Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[sanctus7]

I just had something pull back a part of the fencing on our coop and slip down from the top of the cage, kill and eat one of my ducklings. The ducklings were housed with my geese who I thought would have killed an intruder....wrong.
I am not sure if it was a coon but wouldn't take some dexterity that only a coon has to pry up fencing?

Any ideas?

jj

 

[Opa]

Sanctus7, if Kent is in the UK as I suspect I'm afraid I don't know what predators are prevelent in your area. In the US I would suspect raccoon.

 

[laadeebug]

Earlier today I would have told you that it is the darn coyotes that just recently ate my gorgeous breeding pair of partridge cochins and two defenseless baby geese. But tonight when we were LOCKING up the hen house, a little later than usual, we caught a huge opossum on his way to the coop!

 

[BuffOrpington22]

I would have to say coyotes!!! they are very sneaky and will attack often as they can

 

[chickeemom]

I think it depends on where you live. I live in Conifer, CO which is located in bear country. I have to say bears, because they can get into anything, due to their strength. We have our coop enclosed in a top to bottom chain link dog kennel, and just lost 4 of our girls to a bear.

 

[ChickiKat]

We are high alert right now for coyotes. We went out at 7pm yesterday and there was one in the yard headed for the run. At first I thought it was a fox because is was small and reddish looking.... But it was a coyote. Tonight I am going to sit outside with my .22 and see what turns up.

 

[Da chicken farm]

I would have to say a hawk, but i have lost a chicken and my best cat, Momo to a coyote. The hawks were the worst, lost two pet chicks to it. If the hawk deaths werent so gruesome i would have to say the raccoon is bad. When i used to live in CA i lost objects (thankfully not animals!!) to the raccoon, of course i was younger, but they can still open a cabin or possibly a coop.

 

[CHCIKENMAN OF OGLETHORPE]

This has been the worse year for me as far as predators are concerned. In the last month I have lost 41 of 43 pullets to an unknown predator. I have plugged every hole around my chicken run with cinder blocks, or concrete. I have reinforced my windows with chicken wire or 1/2" hardware cloth. . I have a 2 foot apron of chicken wire around my run.my coop is completely enclosed with a roof, the run has a 2X4 wielded wire roof. i get up during the night rifle in hand. i have a flood light on the coop to light up where i think the predator is coming from, so if i do see it, them i will be able to shoot the ba***rd. I have thought about trail cameras, i have even thought of night vision and camping out so i can get a clear line of fire. The worse part is i still have no idea what it could be..no footprints and very few feathers...its as if a "stealth bomber" is coming in a wearing my poor babies out.

 

[koonaone]

Well I didn't fill in your form because it only gave us the choice of 1, dhhh.

I hit rats because my grandpa lived in rat country.

Then i hit foxes because I live in fox turf.

when I realised I only had 1 choice I wrote this.

I have also lived in :

Mountain Lion \\ Unless they are rare in your hood, make a guncase from tail.
Bear V Bears respond to psychological domination.
Wolf Wolfes do too
Coyote Barbwire buried 6" below chicken wire works with most of this first group
Fox fox never think they are stupider than you. Put a .22 through an ear.
Bobcat Pretty much like housecats
Lynx If a lynx is that hungry, give the bugger a chicken, or a steak.
^
Dog / Vary. Some can be ransomed for money ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Eagle catch em once and slap em around, they won't come back. (not golden ! ! ! ! )
Osprey* yes. They never actually seem to attack
Hawk 40 types, all different strategies. Some are rare enough, ya just givem the chicken
Owl perform ancient warrior ritual and eat them, naked, under full moon *
Man only happened once, I turned his horse into jerky.
Rats Packrats eat, others I don't know about
and F'ing Cats, Country. Cats - many rattraps under 1 sheet of newspaper, where they Must go.
One trap triggers all and cat freaks out. Hope that's end of story.

Anything with fingers, - blow them off with blasting caps, anything with an ego dominate them with superior inteligence, anything that flies confabulate them with oddball fencings and hideaways. Owls, 12 guage.

In good humour I hope I haven't offended any cat ladies or wildlifers, or birders.

* warrior ritual Owl recipes will be doled out freely to those submitting adequate documentation, certification and cash.

 

[RHRanch]

Quote:

Gophers are mostly a threat to your ankles! (When you step in thier holes) But seriously, no but they will murder your roses and fruit trees and just about any other edible plant.