cats

[teachingigi]

Just an outdoor cage. My coop is being delivered this week (but may not have any girls left). See pic

 

[bobbi-j]

Would a raccoon be out after 8 am? I left home around then!

Oh yeah, they come out during the day, too. They are opportunists. I had one come into my coop and kill a mama hen at noon a few years ago. If you can, get that cage into your garage or a shed or someplace safe or you're right - you won't have any birds left. Whatever got your chickens knows they're there and will come back until it's cleaned you out.

 

[BIggoMamma]

Tell your neighbor to keep the cat at home, and if it happens again rest assured the cat is stalking your chickens. Cats are natural predators and carnivores. There are no cats eating their neighbor's chickens up in kitty heaven.

 

[Rickba]

A raccoon will do this, so will a weasel. Chicken wire is made to keep chickens in not predators out. You need to make an enclosure with something stronger and more secure like hardware cloth.

 

[beddru]

What size gauge is that? 1/2 x 1/2 inch works well enough to keeps raccoons and feral cats out as long as you make sure you staple it securely to the frame. Yours seems too wide which makes it big enough for prey to take swipes at your pullets. When you get the coop just make sure the chicken wire is secure and it's 1/2 x 1/2 otherwise you'll have a similar issue.

 

[eggbert420]

This is BS, Anyone cats, dogs or any other animals invade my space to do harm to my animals will die. I have no problem shooing them. I shoot 'em, drag 'em back in the mountains and that's it. Problem solved.

X100

 

[bobbi-j]

This is BS, Anyone cats, dogs or any other animals invade my space to do harm to my animals will die. I have no problem shooing them. I shoot 'em, drag 'em back in the mountains and that's it. Problem solved.

That works for you, but not everyone lives where they can do so.

 

[teachingigi]

Yes, rolls of hardware cloth are in my future.

 

[beddru]

I agree, I'm in the city there aren't any woods by me and my neighbors are in close vicinity, you can't just "take care" of a cat problem. Once your hens are full grown cats tends to stay away, I use traps for those that are more feral, after catching a few of them, I guess the word got out, even have my 5 weeks old chicks free range.

That works for you, but not everyone lives where they can do so.  

 

[Red5]

Quote:
Sure you can. Buy an animal cage trap or possibly have your local animal control officer set one out. And of course, you can always take a ballbat or a golf club to one if nobody is looking. Or just run over it if it happens to be in the road on your way home.