The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Other => Topic started by: kelly58 on September 02, 2014, 11:11:27 am
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Anyone ever had problems with otters killing their chucks ! :chook:
Got 8 of mine, 5 injured 3 no heads and eaten into >:( Had to put them out of their misery.
Any ideas how to keep them away ? Bit hole in the chicken wire fence size of a side plate. :o
Neighbour has seen it about.
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Same as everything else. . . . .electricity!
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Are you sure it was an otter - we have mink around here and they will go for chickens.
You probably have no choice but electric netting, mains powered. Battery won't do it.
We have used it on all ort poultry, although not always switched on. But stoats can still get in... and they decimate the hens inside their "safe" house at night.
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:hug:
I agree it's more likely to be mink than otter. A neighbour had a mink get through a small hole in her fence and kill all but one of her choox. So far the replacements have all been fine. The wire she is using is normal chain-link - much stronger than 'chicken wire'.
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We have sea otters and 2 near neighbours with hens close to water both chased an otter out of the hen pen after hearing a commotion , devastation in both cases, ducks and hens
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Otters WILL take chickens, I agree it's possible that it's a mink (headless carcasses is a classic sign) but it's definitely not impossible that it was an otter.
Agree electric netting is the best way to deter them.
:hug: sorry for your loss :hug:
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I think it more likely a fox, but electric fencing should do the trick either way, could put weldmesh around pen for better security than chicken wire. Chased a fox out of our barn couple of nights ago, grrr!
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I apologise for starting this thread again but is it against the law to shoot otters, or mink, if they get your livestock?
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I believe that you can shoot mink.
The European otter is the only native UK otter species. It’s a European Protected Species and is also fully protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
You’re breaking the law if you:
•capture, kill, disturb or injure otters (on purpose or by not taking enough care)
•damage or destroy a breeding or resting place (deliberately or by not taking enough care)
•obstruct access to their resting or sheltering places (deliberately or by not taking enough care)
•possess, sell, control or transport live or dead otters, or parts of otters
If you’re found guilty of an offence you could be sent to prison for up to 6 months and be fined £5,000 for each offence.
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Ah but can you kill it,legally, if it is killing your chickens?
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Ah but can you kill it,legally, if it is killing your chickens?
Definitely not
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If I must say the law is pathetic if something is attacking the animals you should be able to shoot it. If it was a wolf killing your sheep you could shoot it. What is wrong with the law in Britain on shooting wildlife. :rant:
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If I must say the law is pathetic if something is attacking the animals you should be able to shoot it. If it was a wolf killing your sheep you could shoot it. What is wrong with the law in Britain on shooting wildlife. :rant:
It's because so many species were persecuted almost to extinction. I lost some ducks to a Scottish Wild Cat - would you think it acceptable to shoot one of them because I certainly don't
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If an animal keeps on killing your stock you have to kill it whether rare or not because once it has a taste for your animals it will be bad for everyone else as well as you and it will teach its offspring. I'd rather shoot the troublesome animal than having to shoot a troop of them.
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If an animal keeps on killing your stock you have to kill it whether rare or not because once it has a taste for your animals it will be bad for everyone else as well as you and it will teach its offspring. I'd rather shoot the troublesome animal than having to shoot a troop of them.
The animals you would like to kill have been here for a lot longer than you,your sheep,chickens or whatever you keep and with that in mind if you are having trouble id say you need to decide wether the dangerous spot you occupy is safe enough for the animals kept on it and if the answer is no then move !!!
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Mink = shoot it.
Otter = deter - stronger fencing, electric fencing. If all reasonable steps proved to fail with continued loss of livestock, apply for permission to humanely trap and release elsewhere (not likely to be granted) or a specified variation to the general licence to shoot (also not likely to be granted).
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The situation is purely theory. And if an otter/ mink came to live In the vicinity of where you lived and no otter/ mink had ever lived in that vicinity then what?
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The situation is purely theory. And if an otter/ mink came to live In the vicinity of where you lived and no otter/ mink had ever lived in that vicinity then what?
Mink are an invasive species so i don't give a jot about them .
But theoretically how would you know if otters had never lived in the area ???
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The situation is purely theory. And if an otter/ mink came to live In the vicinity of where you lived and no otter/ mink had ever lived in that vicinity then what?
Mink are an invasive species so i don't give a jot about them .
But theoretically how would you know if otters had never lived in the area ???
Exactly. If you had known they hadn't lived there for say the past 50 or so years and there is particuarlarly enough food and they start to kill the animals and nothing would keep them out of the pen, then i suppose you could shoot it, or trap it and put it elsewhere. The problem with moving it somewhere else is that ot might easily find its way back.
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Lucky sheep can't use guns then or by the same logic they should kill those pesky humans that keep picking off their young and making lamb chops.
Yup we need to find ways of keeping our livestock safe but killing rare animals in order to protect not so rare livestock isn't the only or best answer.