- Jun 28, 2011
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We let our chickens free range on our farm and we do have a predator problems. We have a really cute animal here called a mongoose, who unfortunately loves chickens.
But we found over time that we also have a little bird here, called a Shrike a.k.a. butcher bird, who hates mongoose.
My DH was the first to realise that every time a mongoose sets foot anywhere near our chickens these little birds go nuts! They have a very distinctive call and whenever we hear it we go outside, follow the sound and chase off the mongoose.
Recently one of these birds decided to take it's duties even more seriously. DH noticed it chasing our young chicks out of the veggie garden. He went to go see what's going on an found MIL's cat, mousing. The bird saw the cat as a predator and chased the chicks back to our house!
Our chickens have since learned to listen for the bird's call as well. I noticed whenever the bird starts it's warning call my chickens run back to the pen. Aren't they clever?
This is what our little flock watcher look like:
My DH was the first to realise that every time a mongoose sets foot anywhere near our chickens these little birds go nuts! They have a very distinctive call and whenever we hear it we go outside, follow the sound and chase off the mongoose.
Recently one of these birds decided to take it's duties even more seriously. DH noticed it chasing our young chicks out of the veggie garden. He went to go see what's going on an found MIL's cat, mousing. The bird saw the cat as a predator and chased the chicks back to our house!
Our chickens have since learned to listen for the bird's call as well. I noticed whenever the bird starts it's warning call my chickens run back to the pen. Aren't they clever?
This is what our little flock watcher look like: