| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| magnoliakathy |
Posted - Feb 03 2010 : 08:52:00 AM
Less than 10 days ago I had 8 laying hens and 6 roosters (some of these boys were headed for the freezer), today I have 3 hens and 3 roosters left. A family of raccoons has moved in on us. The first massacre left me with 4 dead hens, 2 dead roosters, and a hen house of scared poultry. We set up the traps, caught one raccoon,that day, and another the next day. This past Friday, I took off from work, and spent the day, laying wire on the ground, attaching it to the existing wire on the chicken area, securing gates, reworking the turkey pen for the December chicks and got them on the ground. Monday afternoon we went to a movie, and did not rebait the traps. Tuseday morning around 5:15 am, I headed down to the animal barn, as I walked up, I saw a racoon shadow (on the trap) walking on the roost in the chicken pen. I rushed inside, and beat it all the way out the door with a 3 ft. piece of rebar I use to secure a gate with, found a dead hen on the ground. When I got home from work yesterday, I patched, boarded, and wired any place that looked like a small rat could get through. Hubby rebaited the traps last night. This morning there is another racoon in one of the traps. I sent it on to raccoon heaven and will wash the trap when I get home today and rebait it. Losing 6 chickens in one night tells me it is a family of raccoons. The last time this happened we dispatched 5 raccoons, in about 6 days, the new count is 3, so I think there are 2-3 more raccoons with designs on my chickens. I know some people think raccoons are cute, but when you are picking up and burying the chickens you raised from 3-days old, raccoons are not cute. I know wild animals need to eat too, but there is a marsh behind our property full of frogs and snakes for the wildlife, not my chickens.
When you free your mind your heart can fly. Farmgirl # 714, |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Beverley |
Posted - Feb 12 2010 : 12:56:54 PM
I agree raccoons are not cute. I had a problem with them getting my chickens too and it is not fun!!!
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog....Charles F. Doran
beverley baggett Beverley with an extra E...
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| sacredwolf |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 7:31:57 PM
I am sorry, for some reason we have not had the problem but I am sure it is to come. We have a huge coon population as well as coyote and fox. As of right now the fox are our worse problem for me. My husband believes in building things so that he does not have to fix them later, so my chickens live in what I call the chicken fortress but the geese and ducks on the other hand run free. When my momma geese are sitting on there nest the fox come in and attack them. All that I have left is feathers and a head it is awful. I (or should I say my husband) only traps and disposes of animals that are threatening ours but, yes, I have no problem in doing so. I understand what the other girls are saying and agree, that we have moved into their home, but, also agree with you that, we have to protect our own. I think most of us have been where you are at and the emotions of protecting your animals kick in and that is all that matters. I hope that you can take care of your problem and stop them pesky coons. Good Luck!!! |
| Farmtopia |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 4:11:38 PM
I hate to say it Belle, but I agree with Theresa, to an extent. How can you charge one group of animals as "having rights" and the other group as having no rights? Why, because it's inconvenient to you? Domesticated animals can just as easily wreak havoc on their surrounding environment; even farm dogs can destroy other people's property, and in fact there are studies that suggest loose DOMESTIC dogs are worse than raccoons, foxes and coyote in the level of damage that they do. And what can be said of THOSE rights, then?
I understand what you are saying, but I think your statement sets up an unfair precedent on how animals are looked upon. I think each animal has rights to do as he or she pleases. Animals have been doing things for some time before Man showed up, anyway, and there's little to change animals' behaviors. But note that these animals aren't doing it to SPITE humans. The animals that predate on your livestock don't know that those chickens are any different then birds in the wild. They do not know the consequences of dealing with domestic livestock, and at the same time, you need to protect your livestock. But to act in contempt because an animal is doing what it's been designed to do is something I wouldn't understand, especially when people have encroached on the natural world, not the other way around.
