Lost my chickens

Boondox · Jun 15, 2001

Had to leave town this past week on business. While I was out a red fox ran thru the flock and killed every single bird. He made no attempt to eat them; just tore them apart and ran after the next one. One hen was killed right in front of my wife about 15 feet from the side porch!

I'd never been overly concerned about predators making off with a chicken now and then. My home is pretty much right in the middle of their turf, afterall. But this waste has me pretty upset. Not sure if I want to shoot it or have it trapped and relocated. In the meantime I've cut the meadow shorter to give the little fella less cover...and switched to bantams that have a fighting chance of flying to safety.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

DrDan · Jun 15, 2001

Ya right - relocate it somewhere else so it can rip up somebody elses chit. Gheesh! Dust the dang thing!

Dr Dan

RPM · Jun 15, 2001

Boondox,

Time to get the predator calling tape out. He'll be back - just make sure you have the welcoming committee set out.

DrDan · Jun 16, 2001

Can you imagine what this varmint does to wild game?
I'd have that pelt tacked out drying as soon as possible.

Dr Dan

M. Sullivan · Jun 16, 2001

My neighbor just lost all his to racoons (now departed)! First night they got two. He buried them, put out a live trap, and put the chicckens/rooster in a metal cage the next night. The next morning found those buried dug-up, the cage was ripped open and the rest picked clean to the bone, and a big mama coon snarling in the trap. Next night a big male in the trap. Never thought coons would be able to get into a metal cage. Getting to be a big problem tearing up the trash as well. We've added them to the most wanted list along with the red squirrels.....

StoneHeartFarm · Jun 16, 2001

22 LR? or #4 in 20ga?

SHF

Boondox · Jun 16, 2001

I'd never relocate an animal to someone else's property, Dan. That would be unethical. There's enough state land out here to provide a new home. It's all academic, however. Before I could line up a trap the fox came back. Had no choice but to reach out and touch it with the .35 Marlin. Not much left of the pelt, though. Just a big pink smear in the meadow.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

RPM · Jun 17, 2001

.35 Marlin is quite a caliber.

I guess if I was really ticked I'd have to go get myself an 8 gauge Goose gun.

What was it they used to use - I think it was a blunderbuss? You could just open the back door and let loose in the yard and cut the grass at the same time as get the fox??!!

Boondox · Jun 17, 2001

The choice of firearms is a regular topic of conversation in the country. I have a 10/22 for those destructive little squirrels. Then the day came when I was facing a very bold coyote who was not afraid of my five goldens. Didn't want to leave something wounded and suffering, so chucked a few rocks instead of reaching for the rifle. But I went out the next day and bought the Marlin. Big hunk of lead that doesn't travel excessively far. With it I can hit soda cans at 150 yards, but the round fizzles pretty quickly after that. And leaving injured animals behind isn't a problem anymore.

Out here, any time a fellow buys a new firearm he has to take it out and show it around. The poor flatlanders down in the village must think battle has broken out when we all get together for show and tell! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Semper Fi
Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

skent · Jun 18, 2001

I used to have one. (Marlin 35 Rem) Traded it for a Remington 1100 Auto Load Shot Gun. Biggest mistake (gun wise) I ever made. Didn't like the 1100. Ended up trading it for a Marlin 3030 (same model as the 35 Rem). Felt the same and I had more choice for Ammo. But just didn't shoot as well as the 35 Rem round.

Steve

StoneHeartFarm · Jun 18, 2001

Maybe ya can hang the tail off your antenna /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

SHF

DrDan · Jun 18, 2001

Did ya'll hear about little Johny?

Welll it seems Little Johny never missed school. All of a sudden he missed two days in a row. When he returned the teacher asked, "Well Johny you never miss school. What happened?". Johny went on to explain...

You see we got this big old hound with a big, wet, black nose. The other night Paw heard a ruckus in the chicken house and went out there with the 8 Gauge. Paw didn't have time to put his pants on, so at the same time he opened the chicken house door, that old hound touched his big, black, cold, wet nose to Paw's behind. To make a long story short, Miss Teacher, Paw cut loose with both barrels and we a been pluckin chickens ever since!

DrDan · Jun 18, 2001

By the way... Hope you didn't get your hands anywhere near the mouth or brains of that fox - Could have been rabid!!!

RichZ · Jun 18, 2001

Pete, I'm real sorry to hear about your chickens! I just sent you another post asking a chicken question!! I didn't mean to be insensitive, I hadn't gotten to this thread yet!
Dr. Dan may be right about rabies. That is not normal fox behavior! They don't normally kill unless they're going to eat the prey. I wouldn't have believed a fox was the culpret if your wife hadn't seen it happen!

