Do Otters Kill Chickens ?

[dave1372 83]

I was out foxing last night at the free range chicken farm and we came across a otter that looked like it was trying to get into the compound of the chicken shed..... I have never seen this before, it was nice to see an otter out in the wild but curious to know whether the otter had food on its mind? How would you trap an otter if it was causing problems?

[sh 08 17]

Are you sure it wasnt a mink?

[cornishtrapper 3]

I was out foxing last night at the free range chicken farm and we came across a otter that looked like it was trying to get into the compound of the chicken shed..... I have never seen this before, it was nice to see an otter out in the wild but curious to know whether the otter had food on its mind? How would you trap an otter if it was causing problems?

Yes otters do eat chickens ,ducks, geese ect they need to eat about 4lb of food a day thats a lot of meat they will catch and chew wings ect of birds let them go and come back again and catch them again and eat them . they have total protection and your not suppose to catch them in fox cage traps or fox snares . you could try putting up a elletric fence about 6" off the ground , they are a lot bigger than a mink and they eat the same sort of stuff with the same sort of temper but are lot more bigger good luck

[Matt 160]

Edited September 7, 2009 by Matt the Rat

[doyoufeel_lucky@hotmail.co 0]

Otters eat anything they can get there hands on i think, a large pond i know has lost all its ducks to otters in the space of a few weeks

[Steve McHardy 2]

Otters eat anything they can get there hands on i think, a large pond i know has lost all its ducks to otters in the space of a few weeks

 

they can and will eat anything they can catch, had released mallard on a pond by the time the otter had killed a few the rest vacated the pond for good. electric fence is your best bet and if round buildings try motion sensor lights that should discourage the little bugger but for gods sake dont touch it.

[doyoufeel_lucky@hotmail.co 0]

Otters eat anything they can get there hands on i think, a large pond i know has lost all its ducks to otters in the space of a few weeks

 

they can and will eat anything they can catch, had released mallard on a pond by the time the otter had killed a few the rest vacated the pond for good. electric fence is your best bet and if round buildings try motion sensor lights that should discourage the little bugger but for gods sake dont touch it.

 

I know lol, the one ive seen is on a tagging system... they might be suspicious if it was showing up on the GPS as traveling at 80mph down the A30.

[Guest Rod&dog]

Sure it was not a large dog mink?

[dave1372 83]

Thanks for the feedback, think I will let it go about its business anyway and stick to the foxes.

[Dawn B 212]

Sure do, they take Ducks off the river too.

[Foxgun Tom 75]

I worked on the Isle of Tiree (Inner Hebrides) many years ago!! and was asked more than once by Islanders who were crofters if I would help remove/control otters that were decimating their free range hens. letting the otters go about their business and concentrating on foxes is a wise move the have full protection and its not worth the hassle

 

Tom

Edited September 7, 2009 by Foxgun Tom

[snareman 3]

I worked on the Isle of Tiree (Inner Hebrides) many years ago!! and was asked more than once by Islanders who were crofters if I would help remove/control otters that were decimating their free range hens. letting the otters go about their business and concentrating on foxes is a wise move the have full protection and its not worth the hassle

 

Tom

its a good job it wasn,t my hens they had eaten,

[foxdropper 17,092]

If you want an asignment snareman ,get yourself down to the Avon in Wiltshire .Buggers are killing the lot ,waterfowl ,fish and domestic stock .

[waidmann 105]

yes the otter is an opportunist and no mean hunter.amazing how far from the water they will go for food.

as they are protected will the damage caused by them be met by the government? just a question.

cheers