[moonwolf]

I swear I'm plagued by some of the worst invading bird
and feed predators in existence. Other night at 2 am a skunk
the size of a beagle dug a spot not covered with wire and heavy
Stone into the pheasant pen. I went in with trusty browning
rim fire pump rifle outfitting my head with bright headband
light. Caught him marauding and he turned coming after me!
Got the door opened fast to get out. He crawled into a small
hut the birds use. I went back in the pen, aimed into the
foot round entrance and fired seeing his beady evil devil eyes.
D...n hing got hit somewhere in neck and managed to skittle
back out where he came in leaving a massive blood trail .
I plugged up that spot. He won't get back in even if survives.

Last night found a large feed bag in the barn. Soybean meal
Spilled leaving a trail with some creature dragging the bag
somehow. Tracks unidentifiable. There was a well worn trail in
the tall grass leading out into the north bush.
I think it's a dern soybean loving bear. Now that he's interested
in barn stored feed , it'll try coming back. Me, and trustworthy
dog will be on night vigil . At least if I have to kill it,
Won't be far to drag hanging in the barn. Probably taste pretty
good. Better get a bear tag , just in case!

 

[elkhound]

dang skunks worked on my pheasants when i had them in school.

this year i have least damage from predators so far.

 

[moonwolf]

dang skunks worked on my peasants when i had them in school.

this year i have least damage from predators so far.

You are really lucky.
I think this past year it was the weather. Critters starving in
wilds. Deep snow, constant drying winds, and extreme cold
Nights kept mink active seeking hot bird blood. The mink
most viscious and worst chicken and duck losses.

Elk, here is list of my stead killers in the past 2 years:
Great grey owl (night chicken stalker )
Bald eagle (pond duck plucker )
Skunk (worst was killing bunch of young turkeys)
Mink, mink, and mink (kill any live birds)
Pine marten (recent 13 chick kill )
Coyote (duck snatcher)
Gary wolf (brazen goose grabber )
Red fox ( still around sneaky lurking for stray ducks )
Magpies and ravens. (Steal eggs laid by ducks early am)

What next ?

 

[elkhound]

i been free ranging my birds more than ever before...my rooster now is a dark cornish and i dont know if he has anything do with it or not but i gotta watch him cause hes ornery.he will jump at tires of tractor and atv...lol..so far no bird of prey problems...my feed bill is almost nothing.but having only 4 hens and roo once incident will put me back to zero.i hope to get a few hens of this breed or at least some crosses on my hens.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_chicken

 

[DEKE01]

dang skunks worked on my pheasants when i had them in school.

this year i have least damage from predators so far.

I don't understand, were your pheasants in school or the skunks and what did you teach them?

:gaptooth:

 

[elkhound]

my buddy raised a batch of straight run dark cornish and butchered all the extra roos and he said these had the best taste of all the birds he has raised for table.

 

[elkhound]

I don't understand, were your pheasants in school or the skunks and what did you teach them?

:gaptooth:

yall know i got ******* dyslexia problems along with bad typing and no spellin bee awards to me credit...ya gotta know elkhound to fully grip my verbage...lol


when i was in school in 70's i had pheasants and skunks killed many of my birds...dang....took me 20 minutes to write that...lol

 

[Twp.Tom]

My losses this pat year have been minimal, but losses nonetheless. Two hen chickens disappeared in the last couple of months. Two weeks ago my last remaining hen Turkey was found with a bloody neck, hunkered down in the barn-She died, leaving my Tom a widower. And the day before yesterday, my last remaining duck disappeared. Buster Brown is fenced in around the barn-and the animals range freely throughout the day. I will be lending a keen ear in their direction. The list of likely suspects: fox, coyote,roaming dogs, owls. hawks, and very large *****.

 

[Vickie44]

I got home last night and went out to pick lettuce for dinner to find almost ALL of my Brussel Sprouts and Collards were eaten! Just had frost and was looking forward to harvesting more this weekend.

 

[Fowler]

What's happening in my barn? My sheep are having an orgy. I keep hearing baas and that song I can't get enough of your love in the barn. .

 

[doingitmyself]

Predatory Loss's this year are

13 Fox! Yes13 of em! We had several dens socialize in an abandoned shed this winter. Kits everywhere and hungry once the parents were eliminated.
4 Coyote
2 Skunk

My neighbor has removed 3 Chicken Hawks from the food chain, I tried to appeal to him not to shoot the Raptors but he's set in his ways.

 

[Bret]

What's happening in my barn? My sheep are having an orgy. I keep hearing baas and that song I can't get enough of your love in the barn. .

And I'll bet that when you open the barn door, the music is silent and they just look at you with that sheepish grin.

I perfected that look.