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Thread: Been loosing chickens to predators

  1. #1
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Been loosing chickens to predators

    My hens refuse to roost in their lovely house. My breed, Bielefelder, are said to have been developed as a free range chicken and mine sure are. They roost in a tree. Nothing I can do about it. They like me and I like them but they are not pets. No way I could catch all 14 that are left and lock them up.

    I thought that they would be safe up there but they are not. I have lost 3 in the last 4 weeks. Some critter snags them from the branches of the tree in the wee hours of the night since the hens ignore their safe ice enclosed house with an automatic door.

    I heard it again last night as their tree (and house) is right outside my bedroom window. There was a huge cackling as something caught one and hauled it off. My worthless yapping dogs all went on a huge bark and barked later even when I could hear nothing until morning.

    This morning there were 3 piles of feathers close to the fence which leads through the overgrown pasture and into the woods which leads to the river.

    My neighbor thinks that the culprit is either an owl or a possum. I doubt that it was an owl. I didn't think that a possum could climb a tree. Whatever it is there is nothing I can do about it. I can't sleep outside anymore because of my back. Whatever this predator is it knows that the next time it needs a good meal, the table is set for it.
    Mama Bear

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    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    That really bites Liz. My bet would be a possum. I do not think an owl would leave piles of feathers. Also I think a chicken would be a bit heavy for an owl to carry off unless it is a large owl.
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


  3. #3
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    I agree, Pat. I was thinking a Bobcat, but we have way more possums than bobcats. If my back allows it I will get more day old chicks next Spring and do my best to keep them locked up long enough that they consider their nice house to be the place to sleep.
    Mama Bear

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    Registered Member famtsberg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    We have coyotes that have the cats on lockdown. They wait a couple months, people get new cats, Then they run through the neighborhood for a couple nights and lay waste to them. Got 2 of ours. One I really like then other one was ok. They also keep trying to to dig into my coop. We had a possum come through and try to get our ducks. My wife heard something out by the coop one night and about half way there got nailed by a rattlesnake. 2 days in the hospital, can't walk still 10 days later. On the upside i've sold 250 snail on AB. lol
    The secret to learning how to fly is this, you must throw yourself at the ground and miss.

  5. #5
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    And on the upside here I just sold 24 Mystery snails to my LPS today. The Assassins breed very slowly in my water but they do live and do their job for me.

    I guess if we choose to live in the country we have to deal with predictors. Ain't nothin' better than a good nutritious chicken dinner. It's worth the cost, though.
    Mama Bear

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    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    Quote Originally Posted by LizStreithorst View Post
    And on the upside here I just sold 24 Mystery snails to my LPS today...
    I appreciate the irony here. We have an auction every two months, which is just the amount of time for mystery snails to get from 1/2" to 1 1/2". Every auction, people bid up those bags of mystery snails.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    Racoons climb trees.......

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    Registered Member 14Discus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    FYI……through the years, I’ve indeed seen opossums in both deciduous and coniferous trees. I’d still lean towards bobcats as the culprit. Try putting a game camera nearby to see what is going on. And…imho, a large owl could also be the cause. And yes…..raccoons are chicken lovers. Used to see them try for my prize chickens years ago when I showed my Seabright and Black Breasted Old English Game bantams.
    Last edited by 14Discus; 09-28-2021 at 05:25 PM.

  9. #9
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    I had a bobcat attack a few years ago when I neglected to close the door to the chicken house for too long back when the hens roosted in the house. It was almost total carnage. We must have coons but I have never seen one here. Who knows it could have been a very large owl but my bet is on a possum. I don't have a wild life camera and if I did it wouldn't do me any good to know what critter it was. I can't sleep outside and I don't own a gun. I'll just hope that whatever it is it will move on to greener pastures.
    Mama Bear

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    Registered Member famtsberg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    Getting clutches of mystery snails now that are pea size. LFS like them. The bought some the other day. I need to get the other color clutches now that my assasshole snails numbers are going down. they really like the tanks with plecos. Thanks Willie they love that mulm.
    The secret to learning how to fly is this, you must throw yourself at the ground and miss.

  11. #11
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    Ive noticed that too, Fritz. Plecos and Mystery Snails both seem seem to grow faster in tanks where they are together. I figure most folks would consider growing out snails and BN to be a terrible waste of tank space. It's not if they give you pleasure, though.
    Mama Bear

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    Registered Member famtsberg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    Quote Originally Posted by LizStreithorst View Post
    Ive noticed that too, Fritz. Plecos and Mystery Snails both seem seem to grow faster in tanks where they are together. I figure most folks would consider growing out snails and BN to be a terrible waste of tank space. It's not if they give you pleasure, though.
    That's true but the LFS love them both. Go figure. I've been surprised at how slow BN grow. Prolific once they get breeding age.
    The secret to learning how to fly is this, you must throw yourself at the ground and miss.

  13. #13
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    Yes, the BN are problematic that way. Once they get started they don't quit and then you're stuck growing them out for what seems like forever. I solved the constant breeding problem by putting my pairs in with preditory fish. We don't think of Discus as being vicious hunters but once you see them hunt down and eat baby plecos we realize otherwise. I figure that the few that survive have earned the right to live.
    Mama Bear

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    Registered Member seanyuki's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    Liz saw this on YouTube farm pals saved the chicken.


    Grasshopper
    Francis

  15. #15
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Been loosing chickens to preditors

    That is so cool, Francis. Those folks have a wonderful encolour for a couple of goats and a few hens. They'd be safe there from most critters but the chickens are sitting ducks for a hawk.

    I don't know if you're aware of this but before I started keeping and breeding fish I bred and showed and milked a herd of dairy goats. The breed of goat that saved her chicken friend is Oberhasli. That particular goat is a very good quality one.
    Mama Bear

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