EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

[duluthralphie]

I have an owl that hunts the rats, and a couple of eagles that nest in my trees, that I'm sure catch a few. Even the baits that are supposedly not harmful to secondary animals, is found to be killing them anyway. So, I'm really struggling to not poison them. We have so many trees around the coops, and that's how the rats travel - the cats at least will be able to go up in the trees. My dog (Akita/Lab) loves to chase them, but isn't fast enough. None of the rats we caught were super large. Bodies maybe 5 to 6 inches?

I have cats. I had rats, I prefer cats to rats...The cats have earned their way. As long as I have animals and feed around I will have cats. The cats came in and once the cats were about 4-5 months old the rats vacated the area.

Long live the cats!

 

[Jessimom]

Hi @Jessimom !
Me Connie, Husband Tarzan..
Nice to meet you..

Hi Connie!! I'm Kathy - mother to Jessica.....

I do not have them, but the neighbors' cats do help a lot with the mice.
If you don't know, most cats learn from Mom. If she hunts, and kills they will too. If she leaves the rodent alive, babies will not usually kill their prey.
Also, you can make an outdoor cat house. One storage container inside of another, with foam insulation, and straw bedding. The straw lets the cats snuggle in, and keeps snow moisture away from them.

I'm in Southern CA - I worry more about the heat than the snow. The basement is nice and cool on the hottest days. Stays dry on the few rain days we have. Dirt floor, and we have a raised foundation. The crawl space is accessed from the basement, so they might even keep all the critters out of our subfloor. Since these are feral, and are trapped over a pretty wide area - I'll have no idea how good a mouser they might be.

My biggest fear are the coyotes. Supposedly these cats are coyote savvy.

 

[BantyChooks]

I have a grand solution for all those plagued by rats... move to AB, no rats there...

 

[mlm Mike]

Another HAL HAL contest has opened up: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-a-long-2017-contest-2-face-painting.1202796/

Enter, and tell all your friends!

 

[Pensmaster]

Hi Connie!! I'm Kathy - mother to Jessica.....



I'm in Southern CA - I worry more about the heat than the snow. The basement is nice and cool on the hottest days. Stays dry on the few rain days we have. Dirt floor, and we have a raised foundation. The crawl space is accessed from the basement, so they might even keep all the critters out of our subfloor. Since these are feral, and are trapped over a pretty wide area - I'll have no idea how good a mouser they might be.

My biggest fear are the coyotes. Supposedly these cats are coyote savvy.

Hi Kathy

Used one bite for rats, not sold in California now. Worked well but was concerned about second kill as well. Snap traps now even for squirrels that like eggs.

Not sure about your county for cats but ours makes you sign something saying you won't use their cats as barn cats and they have the right to check in with them. Not happening.
Coyotes or something got some of our cats.

 

[duluthralphie]

Hi Kathy

Used one bite for rats, not sold in California now. Worked well but was concerned about second kill as well. Snap traps now even for squirrels that like eggs.

Not sure about your county for cats but ours makes you sign something saying you won't use their cats as barn cats and they have the right to check in with them. Not happening.
Coyotes or something got some of our cats.

Not allowed to have barn cats??? Really????

You're pulling our leg aren't you?

 

[BullChick]

Not allowed to have barn cats??? Really????

You're pulling our leg aren't you?

Dogs can't be kept outside either.
A truckload of broilers were brought into NYC. The cages were not covered to protect them from the wind (more likely in danger from exhaustion!). They were seized, and no one could adopt and eat them.

 

[BantyChooks]

Dogs can't be kept outside either.
A truckload of broilers were brought into NYC. The cages were not covered to protect them from the wind (more likely in danger from exhaustion!). They were seized, and no one could adopt and eat them.

What!?

 

[BullChick]

I SAID....

 

[BullChick]

YOU CAN'T KEEP DOMESTIC ANIMALS OUTSIDE!