**HELP** Turkey chicks just hatched...problem with CATS!!

[sfogle]

Hello,

I am in desperate need of some advice. Our female Narangassett has been sitting on a nest in our field for a month and we just found out yesterday that she has 9 chicks that are only a few days old. She has moved them to various places around the yard and while she seems to be protecting them relatively well, we are having some concerns about our cats. We have 5 cats that are starting to "stalk" the babies and are finding her everytime she moves them.

My question is.....should I take some of the babies and bring them in under a heat lamp until they are bigger or we give them away or is there something else I can do to prevent them from being caught by the cats. We are in no way planning to keep all 9, but are currently advertising and spreading the word in order to give some away. However, in the mean time, we still have the cat issue. I think they are more of a problem than other predators like racoons and stuff because they are so fast and she has so many.

After watching her, she seems to be so overwhelmed with that many and can't keep up with all of them...that is why I am wondering if it would be good to bring some inside...so she has less to keep up with. If the cats end up getting them, it is going to be because they are trailing behind her not when they are with her.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. And we live in Missouri and are definitely needing to find these beautiful chicks some homes, if anyone is interested.

Thank you in advance for your responses.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Were do you live? I would be interested in adopting some poults. My opinion would be to bring them in under a heat lamp or try moving the chicks with mom to her coop.

 

[LillyBantam]

I'd move her to a brooder or somewhere quiet. I'm sure she's coping, if she's managed to hatch them all they must all fit under her, so at least they'll be warm. We're they a surprise hatch? Exciting!

 

[sfogle]

They were a surprise hatch.

If I were to move her and the babies to our chicken coop ( where she hasn't been in over a month), what would be the best way of doing that? Do I catch her first with a blanket so she doesn't see me getting the babies or what?

We have a small kennel that we can put inside the chicken house so the chicks are contained and she can be right there with them nice and warm...we can let the other chickens out during the day and leave her and the baby chicks in the house.

Any ideas??

 

[LillyBantam]

She won't mind being moved at all now... As long as she has her babies that's all that will matter to her. Now they're dry and fluffy and Mobil they're stronger, so will be fine, just scoop her up, place her on a nice clean nest, with chicks crumbs and shallow water near by in a nice safe place. Inside or outside. She'll be happy all the time she has her little family. It's great fun. I hatched three lots this summer, I love it. Even duck eggs under my chicken!

 

[LillyBantam]

Obviously I mean move her AND the chicks to the clean nest

 

[LillyBantam]

The idea of the dog cage is great. This will allow the other hens to get used to the chicks, making it easier to introduce them when they're bigger. as they can't squeeze through the gaps. The older hens wont think twice about pecking through a chick head that happens to pop through a gap! They're big meanys. You get the odd "aunty hen" that will appreciate the new chicks, but its rare.

 

[sfogle]

Scoop her up...that sounds easier said than done. Here is an idea my husband had...what do you think? Take the dog kennel to where she is at...put corn in it...hope she will go in it. Being right there, have another cage ready for all the babies so we don't have to open up her cage. Carry both cages to the chicken house and get them settled. See the problem with moving her is she is a little ways from the chicken house...not close enough to just carry her over with all the babies. Do you think this idea will work? I know she will freak out being in the cage and having the babies seperated for a few minutes, but am hoping once they all get to the chicken house it would work.

 

[LillyBantam]

Is she difficult to catch? Can you get near the chicks? If so pop them the cage, she's bound to follow? Or if she goes in the cage alone I expect the chicks will follow her. My bantams are extremely tame so I have an easier time when moving new families about. Or another idea, wait until she is asleep after dark, she won't even know you're there, scoop her up, and makes sure the babies are stuffed right back under her. Just give it a go, you'll do it!

 

[sfogle]

I guess we will just have to figure it out. She is extremely protective right now. I tried to look at one of her babies yesterday and she almost attacked me. So..hoping we can trick her into cage with corn. Just worried all 9 babies may run around and it could be hard to get them. Oh well....we will have to figure it out. Thanks for all your tips!