Predators and Prey

A pen full of wonderful models are no more. This spring a variety of predators devastated our flock of 50 laying hens. Despite constant efforts to protect them it was all in vain. We even built a fortress to house them at night. We have always dealt with an occasional owl, hawk, opossum, or a raccoon taking one or two victims. This year was different.

This year our nemesis was a bobcat. A bobcat's nature is to kill; not just for food. This one made several visits avoiding all traps and precautions that we could devise. It would kill 6-8 victims a night taking only one away. The others were just killed for the pleasure of killing. On the last night it avoided 6 traps, scaled an 8 foot wall, ripped away the heavy wire protecting under the eves, and entered the chicken house. It proceeded to kill the last 14 hens, piling them in the corner and then taking one victim. It made its exit the same way it entered. It then stopped outside the  fence, scratched up a pile of leaves and urinated on top to mark its territory. Since then it has moved on to a neighbors chicken pen.

We now have purchased our first dozen eggs at the grocery in about 20 years. We are also raising 50 more young chicks to replace the ones lost. Hopefully in 6 months we will once again have fresh eggs. Even though my recent heart surgery has put me on the sidelines, we will prevail!