So many predators,So few bullets....

[mark3208]

Unlike my docile laying hens ,that are perpetually behind bars,for their own safety. I have game crosses that under normal circumstances do quite well living their lives unemcumbered by wood ,and wire.As of late,this has not been the case. It started a few weeks ago when i noticed one of my game chicks missing. They normally roost fairly high in the trees,so i suspected an owl had him for dinner,then another one went awol,and another.At this point im still convinced it was an owl. Then one day last week i awoke to all of my chickens clucking hysterically just before daybreak,i looked around outside ,but seen no sign of any intruder. In the following days i met the same disturbance time after time,and more missing chickens. I set my box trap three consecutive nights baited with cat food in a hole i dug under the trap. Two times the varmit dug under the trap to get the food. The third night i put the bait in wire mesh inside the trap,only to find it untouched in the morning.This morning revealed the reason why,i awoke to the same disturbance,only to find a red fox in my yard trying to catch the chickens after they come off their roost.I couldnt get my gun loaded fast enough this morning,but it is by the door waiting for tomorrow.

 

[Rooster Cogburn Jr.]

sounds like fun. Can't wait to hear how it goes

 

[joanie_maine]

Boy, do I know that feeling!

I hope you're a good shot.

Being a firearms challenged kind of gal, I depend on my traps to catch varmits so I can shoot them in the trap!

Good Luck!!

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Good you know what is after the game chickens.

When my chickens were free ranging they roosted WAY up high in this very tall tree. Every morning I noticed some "missing". It was racoons climbing the tree.

Now I have sheet metal around that tree but I also have all the chickens put up at night and in a pen during the day. Alot more trouble and feeding expense and it is a shame because they loved to roam around on the 3 acres here...but I lost about 20 chickens before killing those racoons, 2 of them, and confining the chickens.

 

[mark3208]

thanks for the info BizzyBirdy,i think i am dealing with a couple different predators.i AM in the process of eliminating them though. I dont buy into this,"if you kill the coon there will be 2 more to take its place" bullcrap. These predators already know where my animals are,and they arent going away on their own.

 

[jqs birds]

Just remember dead predators don't eat!!

 

[mark3208]

I agree jqs, Dont let them go back and get their friends.