The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: JEP on January 25, 2015, 07:10:45 pm

Title: who is the killer
Post by: JEP on January 25, 2015, 07:10:45 pm: my sons had his 3 marran cocks killed and 10 hens but 4 hens
there is a 4 in round hole in the fence any ideas
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: Anke on January 25, 2015, 07:33:36 pm: Badgers rips chicken wire mesh really easily...
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: Marches Farmer on January 25, 2015, 08:32:24 pm: Most likely a badger. Foxes dig or jump.
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: JEP on January 25, 2015, 09:15:44 pm: dont think its a badger sheep netting other side and hole is only 4in round hole
with wire going accross
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: bigchicken on January 25, 2015, 09:32:21 pm: A four inch hole sounds rather small for a badger. A bit more information any marks on the ground hairs on the wire were the birds taken of left what we're the bite marks like also location.
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: Brucklay on January 25, 2015, 09:37:26 pm: If bite on neck I would think stoat - had one around here early last year - lost a duck but thankfully not spotted any evidence since
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: sokel on January 26, 2015, 01:54:03 am: If you have a river/stream anywhere close by it could possibly be a mink
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: JEP on January 26, 2015, 05:34:40 pm: there was bite marks on the neck
there is blood on the sheep netting from the 2 small hens
taken out of run
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: Stereo on January 26, 2015, 05:41:33 pm: Sounds like a mink.
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: JEP on February 07, 2015, 06:44:37 pm: we set a trap by the 4" hole and got a buzzard
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: Carse Goodlifers on February 08, 2015, 04:23:49 pm: :o
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: HesterF on February 08, 2015, 07:41:51 pm: Weird - could it not fly over? Can't even picture a buzzard in a trap - that must have been a shock!
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: vfr400boy on February 08, 2015, 08:01:55 pm: A fox can fit thro a 5 inch hole buzzards normally only eat carrion ( dead animals like road kill )
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: JEP on February 08, 2015, 08:33:27 pm: the buzzard was released only in a large live rabbit trap
just set to see what was about
Title: Re: who is the killer
Post by: Marches Farmer on February 08, 2015, 09:38:34 pm: I know someone who let out 200 POL hens to free range (new enterprise) and lost six in an hour to buzzards.