Birds killing sheep

banoffe2

Is there some way of protecting sheep from birds of prey? a friend has lost 6 sheep already this year, there must be some way to stop this, awful to think what the poor sheep have to go through, being killed alive, doesn't bear thinking about, I have no knowledge on sheep, grew up on a dairy farm, no longer in it, but still interested in all farming stuff!

elperello

What species of birds?
What age sheep?

endacl

“Killed alive”?

emo72

How does he know it's birds? I heard this was a myth.

banoffe2

Thanks for all the replies, I can't answer any of the above, all I know is that they weren't lambs, friend says the birds ate a hole in the sheep? doesn't make sense but there must be an explanation, hard to imagine how birds would attack a live sheep?
Every day is a learning day, thanks for joining in

archer22

banoffe2 wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, I can't answer any of the above, all I know is that they weren't lambs, friend says the birds ate a hole in the sheep? doesn't make sense but there must be an explanation, hard to imagine how birds would attack a live sheep?
Every day is a learning day, thanks for joining in

If it really happened at all...then it would likely have been Magpies.

greysides

banoffe2 wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, I can't answer any of the above, all I know is that they weren't lambs, friend says the birds ate a hole in the sheep? doesn't make sense but there must be an explanation, hard to imagine how birds would attack a live sheep?
Every day is a learning day, thanks for joining in

Sounds like crows at a sheep on her back. Not so much 'birds of prey'. It's an unfortunate but regular occurrence.

Birdnuts

banoffe2 wrote: »

Is there some way of protecting sheep from birds of prey? a friend has lost 6 sheep already this year, there must be some way to stop this, awful to think what the poor sheep have to go through, being killed alive, doesn't bear thinking about, I have no knowledge on sheep, grew up on a dairy farm, no longer in it, but still interested in all farming stuff!

Its sounds like crows/magpies are the problem - not birds of prey, which do not do that type of damage and are in any case fully protected. I suggest your friend gets his local gun club to deal with this problem via shooting/trapping


PS: If large numbers of his ewes are going on their backs he may have a bigger problem in terms of disease, poor condition etc. and should maybe get the flock looked at by someone with more experience or maybe a vet if possible

joe35

Sheep could be in too good of form. They lie on their back to scratch and are too far to get back up. Park a trailor in the field for them to scratch their backs on

Buford T. Justice XIX

emo72 wrote: »

How does he know it's birds? I heard this was a myth.

Sheep really need checking twice a day especially when they have full fleeced. Crows and magpie are hoors for picking out the eyes of sheep on their backs and then attacking the exposed bellies as well.

I would be a very happy farmer if it were a myth but unfortunately it's completely true.

trotskyite1

i've read of seagulls doing this in kerry

tabby aspreme

Grey crows, magpies, and ravens are the culprits around here.

Buford T. Justice XIX

trotskyite1 wrote: »

i've read of seagulls doing this in kerry

I've never seen seagulls at it myself but it wouldn't surprise me at all.

We've had a few one eyed ewes over the years after getting picked out when on their backs and kept a blind ewe in a pen with another one when she lost both eyes to an attack. She used follow the other ewe around all the time and their lambs used cross suck as well. I culled them both together as I didn't want to separate them at that stage.

Zoo4m8

Learnt the hard way to check ewes twice a day coming near lambing..lost three ewes to a pair of ravens years ago, they constantly patrolled the flock looking for sheep on their backs and then would peck a hole in the stomach and pull out the intestine,
On one occasion I found a ewe when the vet was here on another job, brought her in and he said nothing he could do would help, to please me he stitched the tiny hole in the intestine and put it back in, stitched the small opening, gave large amount of antibiotics and next morning she was dead..

trotskyite1

apparently large parrots do this too in s island new zealand

greysides

Zoo4m8 wrote: »

Learnt the hard way to check ewes twice a day coming near lambing..lost three ewes to a pair of ravens years ago, they constantly patrolled the flock looking for sheep on their backs and then would peck a hole in the stomach and pull out the intestine,
On one occasion I found a ewe when the vet was here on another job, brought her in and he said nothing he could do would help, to please me he stitched the tiny hole in the intestine and put it back in, stitched the small opening, gave large amount of antibiotics and next morning she was dead..

When they peck out the gut they tend to separate it from its mesentery which contains the blood vessels that feed and oxygenate it, and the mesentery is left inside the belly. Trying to do heroic intestinal anastomosis in a shocked ewe is never going to end well.

tabby aspreme

I asked my vet about the damage the birds do and he said the same , the vein they target in the stomach has fatal results, nature taking its course, except when you get them on the cross hairs

Zoo4m8

greysides wrote: »

When they peck out the gut they tend to separate it from its mesentery which contains the blood vessels that feed and oxygenate it, and the mesentery is left inside the belly. Trying to do heroic intestinal anastomosis in a shocked ewe is never going to end well.

Exactly, it was explained to me at the time but having saved sheep with far worse injuries after dog attacks I needed convincing that such a seemingly small injury could be fatal, so the vet decided a demonstration of how wrong I was was in order...lesson learnt, I never lost another sheep in this way again!

solerina

We have had issues with grey crows a lot, magpies and sea gulls a few times. Bloody nuisances the lot of them. Usually during lambing or occasionally when a ewe goes on her back.