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Goannas!!!
http://australianpoultryforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=53731		 Page 1 of 8
Author:  3 Little Ladies [ Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:49 am ]
Post subject:  Goannas!!!
Hi everyone,
does anyone else have a problem with goannas stealing their eggs?
Recently I went down to collect our eggs and there was a MASSIVE goanna in the hutch licking his lips after cracking the day's eggs and eating them before running out and then climbing up the tree... I have seen it about 3 times now.
I have read that these creatures are quite predatory in nature and have been known to run up people mistaking them for trees.. I have 3 small children and I am starting to get very worried that they could have a very traumatic run in with this beautiful wild creature. I have also read that really the only thing that can stop them is an electric fence which I do not have the funds to do.

I have penned my chooks in a really long run after my battle with the brush turkeys and still let them out in the afternoons for some free time. I absolutely adore my chooks but I am very concerned about the goannas - anyone else had this issue?

Many thanks in advance.
Author:  Hens and Hobbits [ Tue Oct 08, 2013 7:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Goannas!!!
Sorry no experience with bush turkeys or goannas, just foxes and resident wild birds. It must be a worry though with your small children and your chooks.

I have read goannas eat snake eggs also, so that would control your snake population, they can also eat chooks :( , but that's not what you want to read.

How easy is the goanna's access to your nesting area and eggs? You would need to fully enclose your chook's coop, pen preferably with wire and run like a BIG cage so no predator can penetrate it. Have a look on eBay, Gumtree, or Trading Post for the wire.

Have you a local wildlife officer who can relocate the goanna? I suppose that would only be a temporary measure as possibly another goanna or two might come.
Author:  3 Little Ladies [ Tue Oct 08, 2013 5:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Goannas!!!
Thanks Hens and Hobbits. Yes I have a small 'hutch' like the typical ones you see on ebay which I close them into at night with hardcore wire so they are protected. Then around this hutch there is the pen I have made with my brother which is made from 6 foot metal stakes and chicken wire and it covers about 12 square metres.The goanna just slides right through the aperture of the chicken wire. (as do the rats for that matter!!!) So I was thinking of buying more wire with a smaller aperture and putting a layer of this around the other wire... But I am still not confident this will solve my problems!
Great suggestion about ringing wires - yes I must do this!
Author:  Petite Poulet [ Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Goannas!!!
We have Blue Tongue Lizards, so far they have left the chooks alone and have run away from them. This is an old photo as Lola is now no longer upon this earth :(

Could you possibly post a photo of your coop set up etc so we can help you out with keeping out the goanna.

Thank you, kindly 52.gif

Attachments:
A Curious Encounter With A Blue Tongue.jpg
A Curious Encounter With A Blue Tongue.jpg [ 125.5 KiB | Viewed 20977 times ]
Author:  3 Little Ladies [ Tue Oct 08, 2013 9:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Goannas!!!
Great photo! Yes we have Blue tongues as well but so far they haven't gone anywhere near the chooks as far as I know.
I will take a photo tomorrow of the set up and post tomorrow night ;)
Author:  casinovaduck [ Wed Oct 09, 2013 6:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Goannas!!!
Dam goannas raided a ducks nest here and took some eggs and broke the rest :x :x :x
Author:  PoultryDan [ Wed Oct 09, 2013 9:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Goannas!!!
Such a smart and strong animal and would be a chicken keepers worst nightmare! If its just the odd one you might get away with relocating it and get some peace for awhile but as others have mentioned it will probably be replaced by another one shortly after [smilie=a_doh.gif]
Author:  Cordelia [ Thu Oct 10, 2013 7:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Goannas!!!
I think the worst ones are those monitor lizards up in Qld that grow over 1 meter
Author:  casinovaduck [ Thu Oct 10, 2013 2:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Goannas!!!
Those buggers can attack humans too
Author:  P_Edwards [ Thu Oct 10, 2013 6:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Goannas!!!
Yes very BIG [smilie=a_holycrap.gif]
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