Predator Watch #2 TONIGHT

[colebarnhart]

Quote:
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times. Stop the madness and the drama and just make your coop/run more secure and put down the rifles and get some sleep.

 

[bertman]

One fantastic guard dog for livestock is a Maremma. We visited a farm this spring that had a flock of sheep and cattle that were guarded by two Mareemas. Those dogs are all business. They will kill a coyote or bobcat in a heartbeat--and, of course, anything smaller that might be a threat to the herd. There is an active pack of coyotes in the vicinity of this farm, yet they have not lost a single sheep or cow.

I don't know if they can be used to guard poultry, but it would be worth looking into.

Here's a website you might want to check out:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/maremmasheepdog.htm


Good luck with your hunt, but I agree that you might want to concentrate on securing your runs and coops. You can't kill all the predators. When one dies others fill the niche.

I'm very sorry for your and your fiance's losses.

 

[MuckyPuppy]

Quote:
My problem animals tend to like the early morning hours, 1am - 4am. DH stayed awake a whole night with me (as I am scared of things that go bump in the night

) in order to find this out.

 

[7L Farm]

Its hard to sit & wait for predators all night. Get a trap.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
Yea really my traps do not have a vet bill their feed bill is really low as well and when the electricity goes off they keep right on working and after the local pred population has been knocked down exclusion is much easier with less preds

 

[NC29mom]

Quote:
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times. Stop the madness and the drama and just make your coop/run more secure and put down the rifles and get some sleep.

WOW.....what a comment. Our coop covers almost 1/2 acre...so easier said than done. We work for a living, so don't have endless hours to devote to the chicken pen. It's not madness and it's not drama......it's the only answer we have at the present.

I sat out last night for the entire night. My fiance saw 4 foxes at dusk, but was unable to get a good shot. Luckily, my presence hindered the predator from returning. We were able to determine where the foxes are entering. So, several traps were set there also. This weekend we will ensure the area they roost in is more secure.

It is extremly devestating to loose a pet (and we are up to about 87 chickens lost now). I appreciate all the comments offering condelences or ideas. We live next to an aviary zoo, and they have had the same issues. So, even with their professionals, they have lost birds to foxes also.

Hopefully we will have this resolved rather quickly. My fiance's chickens are further off the property than mine. I worry once they kill everything in my fiance's pen, they will come to mine. He has a pond where his chickens are. I wonder if it is part of the problem...as far as luring animals over the fence....

 

[NC29mom]

Quote:
**thanks for the link!!! I found another dog (Akbash) that protects poultry. Since our "run" area is so large, I'm thinking a dog would be a fantastic idea. I did find information saying the Maremma's would protect poultry. Now, I gotta find where I can get one. My fiance says they can cost upwards of $1,000 (bc they are so durn good at what they do!)

Thanks again!

 

[effie]

Does your coop cover a half acre or the run???? It doesn't take much to close them up at night --I wouldn't have chickens unless I had a building to put them in at night that was safe-that is asking for trouble. Until you get a safe place for them at night this will continue-not meaning to anger you, but -why put yourself thru this? I hate it that you have lost so many---hope you get the pred. The 1,000.00 cost of the dog will go a long way to build a secure coop and you won't have to feed it or train it.

 

[NC29mom]

Quote:
The run covers >1/2 acre.....the area they actually roost is approximately 12' x 18'. Agreed, my fiance shouldn't have put the chickens into the area until he was done with the roosting area. It's almost completely closed in. He's actually working on it now. However; it should be noted, the foxes have killed during the night & EARLY IN THE AM after the chickens were down off their roost. So, yes, closing in the roost completely will help with the problem.....but until we are able to lay some electrical wire around the outside pen.....we still might have issues. I think the pond, which is in the encloser, is contributing to the problem as well.

I have lost some of my own chickens recently, also. A weasel was tunneling in away from our barn....coming up under the barn....and into the chicken runs & through the chicken door to kill my chicks at night. So, it seems creating a predator proof pen is quite a science. We have fencing buried all along the run (for my chickens), and have the barn boarded up all the way around.....but yet.....I still lost several chicks.

We have had chickens >2y now, and haven't experienced any issues with predators until the last week or so. Some may think it's cruel to kill animals. I agree. However; we have a PACK of foxes, and they are slaughtering our flock. It is our responsiblity to provide a safe area for our chickens. We understand that. We are doing all we can do at the present. We work during the day, so only have a few hours after work to work on the coops. What upsets me the most about the situation is, I have found many, many chickens killed for no apparant reason. Just for the sport of it. I would be much more understanding and sympathetic if the foxes were just killing to eat. But, they are not. Therefore; we will SHOOT TO KILL. There will be no trapping & rehoming. I will NOT take our problems and dump them off on someone else........which is what happens when you rehome these predators. The traps we have set are foot traps.

Thank goodness it's friday. Party at my house tonight. Fiance has several of his hunting buddies coming over. Hopefully, this problem will be resolved TONIGHT. Then, maybe we can move on with the <20 that are left in assuring they have a safe area to roost at night.


If a predator wants to get in bad enough.................................he WILL find a way. Regardless of how predator proof you think your pen/run/coop is.

To all those who have lost their dearly, beloved chickens to predators........I'm right there with you........People just can't understand the loss unless they have suffered it themselves. It's completly and utterly devestating. ***May all my babies & Herceles rest in peace**** We are currently searching for a Akbash or Maremma. We are willing to spend $1,000 if that is what it's gonna take to ensure the safety of our poultry. I let my BTW japs & grown flock of 4 roam the yard each and every day. Having chickens cooped up is no life. They deserve to be able to dig, dust, chase bugs and have freedom. So, a dog is probably going to be the best answer (after ensuring the coops are predator proof) for absolute assurance our chickens will be safe..

 

[effie]

Foxes can be a real problem because they DO come out during the day and are very hard to trap. Mine are free-ranging right now and I know I am on borrowed time-we are in the middle of nowhere. Their temporary coop has a dirt floor so that has been a problem with rats digging under-our new coop is under construction 3 ft. off the ground-solid walls and flloors with windows that open and are covered in hardware cloth. Anything wants in it better have a bomb!!! Their run has 5 ft. fence around it and is quite large-I never leave them out if I am not going to be home and I won't leave them in the run while I am gone either. They are a huge responsibility(kinda like kids) LOL. I would just die if something happened to them--I did have a coon get ahold of one a couple weeks ago -she escaped only to be put down a few days later-she was old and didn't lay anymore. But I still hated it and it was totally my fault for not getting them in early enough that night(we had company). We are going on a trip this fall and my biggest worry is getting a chicken sitter. They do tie us down morning and night---but dang, I am getting attached!!!! I hope all your fiances friends meet their targets tonight!!!!!!! Good luck!!!!