Feeding Deer

pajo65

Hey Guys,

I live in the Wicklow mountains and as you can imagine we have alot of snow at the moment, we have it for over a forthnight.

We've always had Deer roaming around the house but I have noticed a huge increase since the snow and i take it they are searching for food.

Is there anything we can do along the line of feed for them, I'm not sure about what to give them so any suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks

convert

Deer are often known to go into farmyards to eat the hay and/or silage that's been fed to the cattle, so you could try getting some (though would probably be difficult enough given the weather conditions we've had for the last while. Most farmers need the stocks they have).

EGAR

Ive got the buggers all year round, I took these pics in October in front of the house, right next to my horsebox





In weather like this they raid the haylage and one even tried to push the donkey from his ration.He lost, and the donkey made his point.

westwicklow

The deer are a real nuisance in my area of West Wicklow, taking the fodder we in the farming community put out for the farm animals. So with the expense of growing the animal food, spraying it, weeding it, harvesting it, transporting it, storing it..... and the time and effort involved in all of this, it's not nice, to say the least, to see deer eating the farm animal's food as it's difficult enough to keep farm animals fit and healthy in this weather, particularly the pregnant animals on the farm or those which already have had their young.

pajo65

Thanks Guys

Much appreciated

EGAR

westwicklow wrote: »

The deer are a real nuisance in my area of West Wicklow, taking the fodder we in the farming community put out for the farm animals. So with the expense of growing the animal food, spraying it, weeding it, harvesting it, transporting it, storing it..... and the time and effort involved in all of this, it's not nice, to say the least, to see deer eating the farm animal's food as it's difficult enough to keep farm animals fit and healthy in this weather, particularly the pregnant animals on the farm or those which already have had their young.

I hear what you are saying re the price of fodder etc. However, the does are now preggers too and I wont begrudge them what they can scrounge off the horses nor would I chase them away. They are opportunistic animals and the weather is really rough.