Predators everywhere!

[Ruralhideaway]

Too many raccoons aren't good; I'd be eliminating some of them!
Last year I had rats in my coop, and lost three nice bantam pullets at night to them before they 'went away'. Very sad! Pet rats are great, wild rats, not so much.
Mary

I had them, could see them on my coop camera. I ended up digging trenches inside the coop walls and burying wire. Finally (well so far) got them out.

 

[Folly's place]

For over twenty years, my coop's old building foundation and broken concrete floor have prevented tunneling. Not last year! I'm going to add hardware cloth under stall matts rather than removing the whole thing, meanwhile there's bait out there in a very safe location, and no more rodents.
Mary

 

[Ruralhideaway]

For over twenty years, my coop's old building foundation and broken concrete floor have prevented tunneling. Not last year! I'm going to add hardware cloth under stall matts rather than removing the whole thing, meanwhile there's bait out there in a very safe location, and no more rodents.
Mary

I'd actually considered using construction cement to glue heavy mats down over the beat up concrete in an old stall I gave the ducks. Decided to fix the concrete but still wondering if it would work.

 

[True Patriot]

A .410 and a lawn chair? There's too much going on. I'd start thinning out the threats. Especially the ones that aren't cautious enough to leave when you go out. Never a good sign.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

A .410 and a lawn chair? There's too much going on. I'd start thinning out the threats. Especially the ones that aren't cautious enough to leave when you go out. Never a good sign.

I have a 410/22 o/u but can't find the 410 barrel!

 

[aart]

Gonna vent here, hope you don't mind RH.
In 5 years of chicken keeping have never had anything try to dig in,
winged and 4 legged bouncing off the run mesh yes,
but no diggers until yesterday.
I found at least a dozen probing digs, didn't even make it down to the apron but stopped at inner HC. Small coon, possum, skunk(most likely?)...dunno<shrugs> Happened both inside yard fence at small run and outside yard fence(part of main run).

Then shortly after finding the digs, I found this dead in the yard. Thinks it met my dog and grab/shake/dead/drop, opportunistic meeting...Rascal is not a great hunter, but if it's right in front of him BAM. Have never seen a rat around here in 20 years, thinks it might have been displaced by major tree clearing n the last few weeks 1000' away then maybe the brush pile I burned last week<shrugs> Not happy to find it and hope to hell it's a one off.


Hmmm pics are not showing.

 

[aart]

Try pics again.Weird, no go.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Gonna vent here, hope you don't mind RH.
In 5 years of chicken keeping have never had anything try to dig in,
winged and 4 legged bouncing off the run mesh yes,
but no diggers until yesterday.
I found at least a dozen probing digs, didn't even make it down to the apron but stopped at inner HC. Small coon, possum, skunk(most likely?)...dunno<shrugs> Happened both inside yard fence at small run and outside yard fence(part of main run).

Then shortly after finding the digs, I found this dead in the yard. Thinks it met my dog and grab/shake/dead/drop, opportunistic meeting...Rascal is not a great hunter, but if it's right in front of him BAM. Have never seen a rat around here in 20 years, thinks it might have been displaced by major tree clearing n the last few weeks 1000' away then maybe the brush pile I burned last week<shrugs> Not happy to find it and hope to hell it's a one off.


Hmmm pics are not showing.

****Graphic icky dead pic ahead! **** Hopefully the pics fix?

Obviously you have a strong set up so they can't get in. Never trying at all then suddenly showing up, well hard to know what makes them favor or ignore places. Although my cat food being down at night lately is likely a factor here. Could be the tree clearing nearby for you, likely getting everything stirred up.

Then again when I had free ranging birds from bantams to peacocks I'd have no losses for months then predators everywhere.

Went for a little morning walk along the creek. Found a dead thing. Very gross so didn't get too close. No clue what it is. Can anyone tell me that this isn't a bobcat? Cause that's my best(cowardly) guess. Shall I ma'am up, find the vicks and a shovel, and get better pics?

 

[aart]

No idea what that is..need big stick to turn it over(maybe).
How big is it....1-2' long?
Tail?

Trying pics again using different way.

 

[cmom]

I have some game cameras up and most every night see coyotes and fox mainly, some coons, possums, dogs, cats and rarely a bobcat. I'm putting a new camera up today. I had a camera in a coop and there were some rats. I've since renovated that coop and no more rats but I did put some baits out for the rats where the other critters couldn't get to them.