The Duck Thread

[casportpony]

Guess we see drama in a different light. I'm just as entitled to my opinion as others. It's upsetting and overly dramatic to me to hear someone talk about poisoning wildlife over them not enclosing their baby livestock. Ravens don't go after full grown chickens, Guinea, etc hence them getting attacked by the flock when the Ravens went out into the persons yard. If a raven could have gotten to them so could a cat, dog, rat....No one said anything about locking your birds up their entire life. Doing it when their young and their number of natural predators is doubled is a no brainier. I've had an entire flock of 19 wring neck doves I had been breeding for years wiped out by a family of raccoons in one night. The next coop we built we made sure we put coyote sent around and more properly predator proofed. I never once got mad at the raccoons and they never came back. Ravens keep Hawks away. There is a good reason to have a symbiotic relationship with them and many homesteaders with large flocks try to keep them around. There is always different ways of dealing with predator issues. Prevention to me is always the number one option over killing off nature.
Quote:

Yes they do in spite of what some self educateds on this site may try to tell you! I've lost several chickens and waterfowl to them over the past years. I recently had a raven kill a half grown goose and later get into a fight with my full grown rooster who was backed up by a young goose and he still was fighting when I threw a rock his direction. I'm to the point of probably having to winter my battle-scarred rooster over so he and I will be better able to guard next seasons birds.

You got the right idea covering your run however a lighter material is deer netting or some call it fruit tree netting. It's strong enough to stand up to weather, less visually obnoxious, and still keeps out the bad guys and I've not had an issue of a predator bird getting tangled up in it. As you have probably witnessed, ravens are very smart so be sure to leave no gaps in the overhead cover as they will find it and do their best to wipe you out.

Good luck in your battle and please pass on any tips that work well for you

Oh, someone recommended a breed of chicken called shamos as a rooster who may stand up to a raven but I haven't had time to check them out of find a source

-Kathy

 

[WVduckchick]

Responsibilities are seen in many ways... it is ones right to protect ones flock... whether by lethal force or not is up to each persons choice... judging another for doing what is in their rights is just not fair...

Nor is it fair to to equate the elimination of a predator targeting ones flock with the hunting of a species to an extreme...

Everyone has a different view and different solutions... it is best to respect that and not judge...

I got home yesterday and had a bantam cochin chick in my live trap! She was NOT happy!

 

[Ravynscroft]

I got home yesterday and had a bantam cochin chick in my live trap!  She was NOT happy!   

I got one of the Calls in mine before I caught the coon the other day, lol... poor girl was freaked out... think I have to replace my trap though... I don't think it works right anymore after that coon tore up the foot release lever and the door... whole thing is mangled and warped...

 

[casportpony]

I got home yesterday and had a bantam cochin chick in my live trap! She was NOT happy!

I bet!

-Kathy

 

[AmandaMBG]

Those must be some pretty starved Ravens

That is an extreme situation though and not always the case. Like I said when you have tried other options and are still not having success then it makes sense. I just don't see it as the first step ever. In this case the bird was able to go all the way into the coop and into the pen with the young birds. So there was little to know prevention taken.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Those must be some pretty starved Ravens

That is an extreme situation though and not always the case. Like I said when you have tried other options and are still not having success then it makes sense. I just don't see it as the first step ever. In this case the bird was able to go all the way into the coop and into the pen with the young birds. So there was little to know prevention taken.
Quote: Might not be the norm, but it can happen, so I was just trying to point out that it can happen.

-Kathy

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Those must be some pretty starved Ravens

That is an extreme situation though and not always the case. Like I said when you have tried other options and are still not having success then it makes sense. I just don't see it as the first step ever. In this case the bird was able to go all the way into the coop and into the pen with the young birds. So there was little to know prevention taken.

You need to stop making assumptions and judgments. You don't know anything about her or her situation. Listen to RavynFallen. She is right...

 

[WVduckchick]

So..... LOOK! DUCKS! And chickens!

 

[casportpony]

So..... LOOK! DUCKS! And chickens!

Very nice!

-Kathy

 

[jenniferlamar70]

So..... LOOK! DUCKS! And chickens!

Lol. I love your black swedish. Have you ever seen a splash swedish?