Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[fancyfowl4ever]

Worst predator I have had was a grizzly sow with her 2 cubs. Killed over 160 birds in one night and demolished 4 enclosures to the point they had to completely be removed and rebuild.

It was a terrible summer.....

 

[MyHappyChicks]

Bears? I don't ever think I will complain about loosing one here or there to birds. All I can say is WOW

 

[fc]

Dogs, without any hesitation.

 

[spacecowgirl]

I've read through most of this thread, and I've wanted to reply to almost every single post. I just want to give hugs and condolences to everyone who've lost chickens to predators.

So far, mine have been lost to dogs. That's it. But, we also have raccoons and opossums that are brash enough to come up on our back deck, that is directly above our chicken coop....I've trapped a coon, and brained a possum, but after reading all this I'm thinking about putting the traps out more often.

I had a dog in my pen, attacking my hens, just recently. Luckily they all survived somehow.

 

[Ashburnham]

I have read through a lot of this thread- I am amazed that you folks in the US manage to keep YOURSELVES alive, let alone your chooks,
with all the nasty beasties you have running around over there! I only have to worry about foxes, and the occasional ferret or dog down here.

I have found an electric wire at predator nose height has been a very effective deterrent the last 20 years.


xxxx
Michael

 

[off-grid hen]

Yes, my husband lived in England for a time. We often have a good laugh and wonder what would happen if there were skunks, raccoons, and porcupines there.

 

[mohillbilly]

over the years ive lost a few few birds to every predator on that list but the worst was man...had a man steal 50 hens once when noone was home by the time the law caught him he already had killed and eaten most of them and the ones left were not even worth bringing home as he was't feeding them. he was hitting someone about every 3 months

 

[Funky Feathers]

OMG!!

That is so bold, brazen and

! I hope you bashed in his skull till his eyes popped out.

 

[mohillbilly]

OMG!!

That is so bold, brazen and

! I hope you bashed in his skull till his eyes popped out.

no but he did get life in prison for rustling chickens...it seems the law here doesn't care about the type of animal stolen it is all considered rustling and since the punishment on the books was listed as hanged until dead they changed it to life in prison which means he will do at least 20 years with good behavior ....some of the laws here haven't been updated since the 1800's

we have a law here that states you have to walk beside your vehicle thru every intersection

good thing they don't enforce it

 

[thegreypony]

We had a BIG black snack invade a nest of day olds and eat all but 4 babies (9 eggs had hatched)...went right up under the momma hen, I guess. We found him stuck trying to go through the chicken wire the next morning - can't escape with all my beautiful babies in its tummy. Need less to say, much as I hated to do it cause I hate killing anything for just being what it is, the snake lost its head.

Having said that, the biggest problem by far is dogs. We keep a loaded gun but the damage one dog can do before I can get out the door, provided I'm home and hear the attack, is too great. We LOVE our hot wire - 2 strands of electric fencing all the way around the outside of Chicken-world - about 4 inches and 8 inches off the ground; it also goes up & over the hen house in case some climbing thing decides to come up & over. Charger box went out last week...MUST get it replaced!