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| Getting used to hearing me call them in |
The foxes are being well behaved and are actually leaving our chickens quite well enough alone, although I'm not confident that is going to continue. However, there is now a much larger problem roaming around the area. The wolves are back.
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| Fewd!? OKAY! |
I love wildlife, I really do, and to hear that we've got wolves back in this area is both very happy news because the local ecology is doing very well if it can support a top predator like a pack of wolves. From the farmer side of things, it's very very bad news. We're expecting calves on the ground very soon and this is a
big problem.
For now the cows are being brought in at night, which is a whole lot more work for me, but they're adapting to it quite a lot better then I thought they would. It helps that I broke my rule (I know, after bragging just a few weeks ago they were on hay alone...) and bought them some beef feed as a treat for being well behaved and coming in.
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All set up for cows,
and hopefully calves! |
Actually I've taken a step up from that and went and got them some beat pulp today since those calves are coming so soon and Gertie is still a little underweight from feeding Steak & being pregnant (hopefully!).
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| Didn't want to go back out this morning |
So we're actively looking for a solution in the form of a livestock guardian. Something that will protect all the animals on the farm from any predator that wanted to come by. We will keep bringing the cows in until after the calves have been born and are well on their way, but hopefully this is something we'll have to worry about a lot less next year.
It would also be really nice for the goats & sheep to be allowed to come in & out of the barn instead of being locked it at night over the summer.
We have two llamas on the farm and so far (knock on wood of course!) haven't had any problems with coyotes. They are very alert and notice anything out of the ordinary - you really can't put anything past them!
ReplyDeleteWe are trying a few things though (portable electronet fencing ($$), bringing the sheep inside at night (free!), and I think having the cattle around near the barn helps a bit too. We do hear the coyotes at night though.
We heard of these little solar powered boxes though with two red LED lights on them to look like the eyes of predators to scare off coyotes. I think they were first used in New Zealand. I think they're around $20-$40. I'm not sure yet but we might get a few to try in some of the farther pastures from the barn.