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| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 11:15:59 AM
A major reason WHY all the predators are coming in and killing our livestock and pets for food, is because they are running out of their space. Coyotes, bears and moutain lions are becomeing major problems in "cities" due to the ever expanding human race. their territories are becomeing ever smaller, plus alot of people think its cute to put out food for them, until foofoo and fifi disappear, then its kill them all. Adults and children are being mauled and killed in ever increasing rate. Then you have the smaller predators, i.e. racoons, skunks etc that are oppurtunists (sp?), they will eat what is there and easy, especially when they have young. We all have to continually find new ways to fortifiy our pens and fences to protect our animals. Saying animals do not have rights, I think that they do to an extent. They have the right to live their lives in peace, and not be driven into extinction by the "Big Bad Wolf" syndrum (sp?), we need to learn to live in a , at least somewhat harmony. Without these animals, we would be over run with rodents, and wild hooved animals, who in turn would become diseased, and would starve to death with out food themselves. There is a fine balence between them and us, and that balence is eroding at an alarming rate. I hunt and fish, don't have a problem with that at all, I do not beleive in "sport" hunting for trophys, and I don't want this world to become so void of wildlife that our children and their children can only see animals in museums and books, I think all humans have the right to enjoy the world and nature as God intended. I am NOT saying you should'nt be able to protect your livestock, I have, myself shot or trapped many times animals that have come onto my place for the sole purpose of an easy meal, but, at least 3/4 of the time, its been a domesticated dog/dogs. I AM a Rancher/farmer, but Ive learned to share my piece of the world, and I do know of many in all parts of this country that have done the same. My final words are, trap and dispose of the coons that are killing your chickens, cause they will continue to do so, if you don't, and good luck.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
| Bellepepper |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 10:06:30 AM
I think the wildlife have been listening to the Animal Rights bunch. Animals DO NOT have rights. Along with rights comes responsibility. Guard dogs, companion animals, milk cows riding horses, chickens, all have rights. Deer, coons, opossums, skunks, and the like have no rights to invade our personal property. Don't you just want to scream when you hear someone whine because a farmer killed a preditor?
The wild life population is getting worse all the time. We never had trouble like this when I was growing up or even 40 years ago when we bought our farm. Don't know what we can do about it except build fortress' for our animals and gardens and shoot to kill.
Belle |
| Candy C. |
Posted - Feb 03 2010 : 1:34:47 PM
Kathryn,
I hope you get every one of the little buggers!
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
| Lessie Louise |
Posted - Feb 03 2010 : 10:55:58 AM
I have racoons but the possums have done the most damage to the hens, except for the fox. They just take the chicks head and take off. The fella at the feed store told me that the will just take part of the chicken, like the head and take it to their nest. My coop used to look nice and orderly but I have re enforced it so many times that it looks like the Clampets have moved in! But I think this very minute it is secure. I had no idea when I started raising chickens how low on the food chain they ar. I'm sorry about your chicks Kathryn, and I hope you catch all those critters!
Forget buns of steel, I'd rather have buns of cinnamon!
Farmgirl #680! |
| rschaaf |
Posted - Feb 03 2010 : 10:05:19 AM
Kathryn, I'm so sorry for you!!! I haven't had to find such grusome discoveries yet, but am surprised it hasn't happened yet. There is a woodpile not far from my coop and a big oak tree. I know something was living in that woodpile, but never saw it. I had suspicions it was a cat. But, one night our blue heeler was outside and started barking and wouldn't stop. We called for him and called but, didn't know where he was. Then, we didn't hear him. Then, he appeared dragging something. It was dark so we weren't sure. My hubby went out and got him. Yes, it was a raccoon! He definitely had injured it, but it hobbled off somewhere. A few nights later Justin was barking again, this time out by my coop. I flipped on the light on the porch and could barely see 2 shadows, one was Justina dn the other was a raccoon and it was chattering at him. I yelled at Justin and he came. I'm not sure if it was the same raccoon, but then I found a dead one by the wood pile. Justin must have done his job cause I haven't seen or heard anymore raccoons and none of the dogs have been sniffing around like they are on the trail of something.
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