Overrun with Badgers

[Katarina]

Chicken house this morning, roof ripped off, dead hens and prints on the roof that look like badgers? We are becoming overrun with badger sets, they are even undermining stone walls that have stood for centuries. Food is obviously becoming scarce for the increasing population and it's inevitable, sadly for all, that disease will follow. TB free but really worried for the future of the herd and frustrated with the current stance on conservation and the possibility of rewilding.

 

[Brisel]

Unless you're in a cull zone there's nothing you can do about them other than reinforce your chicken house.

 

[steveR]

Unless you're in a cull zone there's nothing you can do about them other than reinforce your chicken house.

Electric fences have been successful for some poultry and pheasant keepers.

 

[Eildon Hill]

Unless you're in a cull zone there's nothing you can do about them other than reinforce your chicken house.

Really?

 

[Katarina]

Unless you're in a cull zone there's nothing you can do about them other than reinforce your chicken house.

Can't reinforce the herd and that's the biggest worry.

 

[Werzle]

Shoot,snare or trap them. If you do not look after your business nobody else will. PS ,I do not care what anybody says regarding my comments.

 

[Danllan]

Shoot,snare or trap them. If you do not look after your business nobody else will. PS ,I do not care what anybody says regarding my comments.

Encouraging or assisting a crime (formerly incitement) is a crime... (even in the Midlands)

 

[Paddington]

Could try deterring them with a strong smelling odour or droppings around the house, which needs to be kept clean with a good Dettol wash perhaps, so the badgers don't pick up any germs, of course.

 

[Extreme Optimist]

(even in the Midlands)

Ha ha.......I like that!!!!

 

[Werzle]

Nobody investigates dead ones on the roadside full of lead so i wouldnt worry, its not very high up the police's agenda unless somebody has footage of you doing it. Leave them alone and keep crying tb is ruining your lives, up to you. Take back abit of control.

 

[rob1]

luckily we are in a new cull zone and will soon be able to do something

 

[Brisel]

Really?

You can wink at me all you like, but I'm not about suggest breaking the law on a heavily protected and monitored species in an internet chat room.

 

[Danllan]

Nobody investigates dead ones on the roadside full of lead so i wouldnt worry, its not very high up the police's agenda unless somebody has footage of you doing it. Leave them alone and keep crying tb is ruining your lives, up to you. Take back abit of control.

So, when George Monbiot and co. are mass-trespassing over your place, flattening grass and doing whatever else they feel like, you obviously won't be calling the police because that would be hypocritical. It's the law, it's a crap law, but its's the law and we can't unilaterally pick and choose which to be bound by.

 

[john432]

Try feeding your badgers @Katarina with good helpings of beet pulp nuts, apparently they then go back to their sets contented and have a good long nap!

 

[Werzle]

So, when George Monbiot and co. are mass-trespassing over your place, flattening grass and doing whatever else they feel like, you obviously won't be calling the police because that would be hypocritical. It's the law, it's a crap law, but its's the law and we can't unilaterally pick and choose which to be bound by.

No doubt you hand yourself into the police everytime you breach the speed limit by even half a mile/hr.
I own the deeds to my farm which has no footpaths so if anybody wants to trample around they must be very brave or very stupid .

 

[Katarina]

At the moment they are 'clean'. If badgers are removed by legal means or otherwise we could then be looking at the possibility of 'dirty' badgers moving in....and I don't mean they don't put the bins out and flick their fag butts in your garden.... so frustrating.

Hen house is now in the livestock trailer and the remaining hens will be rounded up and put in there tonight.....cattle still grazing fields however.

 

[hendrebc]

Peeing around your chicken house will keep badgers and foxes away. Only if your a man though its like marking your territority. I do it and it seems to work i havent had any foxes near since i started doing it anyway. You would need a hell of a lot of pee to keep them away from your cattle though
Weve started getting more and more badgers here after never having more than the odd one and ive stopped seeing hedgehogs about a year after. And now i dont have any hedgehogs ive had slugs in my turnips and oats after never having trouble before
But we have just passed our annual whole herd tb test so the badgers will be staying and ill just have to (reluctantly) chuck some slug pellets about next year and worse ill have to just watch the bumble bees and ground nesting birds getting eaten. Ive already noticed a lot less pheasants. Not that i could legally do anything about it anyway but at least they are healthy badgers. For now

 

[Dry Rot]

Encouraging or assisting a crime (formerly incitement) is a crime... (even in the Midlands)

And what is the law on neglecting to care for your livestock?

Many good men were burnt at the stake because they would not accept the law -- but were prepared to risk the penalties. Eventually, what was recognised as bad law was changed. Bad laws should always be challenged -- we are governed in this country with our consent. It is not yet a totalitarian society, but heading that way.

Interesting clip on Tweet of the Day on R4 the other morning. The twitcher presenter was studying the habits of carrion crows. He noticed an otter had caught a crab. Two crows alighted, one in front of the otter and the other behind. The rear most crow stepped up and picked at the otter's tail. As the otter turned to defend itself, the foremost crow nipped in and stole the crab. Both birds then flew off to enjoy their prize. Ring any bells?

Danllan has stated his religious observance to the law before. But he is prepared to over ride the 30mph speed limit if he has to rush a child to hospital, expecting the courts to dismiss this as expediency. Frankly, I don't see the difference.

Badgers should be taken off the protected list and then maybe we can get back to sanity and the balance we once had. If farmers were so bad at managing the countryside, there would be no countryside to manage.

 

[Katarina]

Peeing around your chicken house will keep badgers and foxes away. Only if your a man though its like marking your territority. I do it and it seems to work i havent had any foxes near since i started doing it anyway. You would need a hell of a lot of pee to keep them away from your cattle though
Weve started getting more and more badgers here after never having more than the odd one and ive stopped seeing hedgehogs about a year after. And now i dont have any hedgehogs ive had slugs in my turnips and oats after never having trouble before
But we have just passed our annual whole herd tb test so the badgers will be staying and ill just have to (reluctantly) chuck some slug pellets about next year and worse ill have to just watch the bumble bees and ground nesting birds getting eaten. Ive already noticed a lot less pheasants. Not that i could legally do anything about it anyway but at least they are healthy badgers. For now

Haven't seen hedgehogs round the farm for several years, not even roadkill which tells a sad story.

 

[Danllan]

No doubt you hand yourself into the police everytime you breach the speed limit by even half a mile/hr.
I own the deeds to my farm which has no footpaths so if anybody wants to trample around they must be very brave or very stupid .

Predictable... see below.

And what is the law on neglecting to care for your livestock?...

Danllan has stated his religious observance to the law before. But he is prepared to over ride the 30mph speed limit if he has to rush a child to hospital, expecting the courts to dismiss this as expediency. Frankly, I don't see the difference...

Yes, and the law - in England & Wales - allows for the few times where there is legal but not moral culpability.

No idea what the law is up there in re' stock neglect, here there is an arguable contradiction between doing the best for one's cattle and the law regarding badgers. So far, badgers win...

Don't think I agree with that, I don't; but I've seen the results of the law being taken into the hands of individuals many times and it is very rarely a good idea with a good end.