2 chicks gone, 3 stray cats*Updated-Happy ending*

[JulieNKC]

I moved my 8 week old leghorns and EE out to the big girl coop a few days ago. Everything was going fine. This morning I went out to feed them and couldn't find the EE. I thought maybe she was hiding, I left lots of little spaces for them to hide in until they got integrated with the rest. I went back down not even 10 minutes later with their water, and one of the leghorns was gone too! I put her back in the tractor with the meaties and began to walk around our yard looking for the babies, thinking maybe they squeezed out somewhere I missed. I found no sign of them, but there were 3 stray cats in the yard! Are they wha got my babies? I am feeling awful, I already lost a duck this week. My yard is completely fenced (just under 2 acres) and the chickens also have a 8x16 fenced and covered run. I have never lost anyone til this week! I am in city limits so I can't shoot the cats. I'm getting married next week and am really strapped for cash right now so I can't go buy a trap. Animal conrtrol does absolutely nothing around here. What do I do? Stop buying babies and just get pullets? How do I get rid of the cats? Not only do my chicks disappear when they are around they use my yard for a litter box and my toddler eats dirt. They get in my trash. I hated the things before, now I want them dead. Sorry if this offends anyone, I am just really mad right now. People want cats they need to keep them at home, same as any other animal. Is there anything else that would have got a chick in the 10 minutes I was gone in broad daylight?

 

[bobbi-j]

If your chicks were in a covered run, how would the cats have gotten to them? If they were free ranging it's possible that it was the cats, but don't rule out other critters.

 

[chickenmanfla]

no money needed to kill the cats you got a string or rope make a noose lure it in with some table food then BAM!!!! with the hammer now you have new bait for the other 2.

 

[JulieNKC]

The run has a 6 foot tall fence around it. There is a tarp covering it, but there is a foot gap between the fence and where the tarp is. Guess I'll be closing that off to secure my run better. Still don't want the nasty cats in my yard giving diseases and worms to my kids, ripping up my trash when I set it out, and killing all the songbirds which belong in my yard. They don't.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

I lost a baby a day last summer to 2 stray/dumped cats. My daughter and I even saw one of them run across the yard and into the field with a screaming chick in it's mouth... we took chase until the screaming stopped. I had never used my husbands rifle before but the following day I saw one of the strays hiding under a bush for the chicks to get closer and nailed it on the first shot... I cried and cried (I have cats of my own). The following day I saw the other one stalking the babies in the shed and it was dispatched also... didn't cry this time. The point being is... it wont stop until the cats are gone.

A live trap at TSC is not that expensive. Also our local animal shelter will loan out a live trap for a deposit, which is returned to you when the trap is returned... check that out. Bait with a good smelly canned cat food... easy... and return trap w/cat inside the next morning.

Even more important is the health of your toddler! Get a trap and get 'er done...asap!

 

[fishman65]

buy a couple of live traps..tsc sells them for a very reasonable price...if you have chickens you will need traps...coons, opposum, cats and other bird eaters will go into a live trap. I always have them baited and in place every night. check out if there is a local shelter that will take wild cats. Humane society sometimes will not take feral cats so be prepared to dispatch of the cats if you can't find somebody to take them. It is not a fun thing to do but sometimes it has to be done.

 

[JulieNKC]

Found a leghorn, she was under some bushes in the back where I had seen the cats. Has a few feathers missing from her butt, but looks ok. Have her moved with her friend in a cage inside the run for a few weeks until she is bigger and the cats are gone. Going to go search the yard again for the EE I guess, hoping she's hiding somewhere too.
And as far as the cats go, if I adopt a big tomcat will it chase off the bizillion stray and neighborhood cats?

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
Not neccessarily, he might attack your chickens also... and cat fights are really bad and cat bites are prone to abcessing without you knowing it until it is too late. Then you will have big Vet bills.

A live trap is a very good investment and do last forever... with chickens you will need it eventually.

 

[ChickInDelight]

How big do chickens need to be before the local feral cats will leave them alone?

I am seeing the wisdom of a live trap, but I am not seeing it working since I have 2 dogs and 4 cats of my own that come and go freely courtesy of the doggy door. I am counting on my zoo detering the foxes, coons, and feral cats. How stupid am I?

 

[JulieNKC]

mmaddie's mom :

Quote:
Not neccessarily, he might attack your chickens also... and cat fights are really bad and cat bites are prone to abcessing without you knowing it until it is too late. Then you will have big Vet bills.

A live trap is a very good investment and do last forever... with chickens you will need it eventually.

I plan on getting one. Being in city limits I don't have a lot of options other than that to dispatch unwanted guests. I'm just worried as soon as I get rid of these, I'll just open a spot for new ones to move in. Was thinking if I had my own cat who established the yard as his territory maybe it would keep out newcomers. And actually use a litterbox.