flies and cats

[erindubb]

I have been searching around the internet for some answers to my chicken questions. I got four chicks about 2 months ago and just put them out in the coop. The coop is basically a rabbit hutch. The floor of it is hardware cloth - so the poop just falls to the ground. Well, it has been raining here for about 3 days straight and everything is wet and soggy outdoors. I went to feed and water the girls this morning and gross - there were so many flies and so stinky. Do you have a fly problem and how can I fix it. Also, my neighbors are all a little peeved because each of the neighbors have cats that just roam around and now they are all annoyed with me and my chickens. When I have the chickens out - I have to sit out on the deck and watch them (even though my backyard is fenced in) because the cats come over. What is an urban farmer to do?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks so much.
Erin

 

[myblackf150]

I had good luck controlling the stink using Ag Lime that I purchased at Lowes. I have neighborhood animal issues also. I have found that Dogs will chase and play with the chickens sometimes till death but the cats I have seen around dont seam to want to chase or attack they just get close and watch.
Good luck!

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

my cats will catch big black birds (and bring them inside ALIVE!!!!) so I wouldnt put it passed mine to take a young chick for a little spice to the lizards and mice of usual. My chicks are all decent sized 9 week old silkies and adult silkies and they just sit out and watch them now that I let them free range. However I would never trust my cats around chicks under 5 weeks, I could imagine my cats bringing them to the door with a sassy growl going "MINE"...

Since they're in a coop, do like I've done and my neighbor does when he's rearing chicks 4-10 weeks in summer in a rabbit hutch like pen...Put down lime, then in a day or two rake or shovel the first couple inches out from under there and dispose of it, then add sand down under it with another healthy handful or two of lime mixed in. This will keep it from getting grossly muddy, reduce smell, but you will always need to scoop or rake it up because poop is poop is poop and it will stink if its left sitting around in the rain and heat!

Good luck though!

Neighbors being peeved at you for the chickens? Why? Its they're cats that are coming in YOUR yard not your chickens coming in THEIRS. Point this out to them that you're restraining your chickens to your yard, and they can't control their cats, so whos got the animal issue? Is your yard open access between you and neighbors or do you have a fence? Fence - add a string or two of electric fencing by it or just around the area of the coop and have a real low voltage, cats, dogs, whatever will learn awful quickly it isn't worth the ouch to check out the chicks and wander your yard. Neighbors complain about that, I'd tell 'em 'oh well' I've had too many issues with neighbors and their animals being let loose and not being restrained, sorry but my cats stay in my yard and my dogs do too - I make sure of it.

My chickens free range all day, and the other neighbor has chickens, ducks, guineas, pigs, goats, hunting dogs, etc etc and so obviously we get along great

we share ducks and the ducks and chickens all run back and forth across our two properties its too funny. But where I used to live I lived on a dead end road with 5 other people and 4 of them had dogs they didn't restrain AT ALL. And they wanted to gripe the one or two times one of mine got loose and went hog wild X_x some people are just screwy though.

Anyway, take care, and good luck!

 

[erindubb]

Thanks so much. I do have a fence. Actually one side of the fence was already in when we moved there - so it is the neighbors fence - I guess I can't hotwire it!

I would like to though. It is annoying to me that it seems SOOOO obvious that they are the ones with the problem since my pet chickens stay in my yard. I had the neighbor from behind me (we share a backyard fence) drive over last night to tell me she is worried that her cat will get the chickens when I let them out. At least she came over. But, still - so now I can't let them free range. That sucks. My closest nieghbor right next door just lets her cats on my porch and sees it but doesn't say anything. They have boundary issues. It makes me nuts. I live in a subdivisoin - so we are all pretty close. AHHHH. Keep your cats in your own yard. How do you keep a cat in a yard?

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

my cats are all a bit strange, I have one who is real freaky as in she freaks out easy, she's paranoid and as I call her "psycho cat" you should get an idea of personality. She got a knock to the head either a dog nabbed her or she got nicked by a car last year where we were living and she got loose, came back 2 days later and was acting really wierd. But the other two are boys and are her brothers so they don't go much farther than she does, except 1 of my cats Sam. At best he may go to my neighbor's yard to the great big bush which is a few feet from boundary line, but thats as far as he goes.

Get yourself a spray bottle of water and have it out with you. Cat comes in the yard spray 'em. (my cats learned and relearned the no get on the counter, kitchen table, or my car with a spray bottle)

Look into getting that cat be gone stuff they sell at garden/home improvement stores. Like the stuff they use to keep deers out of gardens, they make it for dogs and cats to. spread it around the very boundary of your yard and see if that works for you. I actuall did use this along one of my neighbor's property lines so the cats won't go over there, and they don't go to that neighbors and I also spread it along the road so they stay away from it. It seems to work for me.

Good luck! I like the neighbor behind you's nerve! 'Oh you may want to rethink the chickens cause I swear my cats going to come in your yard and eat them'...thats what it makes me think. Start spraying with a spray bottle or a water gun

.

Good luck, take care and have fun with the chickys.

 

[kidsnchicks]

The spray bottle thing does work! I had my cats to the point that all I had to do was shake the bottle, they were outa there,lol! Sounds like you have some whiney neighbors, good luck getting it settled.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Quote:
LOL yes one of my 3 cats are stubborn and doesn't listen till he gets squirted, but the other two will just about break their necks getting down from somewhere if they see me TOUCHING that water bottle if they are doing something they know they arent supposed to. (usually up on a counter or table). Its too funny.

 

[monita]

to help with the fly issue get permectrin. it is super concentrated. i mix it in a gallon jug and spray it in and around my coop as well as the perimiter of my house. it can be used on animals too to prevent fleas and such. It works really well and you only have to spray once a month.

as for the neighbors cats.... get a water gun...lol. if that doesn't stop them talk to the neighbors about keeping their cats out of your yard, if that doesnt help feel free to call animal control.