Any suggestions: I've lost all but 7 of my chickens (out of nearly 60)

[TxChiknRanchers]

seedcorn........please elaborate!

 

[cgjsmith]

yes please elaborate. sounds intresting what kind of fly trap? I have my game plan, we are going to put marshmellows just around without a trap to entice the coon and then in a couple of nights were going to put traps out. My neighbor is pretty good at traping coons because he raises coon dogs (If I find out he released this one I'm going to be really ticked. I told him not to) I hadn't thought of a game camera I wonder if I can borrow one. I found my geese had jumped the fence (highly unusual) last night and wondred if a coon would go after something that big. I'm more worried about my quail. Crystal

 

[DoctorGoose]

Quote:
We had an electric fence when I was little. I got shocked, and I NEVER forgot! I cried and I cried, but I didn't make the mistake of touching the fence again--at least not on purpose. They should be fine.

I want to know about the fly bait too! Is it as poison or as an attractant?

 

[jimnjay]

Wow Cryastal, that is really a bummr. I am so sorry. So much for our Chicken Swap. You can also deter predators by turning on a radio in the coop/ barn. Make sure the station is 24 hour. I have not had any problems with night predators but for the first year I turned on the radio in the coop and I used a low watt night light.

With your Aussie, train him with the babies early on. After he knows the " leave it " comand. I would make my Killian lay down and put the chicks right at her feet. She would sniff them but once she knew they were not toys she has been fantastic with them. They are so smart and want to work and please. You should not have any problem with him/her and your flock. She will also be a great deterrent to predators.

 

[birdnutz]

It's a poison.REAL nasty one.But it does work on everything. It's blue cote fly poison, cola and cat food. Don't let any of your pets get to it. Anything that eats it will drop right there almost on top of the poison. I used it a couple of years ago on skunks. Killed 6 skunks in a week. Haven't seen any this year yet,so I must of taken out the whole family. Won't use it this year because I leave my dog out all the time. If you use it make sure that all your pets are locked down tight and get it picked up before turning anything out.

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

"It's a poison.REAL nasty one.But it does work on everything. It's blue cote fly poison, cola and cat food. Don't let any of your pets get to it. Anything that eats it will drop right there almost on top of the poison"



WoW!

 

[chickbea]

Oooh - don't put a kitty in there! It won't survive a fight with a coon!
I'd go for an electric fence. If your kids ignore your warning not to touch, they'll only do it once. There isn't a farm kid in the world who hasn't been zapped - it's a rite of passage!

 

[chicknmania]

Mixing Cola and fly bait is incredibly cruel. I think the law allows you to kill coons, if you need to, "in a humane fashion"....last time I talked to the S.O. about it. Maybe you'd like to take a swig, and see how you like it.

 

[birdnutz]

Wyoming lists,racoons,skunks,coyotes,jackrabbits,cats,prairie dogs,porkupine,badgers,fox,wild dog and numerous others as feral and shoot on site. Alot of states list some of them as fur bearers and as such need a trappers license.Want to make an enemy of the SO,call them out to dipatch a skunk or racoon in Wyoming in the middle of the night once.(been there,done that).Skunk at least.
So if you have dogs and cats it's best to keep them on your property. Alot of ranchers raise alot of sheep out here,they've also lost alot of other animals to predation. They don't have to catch your animals attacking,they shoot on site if on their property. I have never had a racoon around my place. (They like water,not prairie)Skunks carry rabies,even without being infected themselves,I will take them out. I don't poison now(too many pets around,mine and others)I shoot them.
I am really sorry if I offended anyone,but I will still shoot other feral animal that threaten me and mine. Not protected animals (as in hawks,falcons,eagles,wolves,bears, etc.) if they come onto my property to kill or eat my animals.
I don't have the right to shoot bear,wolf,cougar,wolf or bobcat even if they threaten my family. So I guess it's a trade off. I would just have to pay the very LARGE fine if it came to that.
Now I know why the first person didn't explain,because it just opened you up for ridicule and slams. People asked and I exlpained.

 

[ivan3]

Birdnutz, not to worry. This subject line is concerned with the EFFECTIVE removal of poultry eating vermin. Close attention in this subject line usually results in fewer visits to the EMERGENCY subject line.

Humane removal/avoidance is a laudable goal, but most of us are only doing what comes naturally in preventing our flocks' decimation by any means necessary. Thanks for your posts.