How to prevent Black Birds and Rabbits in your Garden?

[redneck medic]

Okay, my grandpa told me how to kill rabbits.
First you put flat rocks all around your garden.
Then you put pepper on the rocks.
The rabbits smell the pepper, sneeze and...
Well, any members of PETA on here would find the rest of it offensive.

Yes, it is a joke!

Screw that whole PETA sensitivity thing...we are at the top of the food chain....Rabbit Soup!

[webmaster]

Just a friendly reminder that this discussion is about preventing rabbits and blackbirds from getting into the garden- not about eradicating them.

How to prevent Black Birds and Rabbits in your Garden?

Please, let's not change the topic, it's not fair to the person who started this discussion.

Thanks a bunch.

[rainbowgardener]

thank you very much webmaster. I appreciate you moderating the tone of this discussion!

[jal_ut]

Don't worry about the blackbirds.

The rabbits? You have two choices: fencing or kill the rabbits.
Live trapping and relocating is not an option in my book.

You decide.

You may want to check the laws in your area before you blast the rabbits should this be your choice. Some states protect certain species of rabbit, and there may or may not be seasons on them. I am assuming these are wild rabbits?

Of course you can always just Shoot, Shovel and Shut Up

Those break barrel air guns in 22 cal are adequate for small critters. Again check your local laws as these are sometimes illegal to use in city limits.

You could just plant 20 times more stuff so there will be some for all.

[snafu918]

Rabbits are easy, just email your local falconers association (theres one in 48 states) and ask them if they have anyone that wants to hunt cottontails. I'll bet you good money they will send someone out and then just ask them to kill em all. This is an easy and organic solution and the hawk will eat the rabbit so nothing is wasted.

[tiny1]

I do hunt and eat rabbits, but as the mod said, this is about prevention. I get hair from my Barber and spread it. I use a homemade rabbit repellant, and a 3 foot fence. I agree that the ecosystem needs to be preserved and rabbits are a part. The only ones I kill are the ones I want to eat.
My friend bought a device that has a motion detector and emits the sound of a predatory bird(hawk, I think) and he has done well with it, but I cannot see spending $139 for that. I have a weak BB gun that "persuades" them to leave without any permanent harm, as a last resort.

[Peterjay]

We've got a wild raspberry patch in back of the garden that produces rabbits by the dozens, but the damage they do is pretty minimal compared to what a deer or groundhog would do. They might nibble seedlings or strawberry leaves, but once the plants are good-sized the rabbits pretty much leave them alone. We also have a lot of clover beyond the garden, which may be the reason for the lack of bunny damage. When they come out to graze at dusk, they all head straight for the clover - I've never actually seen one in the garden. Another reason might be that the motion sensor/sprinkler I use to repel deer might also be scaring the rabbits, but unless I spend a night sitting out there, I guess I'll never know. We also have a bunch of grackles and red-wing blackbirds that frequent the garden, but I've never seen them eat anything but bugs. Without the blackbirds, bluebirds, flycatchers, etc., out there, we'd probably be overrun by pests.