Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Fancychooklady]

Some are hunters and some really aren't, I'd think by now you would know if he was the killing type lol. Some people see the constant gifts of native birds on the doorstep as just a normal part of cat ownership which is terrible.

It breaks my heart to see a red breasted Robin on the lawn, but as a cat owner I take all care responsibility for my cats . On the farm we have 3x cats and they all have their work cut out for them catching rats and mice. I see more fledgling birds taken by the goshawk and the sparrow hawk than I do cats.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks K.Riggs. Some get and some don't

I've been breeding in excess of 15 years now and I fully understand the inconvenience of surplus Roos . My point is you would be better to buy point of lay pullets and save yourself the grief of dispatching the cockerels. Hatching your own birds is fun and somewhat addictive, but if you are not in a zoning that allows roosters it is not cost effective to raise chicks to age of sexing and cull.

 

[K.Riggs]

It breaks my heart to see a red breasted Robin on the lawn, but as a cat owner I take all care responsibility for my cats . On the farm we have 3x cats and they all have their work cut out for them catching rats and mice. I see more fledgling birds taken by the goshawk and the sparrow hawk than I do cats.

The difference is that goshawks and sparrow hawks are native predators and part of the balanced eco system where-as cats aren't. I understand the need for cats to deal with rodents and it's probably not possible to control them taking birds completely, One can only do their best.

 

[K.Riggs]

Out of interest where would you suggest getting POL pullets in Tasmania?

I've been breeding in excess of 15 years now and I fully understand the inconvenience of surplus Roos . My point is you would be better to buy point of lay pullets and save yourself the grief of dispatching the cockerels. Hatching your own birds is fun and somewhat addictive, but if you are not in a zoning that allows roosters it is not cost effective to raise chicks to age of sexing and cull.

 

[satay]

Some are hunters and some really aren't, I'd think by now you would know if he was the killing type lol. Some people see the constant gifts of native birds on the doorstep as just a normal part of cat ownership which is terrible.

I used to have to watch him in his younger days but he doesn't even go after bush rats which used to be his favourites anymore so i think the wild life a safe.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Out of interest where would you suggest getting POL pullets in Tasmania?

Fb poultry sites or find a breeder local to you. Of course it depends entirely on what breeds you are looking for.
As I said , hatching is fun but there will always be excess Roos. By the time you crunch the the numbers for powering up the incubator, heat lamps and chickstarter sometimes it's wiser to just buy a handful of pullets of the breeding of your choice. I currently have 30 odd Roos and it can get very noisy here. I only keep purebreds and generally thin numbers out coming into breeding season.

 

[Anniebee]

Some are hunters and some really aren't, I'd think by now you would know if he was the killing type lol. Some people see the constant gifts of native birds on the doorstep as just a normal part of cat ownership which is terrible.

K.Riggs .... re some are hunters, some are not. Some years back ( I might have told this story before - moons ago ) ... I had two rescue cats - fluffy little brothers. I allowed them in the back garden with my two Burmese at that time, under supervision. Early summer, a young fledgling landed awkwardly in our back garden. The Burmese of course had to 'have a go', but were constantly kept amused by the blackbird parents who flew viciously at them - but kept out of the way of their reaching claws.

Meantime, my little Oscar - the dearest, gentlest soul on earth, picked up the fledgling. I called to him to bring it to me ... and ( to my utter astonishment ) he did just that. Placed that little baby bird in my outstretched hand. Not a mark on the bird. Such a gentle mouth. THERE was a non-hunter - Oscar. Meantime, his brother had gone to hide somewhere, away from the parent birds. Took baby bird through the house to the front garden, and placed him on the ground, while he cried for his parents who found him quickly. Cats came inside, and all was well. I never expected to see such a display of gentleness from a cat. Would think not many others have seen such a thing, either. Here is a pic. of Oscar, which I made up in Paint Shop Pro 8 - for myself, after he passed away at age 16.

Cheers ....

p.s. - I don't know how to reduce a photograph on this new site. !!! Used to give 3 choices of size. ... can't find that anymore.

 

[K.Riggs]

That's remarkable and a beautiful looking cat too. Yes goes to show not all are killers, we had an indoor mousing cat as a kid when we lived in the middle or dairy grazing paddocks. He would just look at them not interested at all haha. He wouldn't have hurt a fly. Useless as a mouser obviously, he didn't deserve the title

K.Riggs .... re some are hunters, some are not. Some years back ( I might have told this story before - moons ago ) ... I had two rescue cats - fluffy little brothers. I allowed them in the back garden with my two Burmese at that time, under supervision. Early summer, a young fledgling landed awkwardly in our back garden. The Burmese of course had to 'have a go', but were constantly kept amused by the blackbird parents who flew viciously at them - but kept out of the way of their reaching claws.

Meantime, my little Oscar - the dearest, gentlest soul on earth, picked up the fledgling. I called to him to bring it to me ... and ( to my utter astonishment ) he did just that. Placed that little baby bird in my outstretched hand. Not a mark on the bird. Such a gentle mouth. THERE was a non-hunter - Oscar. Meantime, his brother had gone to hide somewhere, away from the parent birds. Took baby bird through the house to the front garden, and placed him on the ground, while he cried for his parents who found him quickly. Cats came inside, and all was well. I never expected to see such a display of gentleness from a cat. Would think not many others have seen such a thing, either. Here is a pic. of Oscar, which I made up in Paint Shop Pro 8 - for myself, after he passed away at age 16.

Cheers ....

p.s. - I don't know how to reduce a photograph on this new site. !!! Used to give 3 choices of size. ... can't find that anymore.

View attachment 1139015

 

[satay]

K.Riggs .... re some are hunters, some are not. Some years back ( I might have told this story before - moons ago ) ... I had two rescue cats - fluffy little brothers. I allowed them in the back garden with my two Burmese at that time, under supervision. Early summer, a young fledgling landed awkwardly in our back garden. The Burmese of course had to 'have a go', but were constantly kept amused by the blackbird parents who flew viciously at them - but kept out of the way of their reaching claws.

Meantime, my little Oscar - the dearest, gentlest soul on earth, picked up the fledgling. I called to him to bring it to me ... and ( to my utter astonishment ) he did just that. Placed that little baby bird in my outstretched hand. Not a mark on the bird. Such a gentle mouth. THERE was a non-hunter - Oscar. Meantime, his brother had gone to hide somewhere, away from the parent birds. Took baby bird through the house to the front garden, and placed him on the ground, while he cried for his parents who found him quickly. Cats came inside, and all was well. I never expected to see such a display of gentleness from a cat. Would think not many others have seen such a thing, either. Here is a pic. of Oscar, which I made up in Paint Shop Pro 8 - for myself, after he passed away at age 16.

Cheers ....

p.s. - I don't know how to reduce a photograph on this new site. !!! Used to give 3 choices of size. ... can't find that anymore.

View attachment 1139015

Oh what a lovely story. My Ty would never have done that in his younger years it would have been eaten for sure.. Thor my dog though has brought me many escaped chicks or quails that have got out. He just drops them at my feet like hey mum i found another one. Not a mark on them but then again he does love his babies.
Anni remember when i first got Belgians and i named them after people in this thread. Well Anni has taken up where bidda used to be and has now decided she wishes to be inside with Ty and Thor watching tv. Not sure what it is with this breed. I'm constantly yelling anni get out and if i keep her out for a while she jumps up on the window sill and taps away with her beak..

 

[Fancychooklady]

Our little araucana, the one that escaped the goshawk has grown into a lovely hen . She prefers to roost on laundry sink, when the back door is left open. When we got home from Strahan I found a lovely surprise in her nest box.