Johnny boxes and predators

[gsp1985gj]

Looking for advice on designs, I am building a box and worried about small ferrets and ermine. I have access to 40 acres in a remote wilderness area, so my birds will be potentially at risk. Does anyone have any advice to limit the risk either by dividing the pen so that the recall funnel brings birds into a seperate area in the pen from the main population? Ultimately limiting the number of birds I put out so only the recalled birds could be easily accessed by a predator or something along those lines?

Any experience or suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

[deseeker]

My johnny house recall funnel goes into a small cage inside the johnny house that is separate from the rest of the quail, that way if something gets in, it is only going to get the recalled birds and not the birds in the rest of the johnny house. I have a door in the cage where I can let them back in with the rest of the birds. So far the only preditor that made it into the cage with the recalled birds has been a 1/2 grown possium---he won't be back. I use 1/4 inch screen on the cage because weasels are small in diameter.

[hi-tailyn]

Have not tried one, but the predator proof funnel sold online looks like a good deal. It is not cheap, but neither are good recalling birds. Loose 5-10 over the season and you would pay for one of these guys. http://wildlifemanagementtechnologies.c ... oof_Funnel

If you don't have those tiny weasels, and just skunks, hawks, opossums and such, I just nail a 8" square piece of 2x4 garden fence over the funnel entrance and the quail walk right through the vertical opening and keeps out the larger predators.

[DonF]

Have not tried one, but the predator proof funnel sold online looks like a good deal. It is not cheap, but neither are good recalling birds. Loose 5-10 over the season and you would pay for one of these guys. http://wildlifemanagementtechnologies.c ... oof_Funnel

If you don't have those tiny weasels, and just skunks, hawks, opossums and such, I just nail a 8" square piece of 2x4 garden fence over the funnel entrance and the quail walk right through the vertical opening and keeps out the larger predators.

That is super!

[big_fish]

your other concern would be snakes. You would be amazed where they will go for a free meal. We were checking bluebird boxes one spring and they were 6ft high on 1 in round poles and when you open the inspection door all you would see is coils of black snake resting in it (or coming out like a rocket). That trap door from WMT is pretty cool I may have to fab one up.

[Neil]

Have not tried one, but the predator proof funnel sold online looks like a good deal. It is not cheap, but neither are good recalling birds. Loose 5-10 over the season and you would pay for one of these guys. http://wildlifemanagementtechnologies.c ... oof_Funnel

If you don't have those tiny weasels, and just skunks, hawks, opossums and such, I just nail a 8" square piece of 2x4 garden fence over the funnel entrance and the quail walk right through the vertical opening and keeps out the larger predators.

They work very well, worth the money. They also sell the electronic recaller, and no mess feeders/'waters.

Neil

Whoops, wrong company. The recallers and feeders are from Quailty Wildlife. Both have good products.

[hi-tailyn]

I have good luck with their electronic callers. Some birds I have bought don't talk much and don't recall as sell. With electronic caller, it seems to help call back more of them.

I made my own no mess water and feeders out of 5 gal. buckets with nipples on bottom for water and cut pvc pipe and drilled holes in another bucket and made feeders.

Waters work great summer and winter. In winter if they freeze, they won't crack or break bucket like the pvc pipe with nipples attached to them.

Feeders work after some experimentation. Can fill both and last for couple weeks.

I now have 20 gal barrels with nipples on bottom, and only fill every 2 months.

[DonF]

People out here have trouble with snakes in chicken yards. They put 1/4" hardware cloth on the ground so the snakes can't get in. Haven't used my recall pen yet but it has hardware cloth on the bottom also. Need one of those funnel's!