What eats my golf balls? in the winter

[deepbluesea]

x2 on the game cam--I want to know! My best guess is rats or squirrels--maybe they crack 'em open and use the innards for nests.

 

[coach723]

Game camera is a good idea. Rats are prolific breeders so can be hard to eradicate without removing the places they can nest and hide also, they usually have multiple nests. They are able to breed at 5 weeks old, gestation is 21 days, and they can have 10-12 offspring in an average birth. So doing the math there can be a lot of rats in a relatively short time. They will travel about 300 feet for food and water, but in times of need will travel farther. I have pecan trees, so lots of squirrels, they will also carry just about anything off, especially if they can chew on it, they steal my dogs old bones. Hope you can figure out what it is and keep it out.

 

[Akrnaf2]

Ok I keep 1 golf ball in each nest, I do this to kill snakes in the warm months. However it is not warn at all out, not warn enuf for snakes to be out. I also dont have alligators, to cold for them here in Oklahoma. But over the last 5-6 weeks I have had 15 golf balls disappear out of 1 nest. Started out 1 at a time, so I put 2 in this nest and both zapped. So I put 9 golf balls in this nest (my hens are not using this nest at this time, but it got their attention, count those again), a few nights ago 2 were taken, night before last 6 were taken! This is always at night (grandkids are not doing this), never any commotion, the coop is just outside my bedroom window and this nest is between those points. The other nests are inside the coop.
I know I have predators, but nothing like this has happened before most of my issues come from the cat/s and dog/s next door (ya we fight a lot). I have taken out several opossums this last year (last 3 months).
I now have foot traps around this nest (I must protect my girls!!) at night, covered in the daytime.
Any thoughts on what I may (or may not) catch?
What eats golf balls in the winter?
And can they pass them? Snakes cannot,,,

Rats

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed. You got rats.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I think putting up a game camera is also a good idea to find out what is stealing your golf balls.

 

[debid]

I'm intrigued. I had no idea a rat could carry something that large!

I'll also offer the possibility that they're in the litter on the floor if you haven't shoveled it out recently. I had a hen that loved to move eggs to her preferred box. I'd put in one plastic Easter egg per box only to find them on the floor. I thought they were being kicked out too easily so I weighted them. Nope, still on the floor and sometimes with a broken egg, too! But, as she improved her technique, she got them into her nest in one piece most of the time and I eventually caught her with an egg tucked under her beak carrying it.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

How about put a tracker in/on a golf ball or similar object to see where it goes?
You might be able to retrieve your collection!

 

[RWise]

Some good ideas here, as for the tracker, in my hood we have meth labs, I dont go on their properties for any reason (they get busted often)! I will look into a cam to put on the nest,
Actually a or more than a rat sounds right, I did go down to the creek and look for a place the balls may have been washed and discarded, nothing more then beaver activity.
This is the first time that more than a ball or 2 have vanished, and the first time whatever came back for more! Also 2 nights in a row has not been common, usually just before bad weather is when I get hit. This time it is just before good weather (near 80*F today)

 

[Sagetown]

Hello RWise: I suspect your neighbor's dogs, but Hoot Owls love to steal from nests too. They wouldn't leave any tracks, as they go straight to the nest. I've had them take bluebirds out of their boxes at night, and especially robbing my Purple Martin boxes. JMTC
Sage

 

[tigger19687]

I have not read all the posts but the 1st few and last few.

Put some kind of WHITE POWDER all around the balls and some brown cardboard on the ground. around it. Flour would be cheapest. Make it a good 1/4 inch thick.

This will give you a FOOT PRINT if it is walking. Also will show foot prints on the walls, rafters if it jumps up and didn't come from the ground.

Maybe this will work ??