Something killed 11 of my birds overnight

[Cara]

I caught another one

Just my luck this one was alive and giving me the puppydog eyes. If i'd had a safe way to get it out of the trap he would probably have got relocated to the other side of the ranch. I set the trap again tonight, but i'm hoping this is the end of it, that pesky creature made me feel horrible.

 

[cjeanean]

Quote:
A .22 will most definately kill a coon, my brother, in a case of mistaken target identity, nailed a deer that was bedded down right in the forehead and killed it instantaneously.....

 

[Cara]

Quote:
A .22 will most definately kill a coon, my brother, in a case of mistaken target identity, nailed a deer that was bedded down right in the forehead and killed it instantaneously.....

He must have a better aim than me LOL Luckily my husband is back now, and doesn't mind taking care of the trapped terrors. The last one made me cry though, it's hard to hate them when they're just hunting a good meal

 

[meissel]

I am very sorry for your loss. I don't yet have any chickens, but reading this thread kind of saddened me. I feel bad for the raccoons. I hope I can secure my chickens so it never comes down to this chicken versus raccoon blood bath scenario. The more I read the more challenging this appears to be.

 

[Cara]

Quote:
Yes it is hard to kill (or have someone kill) a wild animal when it is doing what comes naturally. I was upset about my birds, but the raccoons didn't do it to spite me, they saw an opportunity and took it. That's what they have to do to survive.

I didn't want it killed, but I don't want to give up raising birds and that was the only way we could guarantee that those particular raccoons would not do it again. The coop will be reinforced, but we thought that ones that had already been inside it and got a free meal would be more likely to actively try to get in, rather than other passing predators which might give it a brief try and leave. I suppose the guilt and sadness of killing a predator is all part of deciding to keep livestock of any kind; if you choose to keep them you owe it to them to protect them

It didn't stop me from hoping my husband would tell me he'd released it a long way away though.

 

[meissel]

Thanks Cara. This is my first time on this site and people on this predator and pets list seem pretty trigger happy. I want to think we can out think and out engineer these critters, but I have not been tested yet. I know I would be devistated if I went through what you just did. I hope if it happens to me I will attack the hole in my defenses and not the critter who discovered it. Time will tell. Best of luck restoring your flock.

 

[MaryT]

I know how you feel..... We lost a 19 week old BO last night to a coon...... it just ate her head off.......... We burried her this morning.......... gonna set a trap tonight.........
We had seperated her from the flock because they were picking on her.................. thought the pen we put her in was safe we had four ducks in it a couple of months ago and nothing bothered them..... apparently the chicken must have been the prefered dinner.............. Hopefully we can get rid of it tonight I am sure it is gonna try again......

 

[bluey]

Thanks Cara. This is my first time on this site and people on this predator and pets list seem pretty trigger happy. I want to think we can out think and out engineer these critters, but I have not been tested yet. I know I would be devistated if I went through what you just did. I hope if it happens to me I will attack the hole in my defenses and not the critter who discovered it. Time will tell. Best of luck restoring your flock.

Hopefully, your predators won't be able to cross the chocolate rivers, fly through gumdrop rainbows nor climb the ice cream mountains...

anyway...

trigger happy bluey....

by the way, .22's do work on killing coons, but not as humanely as I expected. That's why I'm currently searching for a higher caliber to do the job right...​

 

[CathyB]

So sorry Cara. I am glad that you got two of them. I know what you mean about it not being dead and having to kill it. That would be so hard foe me that it would have stayed in the trap until DH came home........

 

[janjan1]

So sorry for your losses. I too use to find it difficult to kill a wild critter, especially since my sister is a wild life rehabber. She does possums, squirrils, rabbits and deer. A few years ago, I use to think that squirrels were such nice cute things until they invaded my house & attic. Took almost $3,000 to repair the damage. I trapped so many it seemed I cleared out the whole neighborhood of the furry rats. Finally no more came around. Still can't stand the furry rats. Sure they look cute, but can cause so much damage not only to property but also to our barnyard critters.
Jan