Visited by a mountain lion....scary!

[92caddy]

What I do to help keep predators and rats away is, I um, um, I um pee around the coop, I know it may sound crazy, but it works. If you pee down a rat hole, they wont use that hole any more and I believe it helps to keep the pussiom away and such. If or when I get a guinea hen sitting on eggs out in the brush, I go and pee all around her nest, havent lost a hen or eggs since I started doing that, so I believe it works. I hope I didnt offend anyone by stateing that, sorry if I did, didnt mean too....................

 

[unionwirewoman]

Unfortunatley in the Swan lake area , you're going to get all sorts of predators . It's one of the best hunting grounds in North west Montana . Your best bet is to keep an eye out ( that eye should be looking through a rifle ) . Fish and game around our parts will not do much , unfortunately , until many others call to complain or a small child is hurt / killed . Good luck......It would take a 12' high powered electric fence to keep them out . Solar powered won't cut it .

 

[92caddy]

If you put a fence up, make sure you dont pee on it, that wouldnt so nice/fun, I know the hard way, been there done that...........

 

[breezy]

Dont know if you want to think about dogs for deterence but a couple of large airdales will make a cat think twice after its been harassed by them. If you go that route make sure you put some serious training time into them. A pair of airedales properly handled and trained is formidable..... a couple of untrained ones...frightening. Airedales were used to hunt cat here in Colorado at one time. Karelian bear dogs might do the job as well altho I am honestly not familiar with the breed enough to feel confident about recomending them. Good luck with the cat problem

 

[whitecra]

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There are mountain lions in Missouri and Arkansas and OKlahoma.
Chris

 

[rufus]

Make a notation on the calendar on the date you heard the puma. Then again when you hear it the next time. This will give you some idea of when the beast will revisit your area.

You will know when to take extra precautions. Make sure when you go outside that it isn't on the roof or the porch.

Good luck, you are going to need it.

Rufus

 

[LilbitChicken]

OH, that sounds so scary.

I don't know if I could handle that either!
I hope all stays safe for you and your feathered family!

 

[BorderKelpie]

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I had my ex do that years ago - it did seem to work. Since he's an 'ex' now, I need to borrow someone who can do that at my place. I have a hard time precision p - uh, hmm - marking - that's it, marking! lol

 

[JenMT]

Thanks everyone for your input....Fish and Game didn't come out today, but they did call me to let me know that there have been multiple sightings and deer kills within a few mile radius around my house (would have been nice to know since I also have kids and other animals). He was sure that it was a mountain lion too, and was real helpful but more or less said, "thats life in Montana" .......which I already know. My mountain lion may be mating or unusually hungry because of our late spring. The local deer population has not moved back up the mountains so the lions are coming down to residential areas to find a food source. Anyway, he advised about the same as you guys..."the 6 foot deer fence and separate chicken run are useless against a mountain lion or bear that wants to get to my chickens" But, he also said (unlike a bear) that unless I have an unusually aggressive lion he wouldn't likely hunt during the light of day when my hens free range and as long as the chickens are locked up in the coop at night I shouldn't have any problems. The mountain lion usually likes an easy prey and doesn't like to waste his time trying to break into a closed up coop. He gave me his personal cell number and told me to call him anytime if I see/hear it again day or night, hopefully I never do.

 

[JenMT]

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