Two nights ago two squab eggs disappeared and two 2 weeks old squabs were dead in there cages. There was some damage to the neck area of the squabs. Nothing else inside the cages was moved. We set a baited live trap but weren't sure what bait to use. Nothing took the bait. Last night we didn't set the trap and of course something killer another squab. Same injuries. My father in law suggested a snake could do this. The squabs were not taken from the cages by whatever and they were not torn up extensively. The cages are in a lean-to attached to the sheep and goat barn they share this area with several rabbits of which there are 8 2 week old bunnies they were not touched. The cage hangs about 3 feet off the ground. There is a farm field fence around this area and a metal tube gate. The cage is attached to the posts of the lean to. We live in Indiana I was raised on a farm always with several animals around and we never had any kind of problem like this. Does anyone have any suggestion what might have caused these injuries? And taken the eggs?

Thanks for responding. Linda at peacefulvalley

-- Linda at peaceful valley (peacefulvalley3@yahoo.com), July 24, 2001

Answers

Check out the "Predator FAQ" site, this is a lengthy paper on different predators and how to recognize the damage they do. Do you have rats there? Hope you solve this, it is worrisome isn't it? Good Luck, :-)

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), July 24, 2001.

My brother has raised homing pigeons for nearly 25 years now and had some predator problems from 'possums, rats, mice, snakes, birds of prey, etc. over the years . . . it sounds like rats or weasels killed the squabs, but not sure they take eggs.

Do you have metal guards on the legs, preventing an animal from climbing up them? A foot length around the entire perimeter would probably work. Make sure this is put above the jumping height of the predator. Is the cage good and tight: I've seen mice "scrunch" thru 1/4" square hardware cloth (I'm not exaggerating!)in our ranch cabin. They are hard to stop without animals like dogs or cats.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), July 24, 2001.

My friend and i went to a restaurent last nite and he reckoned his squab tasted of liver, is this a common taste or did he just get a dodgy bird?

-- chas Miller (cajmiller@hotmail.com), February 07, 2002.