I did not think anything could get through this opening but I was wrong. Do you have any idea of what might be going in the kennel and killing the chickens? Thanks.

 

[Jack142]

12/29/10 my neighbor lost 2 or 3 birds to the neighbors dog across the street. Caught the dog redhanded. Just the other day. One of the birds won 1st at the show this year and was suppose to be in the stock show in January. She just sick over the whole thing.

 

[chickencoop13]

Quote:
we did to but we caught it and shot it