A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[memphis]

I'm agreeing with R2elk. Several years ago we had a "cat lady" in the neighborhood. I trapped 14 feral cats & dropped them off at the shelter. I got tired of seeing song bird remains scattered about. And the poop in my front garden beds was beyond disgusting. One of my elderly neighbors fell trying to chase one out of his vegetable garden. That was the last straw.

 

[Finnie]

You are better off letting it stay. Trap it and get it fixed if you can and then re-release it. Studies have shown that if you get rid of it, others just move in to take over it's territory. But when you get it fixed & re-release it, it can't produce more offspring and no new feral cats move in to take its' place.

Feral cats are one of the worst predators there are and are very harmful to the native wildlife. Releasing captured feral cats is irresponsible.

You both have good points, but I have to agree with karenerwin that IF it is an area that has a population of feral cats already, it is better for that population to be neutered and not keep producing more cats that will spread into other areas. And if I had a feral cat lurking around my property that was known to respect poultry, that would be preferable to having a different, unknown cat move in.

I imagine if you are in pristine wilderness where feral cats have not set up house, then yes, releasing any to that area would be very irresponsible.

There is also the problem that outdoor cats have a fairly short lifespan, so trapping neutering and releasing any given cat is only good for a couple of years. Then it's going to die and a new one take its place anyway. So I am not necessarily a proponent of the trap/neuter/release.

 

[Finnie]

I'm agreeing with R2elk. Several years ago we had a "cat lady" in the neighborhood. I trapped 14 feral cats & dropped them off at the shelter. I got tired of seeing song bird remains scattered about. And the poop in my front garden beds was beyond disgusting. One of my elderly neighbors fell trying to chase one out of his vegetable garden. That was the last straw.

I wish we still had the feature that let you know that there were new posts while you are typing...

This is a different kind of scenario, where someone is actually feeding the cats, and therefore increasing the number that can survive in a given territory. These types of colonies are a menace.

ETA: (Not that the other types of colonies aren't menaces too.)

 

[memphis]

Good points Finnie. Since I cleared out the colony we haven't seen any new ones. I understand the spay & release thing. But I'm not spending my money on that. We don't have any free programs here. Plus, I barely have the time to get my chores. Just don't have the time to chauffeur stray cats around. Dropping them at the shelter was my best option.

 

[duluthralphie]

Meat birds should be nasty. I guess they just love us because we bring food lol. My 2 CX girls are squatting. I'm wondering when I'll start getting eggs. I named one of them Big Betty. I can't call her Bertha...I have an Aunt named Bertha (pronounced Bearta. She's from Peru) and she's a tiny little toothpick lol.
View attachment 722552 View attachment 722735 View attachment 722879

You can not name one Bertha. Bertha is the queen of toads, Bert's mate...

That is a name reserved for royalty......
sorry..

 

[duluthralphie]

Good points Finnie. Since I cleared out the colony we haven't seen any new ones. I understand the spay & release thing. But I'm not spending my money on that. We don't have any free programs here. Plus, I barely have the time to get my chores. Just don't have the time to chauffeur stray cats around. Dropping them was my best option.

I fixed the last sentence for you, it made the whole paragraph better....

 

[duluthralphie]

Advice from the experts again , I have a hen on her nest, but the eggs should have hatched by now, I'm thinking this past wknd at the latest. She is stuck on that nest tho and will NOT budge. I can't get within reach to swipe an egg to candle etc, much less remove them if they are bad. We were excited about our first possible hatch, but it looks like did. So, should I give her one more week? If nothing this wknd prepare for battle to clear out the nest? Any tip on how to do this would be greatly appreciated. She's wedged herself into the corner and you have to basically kneel to reach in to her. Hard to run away fast when your all hunched over, and frankly I like my eyeballs in my head, and all my extremities attached lol. Thanks in advance!

How sure are you of when she started sitting? They will sit on eggs at night many times without incubation starting when the nights are cold....Weird I know, but that's turkeys..

Another thing Basic, but some people get it wrong, 28 days right?

She should leave in time, if you are really worried a garden hose and cold water spraying on her might get her to move.

Walmart sells leather gloves and goggles...

 

[cluckylady812]

I'm sure. I gave her a full 35 days, an extra week, just to be sure she was really going to stick there. This was a week of truly broody behavior, after the clutch was laid. Idk why not a single one has hatched. Or well I guess it may have tried, but mom is a dragon so who knows what's under there lol. I have the gloves, was thinking about a full helmet with face mask, heck with goggles, and a very reluctant husband to help out. We have another hen on a nest, she's got another week to go. Praying she has better luck. Thank you for the tips!

 

[JRNash]

If you know she is well past the hatch date pull her off the nest and chunk the eggs. Put her in a cage for a week or so and break the cycle. The problem I was having,was that other hens would add to the clutch . Its impossible for me to keep track of what's where.

 

[duluthralphie]

If you know she is well past the hatch date pull her off the nest and chunk the eggs. Put her in a cage for a week or so and break the cycle. The problem I was having,was that other hens would add to the clutch . Its impossible for me to keep track of what's where.

Or slip a nearly full term egg or two under her..