There are farm pests but then there are down right farm nuisances. I can deal with rodents, scavengers, and an occasion raid from a raccoon. What I can't deal with is a precise predator stalking it's prey and picking them off one by one...and now, months later, it's in broad daylight - even when I am working in the yard!
UrbanTerra is only one-third of an acre including the house footprint. I have split the gently sloping area up into "rooms" used for different purposes by planting screens of bushes, trees and erecting arbors. Large patches of salal grow within the chicken run for cover and berry treats for the hens in summer. All of this greenery is now aiding my stealthy feline foe.
When we found a missing hen under the salal with only a small wound in it's side we presumed it was a house cat. When the second one went missing and was not found we installed a game camera. To our utter amazement this image of a bobcat dropped our jaws! It hops a 6 foot fence to access the coop and run and I swear I hear it taunting me "Winner, winner, chicken dinner" with every bound.
We kept the remaining birds in the coop for two weeks then let them out in late morning and made sure they were safely tucked in at night. We then introduced two silver laced Wyandotte pullets bring the flock to four hens again.
Life went on. The new birds grew and soon one Wyandotte started laying. If you follow my UrbanTerra Facebook page you'll remember the post celebrating her first tiny egg. We thought we had the problem solved. Then one morning after opening the small coop door to the run a little earlier than normal, I set about my daily tasks.
As my chores took me back into the backyard I noticed only two hens coming to great me. I approached the vegetable garden which lies near the coop when I saw it, beautiful rust-brown feathers littering the coop floor and even up into the roost. That bobcat had gotten through two tiny (8"x8") doors! One into the coop and one into the roost. Still I only counted two hens, there should be three. One Americauna and two Wyandotte. I figured the other Wyandotte was hiding so I went on a search. All I found was paw marks, and a tell-tell black and white feather on the top of the fence. I was devastated and pretty much sick to my stomach, not to mention furious! Two hens at once? Then a few days ago I found the last Wyandotte, half eaten, under a weeping Japanese Maple. I had been working in the yard and the bobcat must have been snacking under that tree when I scared it off.
Game on! I called the authorities about wild animal nuisances. They were very helpful and supplied me with all of the details/laws surrounding trapping and removing the bobcat. Apparently there is a plethora of bobcats in our area but because of their elusive habits are rarely seen, although years ago our neighbors had two coming to their backyard that lounged around and napped together.
So, with one hen left I soldier on protecting the little girl. No more hens until we can make a safer place for them. I never imagined having to fight this battle here in my little urban farm.
As my chores took me back into the backyard I noticed only two hens coming to great me. I approached the vegetable garden which lies near the coop when I saw it, beautiful rust-brown feathers littering the coop floor and even up into the roost. That bobcat had gotten through two tiny (8"x8") doors! One into the coop and one into the roost. Still I only counted two hens, there should be three. One Americauna and two Wyandotte. I figured the other Wyandotte was hiding so I went on a search. All I found was paw marks, and a tell-tell black and white feather on the top of the fence. I was devastated and pretty much sick to my stomach, not to mention furious! Two hens at once? Then a few days ago I found the last Wyandotte, half eaten, under a weeping Japanese Maple. I had been working in the yard and the bobcat must have been snacking under that tree when I scared it off.
Game on! I called the authorities about wild animal nuisances. They were very helpful and supplied me with all of the details/laws surrounding trapping and removing the bobcat. Apparently there is a plethora of bobcats in our area but because of their elusive habits are rarely seen, although years ago our neighbors had two coming to their backyard that lounged around and napped together.
So, with one hen left I soldier on protecting the little girl. No more hens until we can make a safer place for them. I never imagined having to fight this battle here in my little urban farm.
