Reminder: This is a good time to double check your defenses.

[Tevyes Dad]

We just caught a pair of raccoons on our security system last night. The ducks were all safe in their house, but the traps are going out again. We haven't had any since spring so I thought this might be a good time for a general reminder.

This time of year most of the wild predators out there are simultaneously running lower on food and wanting to fatten up before winter hits. This means they are trying harder. Smaller predators that may shy away from a fight with your birds to feed on smaller prey may now take the challenge. Larger predators that don't normally come so close to residences will become less shy. They are all prepping for winter so they may now take on obstacles that deterred them when food was more plentiful and they didn't need to plump up. Also the nights are coming earlier giving you a smaller margin between when your birds will go in and when the nocturnal predators come out.

If you are reading this, just take a few extra minutes today to check your fences and doors for weaknesses. If you have an electric fence check it out with a tester and make sure it is working. Make sure everything is up to the task of keeping your flock safe.

(If you happen to be in the southern hemisphere, it is still a good time. Many predators are starting to become more active and they're hungry!)

 

[CityFarmer202]

Thanks for the reminder! Yesterday a falcon attacked my girls with me standing a few feet away. They sure are getting more brazen.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

@CityFarmer202 I hope there were no casualties. Not only do we have to deal with more aggressive predators, we have golden and bald eagles that are only in our immediate area in the spring and fall. They are protected so defense (and a huge field full of gophers behind our property to fill them up) is the ONLY strategy. Raccoons I can at least deal with more aggressively.

 

[CityFarmer202]

there wasn't...thankfully most of them were smart enough to hightail it to the coop, but the dumb ones i protected. I've been watching really close hoping he does not come back. I hear ya, raccoons are a bit easier to protect them from...they mostly come out at night though they are pretty crafty. birds of prey can come at any time.