Help Feral/wild cats????

[chiknlady]

I am down five chicks this week and I suspect wild cats have discovered the babies while they are free ranging as I am not far enough out for any truly wild predator. Does any one have any ideas on how to stop the buffet???

 

[patandchickens]

Keep them confined til they're big enoguh to have *some* hope of escaping?

Honestly I don't see any other alternative, other than continue to play Cat Buffet. (Although, most urban and suburban areas still have raccoons, and in many parts of the US a surprisingly nonzero number of foxes and coyotes, plus of course your basic pet cats and pet dogs, rats, etc)

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Just-Like-Hatching]

Sounds like time to go hunting. Coons and foxes come right up into town too.

 

[BUG126]

We had this problem too...twice

The first time we thought it was an owl, the 2nd time we cat a wild cat in the act. Lost 19 total (I feel like a horrible chicken owner). Hubby went on "patrol" and the girls now live in Fort Knox.

 

[silkiechicken]

Best of luck. Even dead center of city, I bet you have coons, possums, hawks, lose dogs, and what you suspect cats. Might even have coyotes and large cats in the city since just this year a bear was found walking in down town Seattle. Hope you can keep the little guys confined till they are big enough to evade the cat. Or you can get your own cat, let it know birds are yours, and have it mark your area as it's territory thus deterring some of the ferals.

 

[chiknlady]

Thank you all --I am sure it is a cat as I have seen them and I saw the mother and her kittens eating something when I pulled up to my yard the day the first two went missing. I live in a small town but I know we have red fox, skunk, hawks, ravens, and cats. My yard is fenced in and I have a red nosed pit--who loves to patrol the yard--however he is not outside 24/7. I have decided to contact the SPCA and request humane traps. If not--I may have to relocated the bantams as the larger chicks seem to be able to hold their own...