War has been Declared (Graphic Pictures)

[Conan]

Natural instict isn't kind. Ever watch a big cat eat a baby gazelle alive? The sounds alone are enough to turn the stomach. Hunger drives all creatures, but that doesn't mean that all non human creatures are inherently innocent by human definition.
The Mustelidae family is notoriously vicious. Just this last week, my friend lost her whole flock of 26 birds in one night to a single mink... I'm sure that mink was just extremely hungry.
This thread is about identifying, and dealing with predators. It's not an animal rights debate.

 

[JaeG]

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.

These are an introduced pest species that have no natural predators at all in New Zealand. They can multiply with no natural limitations on their numbers. They kill our native fauna, most of which are endangered because of these introduced pests and other introduced pest species.

My birds free range, even our tiny bantams, and we have lost one to a passing stoat. Our ducks and young turkey are fully free range - no coops. I had a scare the other day when a feral cat was strolling up the driveway, but I sent the dog after it so hopefully it will stay away now that it knows a dog is here.

Those pest animals do not belong in New Zealand. We have traps out all the time and have caught many brushtail possums and rats. Any dead pest is a good one. And for New Zealand it is about killing all the predators because they are introduced and do not belong here, and it's the only way we will save many of our critically endangered native animals.

 

[Foxinthehenhouse]

How do they get in the coop at night? Don’t you close the door?

 

[Petite Chateau Poulet]

Next morning..........View attachment 2571115

May I ask where you live? We are in the Pacific Northwest, and a fellow chicken keeper has had problems with weasels. I've never seen one on my property, but always on the alert.
Petite Chateau de Poulet

Next morning..........View attachment 2571115

 

[RZOELLIN]

Don't know about Down Under but in many states in the USA that's illegal. Besides they will come back.

That is how they got there in the first place. Rehoming should be left to the authorities and then they don’t always get it right.

 

[Chookwagn]

May I ask where you live? We are in the Pacific Northwest, and a fellow chicken keeper has had problems with weasels. I've never seen one on my property, but always on the alert.
Petite Chateau de Poulet

It's on my profile.... all you have to do is Google it

 

[Chookwagn]

I know this thread got way, Way off topic a few times. I may have spent my down time at work reading over it. And I've got one question. . .
Did a Mod delete happy ducky's posts? Because all I could see were quotes/replies. Not that I particularly 'wanted' to read post of that nature it just seems odd to me.

Kids trying to hide their immaturity by going back thru threads and changing their reactions and deleting posts..... they need to stay in their play pens

 

[SheaLoner]

Kids trying to hide their immaturity by going back thru threads and changing their reactions and deleting posts..... they need to stay in their play pens

Ah. I've stopped watching more then a few threads because the teens start in on something they've no experience with or start plaing their "chat" games.

 

[JadeFarms]

Kids trying to hide their immaturity by going back thru threads and changing their reactions and deleting posts..... they need to stay in their play pens

No, they were most likely deleted by mods. You have no right to drown them even though they are hurting your birds. It’s a very cruel thing to do to any animal. Chop their head off or shoot them. It’s a much better death.
I do also believe that drowning animals is considered a crime.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

No, they were most likely deleted by mods. You have no right to drown them even though they are hurting your birds. It’s a very cruel thing to do to any animal. Chop their head off or shoot them. It’s a much better death.
I do also believe that drowning animals is considered a crime.

If you don't have a gun how are you supposed to kill a ferret? It's not going to just let you scruff it and pull out of the live trap to cut it's head off.