# Night Time Predators



## Sagetown (Apr 14, 2011)

Last fall, I never found out what was killing my chickens at night, but I reasoned it to be an owl. During the spring, something raided one of the bluebird houses and pulled broken eggs and all out. The other evening as I was working in the shop, a big owl lit atop of a light pole near my purple martin houses. I sat with my shotgun for a few evenings waiting, but it never showed again. 

SO, I'm browsing thru a livestock catalog, and they show a 'Nite Guard Solar' gizmo that runs off solar power. It is just 1"d x 2"h x 3"w, with a small led 'red light' that blinks all night supposedly making predators and deer think they're being watched and won't come near the area. I'm tempted to try one. Might be just the thing to put atop a bird house for hoot owls. Got to put something around the poles for snakes too. 

Last summer, I was checking the birds eggs and touched something slick and bout fell off the ladder getting my hand outa there. Took off the door, and there was this small black snake inside. I got him out, but he'd got the eggs.


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## promac850 (Apr 14, 2011)

Sagetown said:


> Last fall, I never found out what was killing my chickens at night, but I reasoned it to be an owl. During the spring, something raided one of the bluebird houses and pulled broken eggs and all out. The other evening as I was working in the shop, a big owl lit atop of a light pole near my purple martin houses. I sat with my shotgun for a few evenings waiting, but it never showed again.
> 
> SO, I'm browsing thru a livestock catalog, and they show a 'Nite Guard Solar' gizmo that runs off solar power. It is just 1"d x 2"h x 3"w, with a small led 'red light' that blinks all night supposedly making predators and deer think they're being watched and won't come near the area. I'm tempted to try one. Might be just the thing to put atop a bird house for hoot owls. Got to put something around the poles for snakes too.
> 
> Last summer, I was checking the birds eggs and touched something slick and bout fell off the ladder getting my hand outa there. Took off the door, and there was this small black snake inside. I got him out, but he'd got the eggs.


 
Lol, you almost keeled over on the ladder because of a little snake? :monkey:

Anyways... owls can be known to eat up small birds and stuff. Around here, we get some red tailed hawks swooping down on the little birds that eat at the feeders... scares the piss out of those little birds, and it's pretty cool to see a hawk fly right past your living room window. 

We had a mink roaming around until it got hit by a car.  One less critter to take care of the woodchucks for me. Guess I'll have to bring out the .17 HMR and pop them chucks when I see them.


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