Nickb
Well-Known Member
Yes , this was a poultry farm and brock grabbed a live hen
Foxing
- Thread starter Malxwal
- Start date
Yes , this was a poultry farm and brock grabbed a live hen
I know they do kill Nick - but i suppose i just witness them as much less of a threat than fox - im sure its the same when you see stuff - a fox goes through a field and everything is on high high alert - the calls wake the night as it knows the serious danger - brock bumbles about and "most" animals just stand and stare
Bo Diddley
Well-Known Member
Badgers kill plenty on the poultry units I shoot on. They work around the outside perimeter, and any poultry dumb enough to have flown over the fence during the day is toast at night. I have been known to throw a few turkeys back over the fence to safety some nights. I'll try and get footage on the thermal this winter, I might even set up a SeeCam.
I've watched Brock standing on a carcass ripping it apart like something out of a Jurassic Park movie.
I've watched Brock standing on a carcass ripping it apart like something out of a Jurassic Park movie.
So odd isnt it - i said on another thread about our poults getting out last year and the badger just walking right through them
Bo Diddley
Well-Known Member
Most peculiar. I have witnessed the carnage when Brock got in and under the aprons this year when the chickens were shut up because of the avian flu.
One of the units has a large sett just a field away, I suppose they have become used to dining at the local fast food take-away over the years the unit has operated.
There is absolutely no doubt that badgers will attack and kill poultry. Some years ago, a badger broke into my own chicken house at around 3 in the morning. Of the dozen birds in the house, only a broody sitting tight on eggs was left. Again, a farmer friend and I were having a drink one night, and we heard his chickens "kicking off". Going outside, we were in time to see two badgers climbing the six-foot-high wire netting fence, and making good their escape.
They are a real pain, but much of their depredations are carried out in the small hours, so not seen so often as fox work!
They are a real pain, but much of their depredations are carried out in the small hours, so not seen so often as fox work!
I look after 2 commercial poultry units and can safely say imo after watching the badgers. They are a lot more efficient killers of chickens than foxes. Where I am there was a high density of badgers untill the cull reduced numbers and they caused a huge amount of losses. They will constantly dig under the perimeter fence. causing financial losses aswell as to loss of laying hens.
They will literally catch a chicken climb on top of it and literally rip it to bits. Quite spectacular to watch.
They may not empty a hen house like a fox will. With the intention of returning for rest. but the ones they take are very efficient
As with all of nature's scavengers foxes badgers etc they will take what's easiest
They will literally catch a chicken climb on top of it and literally rip it to bits. Quite spectacular to watch.
They may not empty a hen house like a fox will. With the intention of returning for rest. but the ones they take are very efficient
As with all of nature's scavengers foxes badgers etc they will take what's easiest
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
Badger's that watch football are the worst!
Brad93
Well-Known Member
The drastic drop in songbirds is partly to blame on the huge increase in cats.
It should be law for every cat to have a collar with bells whilst outside to at least give the birds half a chance.
They are also blaming insecticides. Less insects, one less food group for birds.
You only have to look at the front of your car to realise we haven't got the insect numbers we had 10 years ago.
It should be law for every cat to have a collar with bells whilst outside to at least give the birds half a chance.
They are also blaming insecticides. Less insects, one less food group for birds.
You only have to look at the front of your car to realise we haven't got the insect numbers we had 10 years ago.
HonestJohn
Well-Known Member
Indeed, and I have seen it from my cat and our neighbours two cats in just a short period of time. Unfortunately the wife and kids love the cat, so it stays. It tries to kill me daily by tripping me on stairs (the cat, not the wife - yet).
It also catches rabbits up to around 6 weeks old, and brings them into the house. This week I have saved and brought around 5 rabbits back to their warrens after hearing the ‘screams’ whilst having coffee. 6:30am is her rabbit killing hour! On that note, it’s 6:20 now
Bo Diddley
Well-Known Member
The missus came along for a ride down the farm on New Year's Day when I popped down to feed the pheasants.
As we drove down the drift towards the farm a cat belonging to one of the cottages dashed out from underneath a Laurel hedge and snatched a lovely cock pheasant which we had been admiring as we trundled along, the poor old pheasant was dead in a second, bitten on the neck and dragged back under the Laurel hedge in a flash, it wasn't the first rodeo for that cat... I hate the blasted things.
As we drove down the drift towards the farm a cat belonging to one of the cottages dashed out from underneath a Laurel hedge and snatched a lovely cock pheasant which we had been admiring as we trundled along, the poor old pheasant was dead in a second, bitten on the neck and dragged back under the Laurel hedge in a flash, it wasn't the first rodeo for that cat... I hate the blasted things.
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Interesting point.
An old smallholder pal rang me to report the loss of a chicken - “something had dug in overnight under the coop wire” etc…
When I went down and inspected the scene of the crime the first thing I noticed was the size of the “hole” it was negligible but what was obvious was that something very strong had pulled up the fence (which was held down by bull-wire) to gain access. This and the fact that only one hen had gone made me a tad suspicious - then only fifteen yards away underneath some gorse was the remains of said chicken, the feathers of which were scattered over a wide area. There was no hair on the lifted wire and no detectable smell.
Soooo, in best Sherlock Holmes (or do I mean Inspector Clouseau) tradition I hung an old dead hen up on a post ten yards from the coop and set up a trail camera. Next morning there was a bombsite and all that was left were two feet and a couple of long sinews hanging from the post.
Examination of the many clips on the camera over three hours included this one (not great quality but clear enough for admissible evidence methinks)….
Sooo - no direct smoking gun that the badger/badgers was the culprit but every night for a week I got footage of at least one of them “casing the joint” - and no sign of any foxes whatsoever…..
Guilty or not - you decide….
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
Interesting point.
An old smallholder pal rang me to report the loss of a chicken - “something had dug in overnight under the coop wire” etc…
When I went down and inspected the scene of the crime the first thing I noticed was the size of the “hole” it was negligible but what was obvious was that something very strong had pulled up the fence (which was held down by bull-wire) to gain access. This and the fact that only one hen had gone made me a tad suspicious - then only fifteen yards away underneath some gorse was the remains of said chicken, the feathers of which were scattered over a wide area. There was no hair on the lifted wire and no detectable smell.
Soooo, in best Sherlock Holmes (or do I mean Inspector Clouseau) tradition I hung an old dead hen up on a post ten yards from the coop and set up a trail camera. Next morning there was a bombsite and all that was left were two feet and a couple of long sinews hanging from the post.
Examination of the many clips on the camera over three hours included this one (not great quality but clear enough for admissible evidence methinks)….
Sooo - no direct smoking gun that the badger/badgers was the culprit but every night for a week I got footage of at least one of them “casing the joint” - and no sign of any foxes whatsoever…..
Guilty or not - you decide….
Fantastic video @Foxyboy43 certainly proves to the clueless that badgers aren't cute & cuddly.
Btw I was by no means taking the badgers side. I'm no fan.
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
Couple years back I observed one meandering up hillside towards me. Completely oblivious, I thought I'd see how close he got before noticing me. Well, he got so close I felt the need to hiss under my breath "feck off badger". Not once , but twice & stamp my foot before he got the idea. But boy, once he did, he was off like a whippet on a Yamaha! Didn't even break stride at fence line, very torpedo like as you say, right through hedge and gone. Lot of power lurking there.
Bo Diddley
Well-Known Member
30lb stoats.
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
More like 13½kg!!
Similar threads
