11 replies to this topic

[Debs]

Can anyone give me some advice please.  We have badgers that live on the edge of our land within our boundary fence line, they were there before we were so we put some electric fence around their "home" to keep the horses out and looked forward to co-existing.  We run our horses on a track system which runs around the perimeter of our land leaving the bit in the middle for hay etc.

 

We discovered the badgers had dug 3 large holes that were pretty much vertical on the track that the horses use - obvious danger.  We filled them in with muck.  They dug this out so we filled it in with hard core left over from the hard standing we had put in and we topped it off with more muck.  I just want to say here that on the other side of the fence is a farmers crop field so they had other options.

 

Anyway they are starting to dig this out.  We turn up in the morning and we find that they have created a little hole next to the filled in big hole which then got bigger and bigger so we are pretty much filling daily.  Kinda reminds of the Jasper Carrot sketch with the moles - if your around my age you'll get that one.

 

Anyway you get the problem.  I don't want to get rid of the badgers I love badgers but also love my horses and don't want them breaking their legs because of these holes.

 

Anyone had the same problem or knows anything about co-existing with beautiful badgers.

 

:girlwah:

[adrian007]

my understanding is that badgers do exactly what they want

 

I think that means you may to consider  a chicane for the horses... or a jump I suppose.

[Debs]

Mmmm now you got me thinking!!!!

[Sunnysouthdevon]

Once they start the only way to stop them is remove them.... You could have them caught and released a few miles away by a pest control, no matter whst you do if they wanna dig they will dig, oh and the chances of them giving Tb to your animals is pretty high so I'd seriously think about all living in peace and harmony

[shepie]

They are protected you can't touch them or fill in their homes in any way, not even remove their spoil heap
Move your horses a bit or face prosecution is the legal answer !!
You may have clean tb free badgers don't loose them or move them as you could have an ill roaming tb infested badger move in

[j and H]

with shepie on this one, 

[adrian007]

I'm with Shepie especially the point about clean badgers.

 

However Bovine TB - shouldn't be an issue for your equine's. But if you gallop your cows around the perimeter I would go for the chicane option, rather than jumping - I know there is a popular story about one cow that could jump really high, but no one video'd it so it may just be a story.

[Debs]

Blimey .... ignorance is indeed bliss !!!!!  I think some more electric fencing will be the order of the day then.

[tonydockers]

badgers are pretty cool to be fair, the act supporting there protection was passed in parliment so the police officers will support action against any action that breaks that rule, not worth getting in to legalitty here, simply they are afforded a lot of protection in society.

 

shepie is spot on, and i would find a way to live alongside them, i have a troublesome deer eating plants but i wouldnt change it, love watching it eat all the plants, its a magical creature to watch

 

i am aware of many farms badgers meeting there fate on the roads all be it with strange holes in them although im no fan of this action

[adrian007]

last paragraph above - I hadn't heard about that practice, but it seems obvious now you say it!

[Debs]

Oh I was never going to hurt them, just hoped that by filling in the vertical holes the would dig holes elsewhere.  Just don't want horses with broken legs, we have decided to build a cross country fence that covers it the horses can go round or over it and the badgers can get out through the sides of it.  Win win.

[tim'rous beastie]

An an 'orsey person im not knocking you xc fence idea at all, but badgers bedroom could be right under where your horse lands. Maybe excavate a big tiger trap and hope they get the idea they're not wanted?

Is it possible ( if you really can't get rid of them "alternatively") to fence the area off completely instead? I'd rest easier knowing my horse was safe rather than accommodate a few badgers.