Quail predators !

[James the Bald]

Any idea on what to do with raccoons pulling three quail through my aviary? I have it so secure top to bottom and last night three quail were ripped through the wires !

The problem is that they know where to find these birds, and will be back. In addition to what everyone else has said about hardware cloth, after losing one of my hens to a local cat, I gave some serious thought about stringing a low voltage wire around the area where I used to keep my quail. I have a live catch trap that has been doing a good job for cats, but from my experience, there is never just "one 'coon".
James

 

[goagain]

Ditto on James statement. Raccoons tend to run in groups. I have had six or more in my barn at one time. When I fixed the pens so they couldn't reach them, they started tearing feeders apart and eating bird food. They are tough ones to deal with. I am building another barn to put my cages in..

 

[Quailsong]

1/2" hardware cloth is sturdy, BUT you need to include washers with the screws or the raccoons will rip it right off. Remove all other sources of food for them (garbage, bird feeders, etc) & make their visits unpleasant any way you can. Keep night lights on, put a radio in/near your coop, get an airsoft/varmint gun...

Best of luck!

 

[rock101fan]

Thanks , tonight is night one for my trap . We will see in the morning, I have a high powered air rifle to serve them lead for breakfast.

 

[rock101fan]

Got a cat last night ... Not what I was expecting

 

[speedy2020]

I have been loosing 10 quails so far through 1/2" x 1" welded rabbit wire. The pen is 28" off ground. I think 1 rat is biting on the quail head from bottom and eaten what he can. I've been trying to catch that bad rat with trap without any luck. I also add 1"x1" chicken wire about 4" apart from rabbit wire yesterday, but not sure it will solve the problem or not.

 

[qlicer49]

Ugh, I not only have to deal with cats and raccoons around my chickens and quail but skunks too.

 

[Quailsong]

I have been loosing 10 quails so far through 1/2" x 1" welded rabbit wire. The pen is 28" off ground. I think 1 rat is biting on the quail head from bottom and eaten what he can. I've been trying to catch that bad rat with trap without any luck. I also add 1"x1" chicken wire about 4" apart from rabbit wire yesterday, but not sure it will solve the problem or not.

Sadly, it won't solve the problem.

You NEED 1/2" x 1/2" - SQUARE wire grid. You can't just cheat & have half the dimensions at 1/2" because the full 1" will be enough for a predator to weasel their way in, even just a hand & mouth combo. Even so, adding a layer of hardware cloth over that will give you the best protection - provided you're savvy enough to add washers to the screws so predators can't rip it out.

The rat isn't going to bother with your traps if it knows it can get scrumptious quail for dessert anytime. You could try to use a dead quail as bait for a large living trap, so it goes in all the way to the carcass. Then either rehome or kill it as you see fit.

But otherwise, that extra chicken wire isn't going to do it. It's so thin, a rat could bite through it if determined enough, and too erratic in protection (one area's covered over 1/2" but another still has the bigger gap).

 

[speedy2020]

Sadly, it won't solve the problem.

You NEED 1/2" x 1/2" - SQUARE wire grid. You can't just cheat & have half the dimensions at 1/2" because the full 1" will be enough for a predator to weasel their way in, even just a hand & mouth combo. Even so, adding a layer of hardware cloth over that will give you the best protection - provided you're savvy enough to add washers to the screws so predators can't rip it out.

The rat isn't going to bother with your traps if it knows it can get scrumptious quail for dessert anytime. You could try to use a dead quail as bait for a large living trap, so it goes in all the way to the carcass. Then either rehome or kill it as you see fit.

But otherwise, that extra chicken wire isn't going to do it. It's so thin, a rat could bite through it if determined enough, and too erratic in protection (one area's covered over 1/2" but another still has the bigger gap).

My small old pen is 1/2"x1/2". The problem is the drop stick to the wire so this new pen 1/2" x 1" solve the issue.

I did use the dead quail on my live trap without any success, but I have other ideas to get rid of the bad rat.

 

[Quailsong]

My small old pen is 1/2"x1/2". The problem is the drop stick to the wire so this new pen 1/2" x 1" solve the issue.

I did use the dead quail on my live trap without any success, but I have other ideas to get rid of the bad rat.

I don't use metal grids for bottoms. Mine are on pine shavings or grass. It's easier on their feet, tons cleaner (their feet are as pink as the day they hatched), also easier to just scoop up the shavings & toss to my compost bin.

However, I would say if you're having the problem of the rats reaching them from UNDER the pen, then I'd put another grate under it, about 3-5 inches lower. They'd be able to reach through the first grate, but not the second. Their poop would still fall down without getting stuck (I assume). Just make the grate detachable or on a hinge in case you ever want to clean the gap between the wires.