What kinds of Predators have taken your birds?

[wesleyd]

skunks, racoons and opassums out at the farm. here in town possible fox and coon and mabe a opassum. something grabbed my hen off her nest a few rainy nights ago i scrambled out to save her never saw what had her but she managed to escape. most of her feathers on the back and all her egg covering feathers are now gone. her sister Tamborina has nestled in with her to help. not sure these eggs are going to hatch even with the stray rooster coming around but we will see by april 13th. 8 eggs.

 

[Skyfeathers]

A huge red tail hawk grabbed one of my Ameraucanas, but when he tried to take off with her she wiggled loose! She's missing most of her feathers on her back, but otherwise is fine. When I got her back in with the others, she stood and purred to them like she was comforting them, she is the one that always does that to calm them all whenever they've had a scare.

 

[myhenSunrise]

I have to wait for two months before my chicks will be available for pick up but have placed the order early so I'm first in line,
But they'll be staying at my grandparents for the summer, I'll be there a lot be cuz I have to train a few foals, but hopefully I'll be able to work on building a coop and run with my dad when I'm not there, and the only reason I wouldn't is because up where we live there's bobcats, coyotes, a pack of like 6-7 wolves, foxes, snakes, owls, weasels to im sure, and plenty of skunks,Unfortunately. Ther may also be a few eagles, and I can't leave my dog out there because she's pretty small for a border collie, and she's been known to chase a few chickens. But I have lost 2 chickens, a pullet and a roo due to a skunk afew years ago. And besides them my grandparents have lost plenty due to skunks and dogs.

 

[myhenSunrise]

I have one thing to say about dogs as predators too.
First of all I understand that everyone's birds are their babies as are mine my babies, but I don't understand why everyone HAS to shoot dogs. If there is other options, like shooting over their heads, or filing a complaint, or even a live trap,why not do that? Even though shooting them may help you, it still leaves another heartbroken.

 

[jtn42248]

I have one thing to say about dogs as predators too.
First of all I understand that everyone's birds are their babies as are mine my babies, but I don't understand why everyone HAS to shoot dogs. If there is other options, like shooting over their heads, or filing a complaint, or even a live trap,why not do that? Even though shooting them may help you, it still leaves another heartbroken.

I don't think that the recommendation is to just arbitrarily shoot a dog. Of course everyone should try everything they can before shooting and shooting should always be a last resort. Our dogs are our babies and our birds are also. We have secured our property to prevent our dogs from getting near the birds. We have secured the birds to prevent, as much as possible, the incursion of any predator including dogs. For us, we are so rural that a strange dog is not the property of a neighbor (nearest is over a mile away) but is probably a poor dog that has been dumped in the country on its own, probably has formed a pack with other dumped dogs, has gone feral and is intent on only one thing. Getting a meal. We make noise, we shoot in the air and...so far...those things have worked. However, if a dog or group of dogs did not react to our efforts to get them to leave we would have no recourse but to take more extreme measures...we don't want to but we have a higher priority and that is to the protection of our home, our animals and our property. That is why we have home defense weapons after all.

 

[ConPollos]

I don't think that the recommendation is to just arbitrarily shoot a dog. Of course everyone should try everything they can before shooting and shooting should always be a last resort. Our dogs are our babies and our birds are also. We have secured our property to prevent our dogs from getting near the birds. We have secured the birds to prevent, as much as possible, the incursion of any predator including dogs. For us, we are so rural that a strange dog is not the property of a neighbor (nearest is over a mile away) but is probably a poor dog that has been dumped in the country on its own, probably has formed a pack with other dumped dogs, has gone feral and is intent on only one thing. Getting a meal. We make noise, we shoot in the air and...so far...those things have worked. However, if a dog or group of dogs did not react to our efforts to get them to leave we would have no recourse but to take more extreme measures...we don't want to but we have a higher priority and that is to the protection of our home, our animals and our property. That is why we have home defense weapons after all.

I've rescued quite a few of the dumped dogs out here. They're very grateful to be taken in. Sometimes they're scared and act a little growly, but they quickly get over it and in a few days they start trusting me. Most dumped dogs don't last long enough to go feral, they quickly get killed by coyotes or they starve. It's a shame people are so heartless. City people think their dumped dog will be taken in by a nice farmer. If they only knew.

 

[JadedPhoenix]

A Great Horn Owl got my 13 pound rooster years ago. Hawks have tried many times but the dog I used to have would fight them every time and he always won.

I've had many killed by dogs. Both neighborhood dogs as well as my current one. He is now my top predator.

In addition, I've lost one chick to a black snake and lost 12 chicks to the two-legged critters (Humans). After that, I started to keep a padlock on my run.

 

[critter corner]

possum raccoon but the worst is the owls and the hawks cant do anything about them

 

[mrballance]

I have one thing to say about dogs as predators too.
First of all I understand that everyone's birds are their babies as are mine my babies, but I don't understand why everyone HAS to shoot dogs. If there is other options, like shooting over their heads, or filing a complaint, or even a live trap,why not do that? Even though shooting them may help you, it still leaves another heartbroken.

If I warn the neighbor your dogs are coming over and attacking my livestock and they do nothing about it. What else can I do but make them go away.

 

[myhenSunrise]

I don't think that the recommendation is to just arbitrarily shoot a dog. Of course everyone should try everything they can before shooting and shooting should always be a last resort. Our dogs are our babies and our birds are also. We have secured our property to prevent our dogs from getting near the birds. We have secured the birds to prevent, as much as possible, the incursion of any predator including dogs. For us, we are so rural that a strange dog is not the property of a neighbor (nearest is over a mile away) but is probably a poor dog that has been dumped in the country on its own, probably has formed a pack with other dumped dogs, has gone feral and is intent on only one thing. Getting a meal. We make noise, we shoot in the air and...so far...those things have worked. However, if a dog or group of dogs did not react to our efforts to get them to leave we would have no recourse but to take more extreme measures...we don't want to but we have a higher priority and that is to the protection of our home, our animals and our property. That is why we have home defense weapons after all.

I can completely understand, the wolves are closing in on us now and they got the first calf of the season and now I'm worried about my hens, and it has happened to us before not with my hens but my dog, that two strays came to try and pick a fight with her while I was at my grandparents house helping with my horses, and my mom heard her scratching at door for help. Lol. And well I am pretty smart so my two current chickens stay with my grandfathers chickens at their farm along with three cattle dogs that protect the livestock, and the only chicken predators we've had to worry over so far have been skunks, fortunately enough. I just hope the wolves and yotees don't get by the dogs too