Quail

[Ah Pook]

Here's a time lapse of how quick these birds grow. It still amazes me.

Um ok. When do I get edible birds?! <tapping foot> The smoker is waiting.

[GilpinGuy]

I had some critter kill 26 of my birds last night. Probably a bobcat or a fox. Could have been a racoon I suppose but I've never seen one up here. Folks say they have seen them though.

It had to be something small to get past the barriers I have set up for bears and it went through a pretty small opening to get inside. I guess I'll have to tack up some more chicken wire.

I've been doing this for 3 years and never had anything like this happen. It's not the end of the world, just another lesson learned.

The bastard didn't even eat the birds. Just took off the heads and left them.

I still habe about 20 birds and I'll have another hatch in about a week, so more birds to come.

[ACE2GOOD]

Is there a possibility of it being an owl or hawk of some kind? I have not heard of a Bobcat or fox just eating the heads but I knew a few people that are into falconry and the birds of prey prefer eating the heads on their kills, it is their favorite treat. Just a thought. Good luck on patching it up and getting the bird count up again.

[GilpinGuy]

I suppose it could have been an owl or hawk. Guess I'll never know.

[GilpinGuy]

I think I know what killed my birds.

Look at this fat bastard just sitting there, looking in through the glass.


Then slinking away, all disappointed and shit.


ETA: I'm thinking of trying one of those motion sensor sprinkler deals to repel bears and other threats. Someone posted about them here somewhere and I checked out some videos on YT. Seems pretty effective, but I didn't see any videos of bears getting sprayed. Deer, raccoons and cats ran like hell though. I imagine that a bear would shit himself getting sprayed in the face at 3AM too.

[rbeau30]

Some cat was using my garden as a litter box a while back. killed a lot of plants. I got video of my neighbor's cat doing it. asked them about it. She light-heartedly said I could spray my garden hose at him and chase him away. People just don't get it.

So I got a trapping license from the city and they got some tickets.

"Ohh but Snuffy is an 'outside cat'." Not when it is destroying my property.

[kidicarus13]

So I got a trapping license from the city and they got some tickets.

Ingenious

[rbeau30]

Ingenious

I think though in more rural locations this problem could be solved similarly with a trap sans license and a 55 gallon barrel of water.

[GilpinGuy]

The cat in the pics I posted was a bobcat, I believe. House cats get "lost" up here pretty quick. I chuckle when I see the signs for lost cats or small dogs by the mailboxes, etc. They aren't lost - they were lunch for something.

I did get the motion activated sprinkler. This thing is awesome. Squirrels and chipmunks get blasted regularly. I haven't gotten anything on the trail cam. I think the sprinkler activates just outside of the camera view. There are some good YT videos out there of this gadget at work.

No bear damage on the garbage box this year so far, which is unusual, so I fully endorse one of these little units. It would work great for a garden to keep deer, etc. away. I need to get another one for my garden. I had awesome cabbage heads and broccoli flowering. Bastard deer ate them to the ground the other night and flattened my lame chicken wire fence.

The thing runs off batteries and I had the same ones in it since the spring.

Anyway, this is the one I got: Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler with Day and Night Detection Modes

[rbeau30]

Ohh yeah I see the ears now! I am still bitter about neighborhood cats as you can tell. With the hawks and coyotes and all the other dangers here I think having an "outdoor" cat is animal cruelty. And they destroy my property.

Thanks for the lead! I think this will work good for my suburban yard too.