Anonymous wrote:He needs a cat or two, and to stop telling you how he deals with it. The alternative would be to get rid of the chickens he isn't supposed to have.

Again, YES.

Anonymous wrote:You city people are cute. He's getting rid of vermin.

YES

Grew up on a farm and I've killed much worse.

Are you bothered that your brother is killing vermin?

I think your brother needs a more efficient way of doing so. No sympathy for rats. Sorry. I would hire someone to do it.

I'd report anonymously report them for having chickens. Skunks can carry rabies and rats spread diseases. Sometimes doing the right thing is the solution to a problem.

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone else curious about how he disposed of two skunks without being seriously injured in the process (skunk spray is no joke!)

That is easy. He used the humane trap and then shot or drowned it in the trap. They need to put their tails up to spray and the trap is too low-topped to permit them to get the tail up. So they can't speay you until they walkout of the trap, whereupon they will be extremely pissed off and spray you right away if you catch and release. It's standard practice. That is why you don't trap a skunk unless you plan on killing it in the trap. Any farmer knows this.

Your brother is a loser with sociopathic tendencies. Shooting animals with a pellet gun isn't going to ensure a clean, quick kill. Drowning is torture when there are better options; this isn't 1810... I would turn in your sick loser brother if I knew him. I pity his kids.

Yes, I am a vegetarian, and I grew up on a farm where animals sometimes had to be euthanized, but it was done humanely with a proper 22 rifle that ensured a quick death. I hate people like your brother, and I question your own intelligence and sensitivity for defending your sick, sick brother. I hope a skunk sprays him in the eyes and I hope it causes him a fraction of the unnecessary pain and fear he inflicts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK, since OP just asked for suggestions, I will offer some.

First, shooting critters with a BB gun has got to stop. He needs a proper .22 caliber firearm. Sealed containers for feed are a good idea but the feed will be out and about for the chickens and so it won't stop rats and squirels, but larger foragers. He needs to get a cat to deal with the former.

Yep, best solution. MY FIL also shoots his own dogs when they need to be put down due to old age /disease. He considers taking them to the vet the wimps way out.

Yes and yes. This is normal rural stuff.

He needs a cat or two, and to stop telling you how he deals with it. The alternative would be to get rid of the chickens he isn't supposed to have.

Anonymous wrote:OK, since OP just asked for suggestions, I will offer some.

First, shooting critters with a BB gun has got to stop. He needs a proper .22 caliber firearm. Sealed containers for feed are a good idea but the feed will be out and about for the chickens and so it won't stop rats and squirels, but larger foragers. He needs to get a cat to deal with the former.

Yep, best solution. MY FIL also shoots his own dogs when they need to be put down due to old age /disease. He considers taking them to the vet the wimps way out.

Wow - I can hear the banjos dueling as I read this thread.

Anonymous wrote:Are you a vegetarian or do you exclusively (including restaurants, parties) eat certified humanely raised (not bs "cage free") meat? Because if not, I promise you that the animals you eat and feed your children every day suffered much more than the skunk your (admittedly creepy) brother drowned.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here
My brother doesn't have a personality disorder, he's not antisocial, he doesn't have a lack of conscience. He feels bad for doing it, but he just has to solve the problem and he's solving it. It's an issue of convenience. He doesn't LIKE doing it, he's just doing what he thinks needs to be done to keep his shed from getting infested.

DROWNING an animal is not normal behavior. It's not. And, I'm no "city folk." We have TONS of animal is my yard and I grew up in a rural area.

I'd report him. And tell him what I think of his behavior.

Then how would you get rid of a large vermin, not a rat/mouse, but like a groundhog or skunk? A lot of animal control places don't catch vermin. I don't want to put the animal in my car and drive it to a preserve. It will stink up my car, or worse, if it has fleas/ticks, it may get in the car.

He's not supposed to have the chickens, right? Well, there you go.

As for "vermin", that's a matter of perspective for one thing. If you're going to use lethal means, do it humanely. I don't think drowning qualifies. And, anyone who could look at/participate in drowning a defenseless animal is someone with issues - I don't care what they do in the rural areas (where I used to live, btw). I do wonder what the authorities would have to say about that, as well?

Is anyone else curious about how he disposed of two skunks without being seriously injured in the process (skunk spray is no joke!)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here
My brother doesn't have a personality disorder, he's not antisocial, he doesn't have a lack of conscience. He feels bad for doing it, but he just has to solve the problem and he's solving it. It's an issue of convenience. He doesn't LIKE doing it, he's just doing what he thinks needs to be done to keep his shed from getting infested.

DROWNING an animal is not normal behavior. It's not. And, I'm no "city folk." We have TONS of animal is my yard and I grew up in a rural area.

I'd report him. And tell him what I think of his behavior.

My mom told me my grandfather would put vermin in a burlap sack and drop them in the river. It was a normal practice.

My grandparents did this too (country ish area). They didn't blink an eye...it was a common solution back then. Probably equally humane/inhumane as killing them with poison.