War has been Declared (Graphic Pictures)

[Kiki]

There are only 3 countries that still use the Imperial system, the U.S., Liberia, and Myanmar. It was resistance to the metric system that caused the U.S. not to continue with the change over to it. Actually it is simpler once you get to understand it as it is based on 10's. Some things I don't think would change. I can't image an announcer at a football game saying "It is 2nd down with 1 meter to go". lol

Are you a foreigner like The real Foreigner? ( @Chookwagn )

 

[KingD]

Are you a foreigner like The real Foreigner? ( @Chookwagn )

I believe he/she is a .
There's only one way to find out..
What do they wear on their feet at the beach? Sandals, flip flops, thongs or Jandals¿?

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Hi everyone. I think I'm going to put a spoke in the wheel here...I do feel sorry for your loss. It's heartbreaking to lose our birds, but I find it really sad and odd that the first option people on this group resort to is to eliminate the predator! Here in South Africa, particularly where I live, we have many many "chicken predators", snakes,
Mongoose, cane rats, porcupines, monkeys, civets, genets, jackals, wild pigs and umpteen birds of prey, but none of the chicken owners I know, and nearly everyone has chickens, kill a predator, you just make sure your run and coop are extra secure. Yes, they still do get in, in some cases, but then you make a plan and make sure your run and coop are more secure. But the wildlife is never killed. I'm just saying...there is another way.

I'm with you 100% when the predator in question isn't invasive. Invasive species harm all of the native wildlife in the area with their disruptive presence, so it's honestly far more ecologically sound to dispatch any invasive animal that you catch instead of just allowing it to carry on out-competing the natives.

Sad - ferrets in the USA are not wild , sold as pets and unfortunately people don’t realize how sneaky they are and don’t take proper care & many escape & end up in animal shelters . Used to have a couple when I lived in the keys .......found one digging thru my trash can one morning .
That being said I know they are cousins to mink & wild is wild so sorry for your loss of birds

While most of the ferrets you will see are "domesticated", the Black Footed Ferret is indigenous to North America and is making somewhat of a comeback, though they are still extremely rare.

Are you a foreigner like The real Foreigner? ( @Chookwagn )

Why you gotta be foreign to know about the US being the last major (no offense to Liberia and Myanmar) holdout of the metric system, Kiki? I like metric too, honestly. It's probably only a matter of time before we give in. But they right about football. Would be weird if they used meters there and started calling the game hand egg or something.

 

[Ellegibs]

Hardware cloth! Hardware cloth! Hardware cloth!

 

[Kiki]

I'm with you 100% when the predator in question isn't invasive. Invasive species harm all of the native wildlife in the area with their disruptive presence, so it's honestly far more ecologically sound to dispatch any invasive animal that you catch instead of just allowing it to carry on out-competing the natives.

While most of the ferrets you will see are "domesticated", the Black Footed Ferret is indigenous to North America and is making somewhat of a comeback, though they are still extremely rare.



Why you gotta be foreign to know about the US being the last major (no offense to Liberia and Myanmar) holdout of the metric system, Kiki? I like metric too, honestly. It's probably only a matter of time before we give in. But they right about football. Would be weird if they used meters there and started calling the game hand egg or something.

Ask The Foreigner.

 

[Snooky doodle]

Id like to build a chicken tractor but can't because of the pedator problem! We have aggressive critters up here-coons,coyotes,growling foxes,hawks,barred owls,possums and Fisher cats!!Before I moved my flock into the barn I layed chicken wire around the whole coop about 2' out and piled heavy rocks on top of that. Then I ran a strand of electric fence wire 4 " above ground around that! May seem extreme but never lost a bird! I've had a hen attacked by a hawk while I was was standing 20 ft away watering my garden!! These critters can show up even in the day time if there hungry enough-coons will come out of hibernation in the wintertime with a ravenous hunger I use a "have a heart" trap smeared with bacon grease and when I catch the offending predator I bring them across the nearby river and set them free! Good luck-its all part of the fun!!!

Oh and by the way,when I open the trap to free the varmit I'm wearing leather motorcycle gear,gloves,safety glasses and a side arm! Anything dangerous is dispatched on my premises!

 

[PopoMyers]

Sorry for your losses but glad you were able to exact revenge! We just lost three ladies to a hawk. One lavender orpington and two Rhode Islands. We no longer let them free range unless we stand amongst them and their run is now covered.

I lost a POL Welsummer a couple months ago, and also have fully covered my run with aviary netting, and won't let the girls out in our open yard unless I know I will be out there, too. Owl or coyote, is my guess. The defenses and offenses continue.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I think one major thing that people are missing is that this is, though not at all purposeful, OP’s mistake. Killing all the predators is never going to be the solution. It just doesn’t work that way. If the ferrets can get in the coop, that’s where the solution is. You need to reinforce your coop so this doesn’t need to happen.

I’m not sure I could ever kill an animal that was only in this situation because of something I’m at fault for. Even if it killed my birds. They are just hungry animals acting on instinct.

 

[BigFuzzball]

Rats are mostly too smart to be caught in traps, especially after they see one trapped.
Maybe somebody poisoned the rats? Or not having as much food available, they moved elsewhere.
Sorry you are dealing with this flu issue.
Mary

Was a Pest Control Surveyor (salesman) in the 80's so learnt a few tricks lol. We've always had rats, adjacent gardens responsible, one kept a huge aviary with assorted tropical birds etc and thus fed & housed endless rats, all sizes under the concrete base . Other had a huge abandoned unsafe shed & we frequently watched the baby rats playing outside it plus adult 'traffic' so bottom line is I've caught loads over the last 12yrs. Hopefully you're right and 'someone' has wiped them out but we all know how rats breed !!

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

I think one major thing that people are missing is that this is, though not at all purposeful, OP’s mistake. Killing all the predators is never going to be the solution. It just doesn’t work that way. If the ferrets can get in the coop, that’s where the solution is. You need to reinforce your coop so this doesn’t need to happen.

I’m not sure I could ever kill an animal that was only in this situation because of something I’m at fault for. Even if it killed my birds. They are just hungry animals acting on instinct.

No one's missing that, because it's simply not the case. Sometimes you can do everything right, and still lose. Even if everything wasn't done right, since when is human fallibility considered something that makes you at fault? If someone breaks into your house and steals your things, it's not your fault, it's theirs. Nature equipped ferrets with a variety of tools that make them quite good at getting into the smallest of spaces. Ever had one in your house? They are super destructive. There are other sources of food they could have chosen, and they'd still be alive. They made a poor choice, c'est la vie. If anyone is at fault here, it's whoever introduced them into this environment as they are invasive.

Honestly, using your argument, anyone that buys and houses chickens are responsible for their death should anything get past the coop's defenses. Hope it doesn't happen to you, broheim.