Suburban warning

[Young MacDonald]

Good morning, BYCers.

I want to remind those of you who live in the "close-in" suburbs not to let your guards down about wild predators. We're always mindful of dogs, but we tend to thi nk we're immune from the "country" predators: foxes, opposum, etc.

I have even suggested to my husband that we need not lock the coop and run at night because who/what would harm our chicks anyway? We live close in to the city and there aren't any wild predators out there.

Thankfully, he told me we should always lock them in at night. This morning, I found a dead opposum in the yard. My dog or cat must have killed it last night. I'm glad they did. It also serves as a warning to those of us who live where you wouldn't expect to find them that predators are always looking for prey.

(Good news is, it didn't get in the coop).

 

[spook]

Thank you for that reminder, in this day with the way all preditors, dog, cat, coon, neighbor or kid, securing all of our belongings is important!
Glad your cat, dog, and girls are safe!

 

[scooter147]

Hey Young McDonald where in St Louis do you live? I'm in Bridgeton.
Welcome.

As far as "city" predators I see more and see more signs of predators now that I'm in the burbs then I did when I lived on 40 acres in the middle of no where in Illinois.

We definately have coons, possums, hawks and foxes. I have found a many muddly little paw print on my coop doors and on the side of the coop where they try to get into the windows.

You need to make sure they are locked up tight each and EVERY night and before dusk. I have had a surprise before when I got home late and went out with a flashlight and found possum in the coop, luckily I arrived before damage was done.

 

[DiVon80]

Good Dog!!!

 

[Wifezilla]

I had been pretty lax about predators since I live in suburbia and have a 6' fence around the entire back yard. Then the guy I split an order of ducklings with lost all three of his birds to some wandering critter. Around the same time, I saw a fox 2 blocks away trotting across the street with a rabbit in its mouth. The next week I smelled skunk in the alley. THEN I saw a redtailed hawk circling over the elementary school near my home.

I thought my biggest issue would be MY male cat, and since Janet (my khaki hen) chased him under a wheel barrow and put him in his place on day one, I thought I could relax. WRONG!!!!

Fortunately I was able to upgrade their night pen before anything happened. This upgrade also solved another problem.....a squirrel had found the duck food and was raiding their feeder daily!

There is a LOT of wildlife in suburbia.

 

[scooter147]

There is a LOT of wildlife in suburbia.

The more correct way of saying it would be there are a lot of people in the "wilderness"

 

[EweSheep]

I get raccoons, rats, hawks and possums in the CITY! It pays to be extra careful about those predators. Rats are a nuisance to me but they are low in the list, baiting with poison.

A barking dog can deter them out.

 

[Young MacDonald]

Scooter, we're in Olivette

 

[cgmccary]

I live in the city and have killed 5 opossums trying to get my chickens. I have seen raccoons, owls, hawks and even a coyote. Dogs running loose are still the most dangerous and prevalent predator for me!

 

[Wifezilla]

Stray dogs are a big issue. There have been several in the alley behind the duck pen, but that is the part with the 6' fence.