I knew that I would take my licks as a beginning farmer, but I didn't know it would be this frustrating.
If you read my previous post, you know that we were having major problems with rats taking our chicks. I finally solved that problem by moving the chicks from their kiddie pool into an old leaky water tank. The shear metal sides are too slippery for the rats to climb and too tall for them to jump or pull themselves up. We have several old leaky tanks on the farm so I'm hoping I'll have enough for the 80 poults that come in a few weeks. They are really expensive to buy new, and I can't justify that expense.
Unfortunately, I've moved from one predator to another. Now we have suffered losses to coyotes. I've known since I moved here that there were a lot of coyotes in the area. I've only seen a few, but I hear them calling at night and have seen plenty of scat. A coyote took a rabbit a few months back after she escaped from her pasture shelter, but I hadn't had any problems until the last few days. Now I've lost a second rabbit and a turkey in the course of three nights.
Losing animals is not fun and it makes me feel like a failure as a farmer. It can also incite a rage of hatred toward the offending predator. I can understand why wolves were nearly wiped out in the U.S. As much as I might hate the coyotes right now, I'm not about to try and kill them. I don't think that is a sustainable solution, and it doesn't really fit with my values. I feel bad enough trapping rats. On the other hand, I'm willing to do just about anything to terrorize the coyotes so that they leave me and my animals alone. I had put one of my landlord's alpacas in the pasture when I moved the chickens and turkeys out last week hoping he would serve as a guardian, but he seemed more lonely than anything, and clearly has not been a deterrent to the coyotes. I released him back to his three other friends today, and it's now time to try another guard animal. I'm going to get a llama this time, as they are larger and more aggressive, and known for their guardian skills. They also have the benefit of not requiring training like a guard dog. If losses continue, I will contemplate getting a livestock guardian dog, but that is not a decision to rush into. If not properly trained, a guardian dog might attack the livestock himself.
All in all, it's been a frustrating couple of days (I've also had to deal with a neighbor who doesn't think I should be allowed to keep pigs because they might scare her horses). Predation is part of farming and you have to expect some losses, but I'm going to do everything in my power to minimize those losses. If you have any advice, please share!
If you read my previous post, you know that we were having major problems with rats taking our chicks. I finally solved that problem by moving the chicks from their kiddie pool into an old leaky water tank. The shear metal sides are too slippery for the rats to climb and too tall for them to jump or pull themselves up. We have several old leaky tanks on the farm so I'm hoping I'll have enough for the 80 poults that come in a few weeks. They are really expensive to buy new, and I can't justify that expense.
Unfortunately, I've moved from one predator to another. Now we have suffered losses to coyotes. I've known since I moved here that there were a lot of coyotes in the area. I've only seen a few, but I hear them calling at night and have seen plenty of scat. A coyote took a rabbit a few months back after she escaped from her pasture shelter, but I hadn't had any problems until the last few days. Now I've lost a second rabbit and a turkey in the course of three nights.
Losing animals is not fun and it makes me feel like a failure as a farmer. It can also incite a rage of hatred toward the offending predator. I can understand why wolves were nearly wiped out in the U.S. As much as I might hate the coyotes right now, I'm not about to try and kill them. I don't think that is a sustainable solution, and it doesn't really fit with my values. I feel bad enough trapping rats. On the other hand, I'm willing to do just about anything to terrorize the coyotes so that they leave me and my animals alone. I had put one of my landlord's alpacas in the pasture when I moved the chickens and turkeys out last week hoping he would serve as a guardian, but he seemed more lonely than anything, and clearly has not been a deterrent to the coyotes. I released him back to his three other friends today, and it's now time to try another guard animal. I'm going to get a llama this time, as they are larger and more aggressive, and known for their guardian skills. They also have the benefit of not requiring training like a guard dog. If losses continue, I will contemplate getting a livestock guardian dog, but that is not a decision to rush into. If not properly trained, a guardian dog might attack the livestock himself.
All in all, it's been a frustrating couple of days (I've also had to deal with a neighbor who doesn't think I should be allowed to keep pigs because they might scare her horses). Predation is part of farming and you have to expect some losses, but I'm going to do everything in my power to minimize those losses. If you have any advice, please share!
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