Rich

cowboydoc · Jun 18, 2001

I've got a Remington 22/250 that works as a great varmit gun. Shoots a nice tight spiral and really accurate to 200 yards plus.

RPM · Jun 18, 2001

No center-fires are legal in the 'special regulations' area of south-eastern PA, so the most powder you can have in a rifle here is a .22 magnum rimfire. Has worked very well for me at 75-100 yards - that's my one shot stopping range with it /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. Haven't really needed to try any further - plenty of woods and cover to shoot from - I matched it up with a 4x32 and it's great fun at dusk.

The other option that one of my friends uses is to strap one of those rifle scabbards on to the side of his tractor and keeps a .410 in it. He usually gets at least one groundhog when he mows his orchard - they keep moving in from the surrounding area for the apples. His problem is that they undermine parts of the trees and the trees tip over in the late summer storms when they're loaded with fruit.

DrDan · Jun 18, 2001

Yes - exactly... Pretty strange behavior for a fox. If the carcass is still available I would call the Department of Natural Resources and have the brain tested for Rabies. Rabies is starting to run rampant here in Ohio and WV. Don't get scratched or come in any contact with the mouth. Rabies (rhabdovirus) can enter any little skin cracks or sores you might have on your hands. Don't even need to be bitten or scratched. I'd feel better if you sent it in for testing. Rabies is fatal once signs are seen. No stopping it. Don't mean to scare you - just want you to be safe.

Dr Dan

RichZ · Jun 18, 2001

Pete, Dr. Dan is right, that behavior is VERY strange for a fox. You know me, I won't kill anything, but I think you had no choice with this fox. I also think Dr. Dan is right, you should call the state Health Dept or Dept of Environmental Conservation (I don't know the official names of the agencies in Vermont), and report this. They may ask you to ship the head, so they can test for rabies. If so, read Dan's post, and be very careful. If you're facing a rabies outbreak, especially with your dogs, its important for you to know. Be careful, and keep us posted!!

Rich

Von · Jun 18, 2001

Pete and others,
Its too late to ship the head out for testing. The rabies virus dies very soon after the host dies, thats why the head must be frozen right away. It is hard to get rabies without contact with the infected party. About 6 yrs. ago my whole famliy and I had to get the shots when our dog killed two racoons during the day and we didn't know about it. The kids found one dead racoon the next day, by then it was too late to get any kind of conformation of rabies. The dog had also crushed the racoon's skull which didn't help any. All of us had been in contact with the dog so we all had to get the shots. Cost is about $2k per person. Our medical would only cover someone who had been bitten by a confirmed rabid animal within 48 hours. It takes 72 hrs. to get the test results back! Talk about a loophole! The county paid for it, as we have a rabies epadimic here in NY. Thank god, thats $8k I can use for tractor stuff! There is a two week window to seek treatment, after that your toast! These shots are no picnic thats for sure! Dr. said we should be safe for any more incounters and would most likly only need a booster shot if we are to ever get incontact again.

patrickg · Jun 18, 2001

Hmmmm, Am I the only miscreant in this part of creation that reaches out (way out) and touches 'em with a 22-250. Hand loads go up to and slightly over 4000 fps, factory a bit less (38xxfps). I use 52 grain jacketed hollow points and zero the zoom scope for 200yds. I'm 3/4in high at 100yds and almost 5in low at 300. So for anything point blank to over 200 yds you just shoot at it. Nearing 300 yds (with a small target like a fox) you need to "hold over" 4-5 inches. Except in strong wind, you have good accuracy and enough delivered energy to cleanly dispatch a smaller varmit (under Puma size, say fox, coyote, 'coon, bobcat, badger, armadillo and the like). The projectile I use is nearly ricochet free as it breaks up on impact with anything, e.g. water surface, rock, earth, etc. The fragments are very unaerodynamic and fall down rapidly. I have had occasion to shoot around stock (not prefered) but bullet breakup and decelleration characteristics (and some common sense) have prevented any trouble. On the down side: If you hit a blade of grass or a flying insect much less a twig, on the way to the target the projectile dissapears in a fine cloud of dust and never makes it down range. These "mystery bullets" had some of us scratching our heads. There is just enough recoil to elevate the rifle/scope combination so you don't see the puff. It took luck and a second person to figure it out. Since, when shooting prone or knealing, I'm more cautious regarding obstacles that wouldn't matter to a heavier slower round.

I recommend this as an anti-varmit round. Consumer rated, lethal, first time, every time.

Patrick