#dangersofsmallpredators

[peptozimbo]

Beware of Weasels (TW - dead birds)

I made the mistake of underestimating the intelligence of a weasel. Two days ago, I woke up at 8:00 to feed my birds; when I opened the coop, I saw Rue jumping to the ledge to greet me like usual; when I looked down, I saw that Ebony was completely mutilated in the water dish, and the entire bottom of the coop was covered in blood and feathers. I looked around to find that Roots and Lola were okay, but Trooper was nowhere to be seen; after a moment of searching, I found his body in one of the nest boxes; both of their heads were torn off. And it seemed like the bodies were just left there, barely consumed (weasels are known to eat the heads of birds and leave the kill behind, only to return to feast later; they are tiny but successful predators.)

I immediately moved Rue and Lola to my room, the poop was the least of my worries.

I have a small coop, suitable for four birds. There are small crevices where chipmunks have snuck in, and I usually cover the open spaces with a towel until I find time to cover the openings with chicken wire or something more sustainable. (the chipmunks usually give up eventually) It didn’t cross my mind that my procrastination in creating a proper block off to the coop would cost the lives of two incredibly amiable and beautiful Lahores. I’m holding on to the fact that Roots and Lola-Pyg were miraculously completely uninjured.

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They were so trusting and were the epitome of gentle giants. I've since buried them in the garden, and I plan to paint something nice for these gorgeous souls. They didn't deserve to be robbed of the ability to escape.

Rue and Lola are just chilling in my room for the time being.

My spare crate is too small for them both to stay in for more than one night, and I can’t separate them, so they will just taunt Potch, Winnie and Chihiro until I evict them. (:

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If you ever see these little guys patrolling around your coop, whether they be pigeons, chickens, quails, ducks, or other domesticated birds, Make sure your coop is secured and check for any openings that the weasel might have created; I strongly suggest using metal over wood, for weasels are known to chew through wood after rainy weather.