If you are squeamish, skip this post. It deals with the reality of trying to raise livestock around wildlife.
Seems like all of the wildlife has decided to visit. As I went out this morning, the alpacas alerted on a different coyote. This one moved off very slowly and I soon found out why. I went to feed the geese and three of them were dead. The neck of one was entirely bit off and the chest area eaten, while the other two had just been killed. I can't blame the coyotes because they will drag off their kill to eat. Plus I just don't see how they could have gone that high to get in. Based on how things looked, I would suspect that a bobcat got in. The fence to the arena is much lower and less secure, so I was really surprised that it happened.
Anyhow, the remaining geese have been returned to the pen in the arena area and will stay locked up, since there are not enough of them to scare off predators now. The duck area was perfect with the pond, etc., but obviously too attractive for the wildlife. Fortunately, the bobcat did not go after Thanksgiving, who was just 10 feet away on the other side of the wash.
Alpacas and llamas do not get excited about cats - so mountain lions and bobcats would not have caused them to alert.
Cleaning Out the Closet for Winter
1 week ago
2 comments:
Oh no! The poor geese! How awful that they were killed. I'm so sorry about that! I suppose the dogs will help with that once they are bigger.
I am sorry for you loss. Call me anytime you need to vent. As your friend Tor said, this is life and if you want to raise animals you have to deal with the ugly side of it sometimes. Knowing that, of course, doesn't mean you still won't grieve.
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