Predator Watch #2 TONIGHT

[Tropical Chickies]

I had posted a device that signals when there is movement (the same little sounds you hear when walking into a retail store). It is a two piece unit you can pick up at any hardware store for cheap. You can set the little box in a place in front of your coop and place the other device that signals when someone/something walks by in your house. Then ya'll could sneak back outside and take care of business! It works, it's cheap and you don't need to sit up all night hiding in a bush.

 

[bertman]

NC29mom, your comment about the weasel really got me to thinking. I live in central N.C. (used to live 'down east' like you) and never knew we had weasels in the state. The other day another thread on BYC was talking about weasels so I looked them up. They are LITTLE buggers and apparently can slip in through very small cracks at doors, floors, etc. I'm going to put hardware cloth completely around and over and a 24" apron around the perimeter of my run--tomorrow and Sunday. The coop is plywood and hardware cloth but I need to seal up a few 3/4" gaps at the doors before I'll be weasel and snake proofed (I hope).

We have had no problems with predators and I figured the run with wire all around (hardware cloth to 48" at ground level), then wire above and over, would keep the bad guys out. So we would just close the run door and leave the coop doors open at night while the girls slept. Had a juvenile possum get into the run through the 2x4 wire last Sunday night and attacked the girls. Fortunately, I got out there quickly enough that he did not hurt any of them badly. I even saw the possum climb up to the top of the coop then stretch and pull himself out of the wire enclosure. If there weren't houses around close by I would have shot the possum. As it was, I was more concerned about the pullets who were going ballistic inside the run. Feathers everywhere, one bird screaming like a child--very scary sound--the others careening around the run in the dark. It was ugly. But after a few minutes with me in the run and comforting the screamer so she settled down everyone else was okay.

I was so p.o.'d about the possum that I got a trap and was going to kill it if I caught it. Then I decided that my relaxed attitude was really the problem--the possum was doing what those ratty rascals do--and just started putting the girls in the coop on lockdown until we let them out each morning. So far so good, but I'm still worried that something might get into the run during the day while we're gone. That's the reason for the major security upgrade this weekend.

Maybe your fiance could get his hunting buddies to pitch in and help him tighten up his roost area. Save money on ammo, plus get a good night's sleep for a change.

Good luck with your birds.

 

[NC29mom]

Thankfully, we were able to make the roost area predator proof yesterday. My fiance & friends did go on a "fox hunt" last night, using distressed rabbit calls. Of course, there wasn't a fox in sight. In 2 nights we haven't caught anything in our traps OR lost anymore birds. It may just be our scent is everywhere.......as we have been walking all around the outside of the pen investigating for dens and any other signs of predators.

I lost several of my chicks to a predator (weseal) about a week ago. I moved them right away, and have been on the look out for any signs of any more predators near my coop. My fiance killed the 1st weseal. Apparantly, we have either another weseal or another predator snooping around my coop/barn. I have noticed holes being dug around the perimeter of the barn. Same as with the weseal. So, maybe the weseal had friends? Still working on getting the barn perimeter secured.

We live about 2 miles from an aviary zoo. My fiance is good friends with the owner. They just lost >70 birds to a predator (over past week). They were able to kill him last night.............it was a MINK. So, kinda feels like we have a little bit of everything around here......weseals, minks, foxes, skunks, rats.......wow! Funny how we went >2y with absolutly no issues. Guess time has caught up with us......





FLCHICK: I couldn't find the device you were talking about in your post. Is there a link I could follow to some information about it? My fiance had 2 of the motion activitated cameras he used for hunting...........of course, now he can't seem to put his hands on them.......Let me know though, cause I am definitly interested!