I just lost another chicken to a neighborhood cat.

[bethanyrae]

I've never actually caught one in the act of killing, but they're over here stalking all the time. Day and night.

The most recent was when I was late getting my pop door fastened up for the night. (It gets dark SO early lately) My young (23wk) Faverolle roo had just started roosting down low near the door instead of up higher with the others. I'm wondering now if he hadn't been aware of its presence earlier in the week, as he'd shown protective behavior before. Quite a knight in shining armor. He was dragged outside the henhouse, and just left there, completely intact except that his neck was messed with.

That's how we'd found another young roo earlier this year, just the neck messed up, and pulled into these weeds where we frequently saw this cat. Another tiny Bantam youngster just disappeared one day.

I'm suspecting cats, as nothing is eaten. The neighbors feed their cats well. Is there a different predator I'm missing?

They're all fenced into about a half acre, except I suspect the cats can climb the wooden corner posts. Any suggestions about those posts?

Has anyone used the pepper concoction that can be sprinkled around the outside perimeter?

Getting frustrated.....
bethanyrae

 

[hankus]

Have caught cats in live coon traps with cat food. Think taking the cat to the neighbor pre packaged to be angry would make them keep up with it better. Even as I type this free range cats go missing all the time.

 

[TipsyDog]

I'm not sure it would be a cat. I have feral cats here that avoid my hens. Even when my hens were 3 months old, the cats avoided them. I have seen one of these cats slap a coon up side the head, so I'd think they would be able to kill a chicken if they wanted too, but you may have a different predator. I'd set some traps. Do you have a secure run to keep your chicks in?

 

[KattyKillFish]

cats are hard to kill

but easy to get rid of if you got the right traps. a havahart trap or similar live trap the right size will do just fine. put something irresistable in there like tuna or salmon. i've caught weasels and mink the same way, it will save the lives of not only your flock but of wild birds too.

 

[KattyKillFish]

Quote:
my sister had HUGE maine coon that brought us home a freakin crane! i agree that most cats will avoid chickens. all of our neighborhood cats leave ours alone but that's because they aren't very large cats, and for the most part cats aren't very big. a male cat of a large breed can certainly take a chicken if he had the nerve. it is true that it might be a raccoon, weasel, mink or even a possum. i've seen weasel kills, they will kill everything in sight and take the biggest one after the fact. a mink will kill them all and eat the heads usually. no matter what the predator, a live trap would be your best bet i think.

 

[berkeleysprings]

try a 50 dollar game camera from a sporting goods store if u can afford it .. take pictures night and day and see for your self whats doing it

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I say get rid of whatever goes in the trap. I don't think its possible to have cats that don't go in someone's yard. I can't see that they are really trainable. And I don't like them enough to keep them in my house, so if they causing problems, get rid of them. You might keep a trap set even after the fact and find out about coons. But really coons, possums, cats.....they are all preditors. And it is your yard.

 

[patman75]

I vote for trap or game camera and lock them up tight at night and see what you get. Whatever it is, it will be back.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Actually a live trap and a .22 does a fine job. I think it's harder to work up the nerve to shoot it. Catching one is easy enough. They can't resist tuna or sardines.

This neighborhod is teeming with cats though, and even though some do some stalking in my yard - none are brave enough to take on the roo. I seriously doubt you lost a protective rooster to a well-fed cat. Set a trap with cat food and just see what you catch.

 

[Mattemma]

If your neighbors are open to the idea(and they might after a cat goes missing)suggest a cat enclosure.Doing a search will turn up many types.This can be recommended as a safe alternative to free-range cats.I have 3 cats and would never tolerate them in another yard.The smell of urine from stray cats is horrid when you want a fresh breeze through the window.

Cat enclosure or they need to accept that cats will go missing.Killing chickens or not if I catch a cat in my fenced yard it is gone.