Keeping Chickens Free Range

[Free Feather]

Know one likes killing things but some times you have to. But if it were aggressive I would.

I know plenty of people that like killing things, as sad as it is. In this situation, it sounds like the cat did not do anything. And if the cat had, killing it would not bring back the chickens.

 

[holm25]

So I get the pool net and what do I do? Do I push the cat down? Noooooo, never crossed my mind. I scoop the cat up and dump it over the fence thinking it will turn into a Popsicle and I'll have one less feral cat to deal with. That danged cat lived and now hangs out under my office window. My husband said he told all his cat friends that the nut at the end of the street likes cats.

We had a rabbit in the yard that was bouncing off our fence!!

 

[duluthralphie]

Sure, legally she could. But why would you want to?

In my coop, I would do the cat in to protect my chickens and chicks. I put more value on my chickens than a feral cat or cat allowed to roam at will is why. Do you know how much damage feral cats do to wildlife let alone chicks?

 

[holm25]

In my coop, I would do the cat in to protect my chickens and chicks. I put more value on my chickens than a feral cat or cat allowed to roam at will is why. Do you know how much damage feral cats do to wildlife let alone chicks?

Except for my tom cat!!!

He's a goofy one!

 

[Free Feather]

In my coop, I would do the cat in to protect my chickens and chicks. I put more value on my chickens than a feral cat or cat allowed to roam at will is why. Do you know how much damage feral cats do to wildlife let alone chicks?

Yes, cats do a lot of damage, unfortunately. But the fault lies in the humans who bred them like crazy for pets. I would feel awful if I lost chicks to cats, but they are carnivores that did not have a choice in being born. Reinforce the coop, please do not kill the cat.

 

[Free Feather]

Except for my tom cat!!!

He's a goofy one!

I have two female cats that sleep in the chicken coops. It is wonderful that they love my chickens, but I understand that not all cats feel that way. My dog on the other hand...

 

[duluthralphie]

Feral cats have few natural enemies. They need to be kept in check, if the cat is in my coop once he will come back. Regardless of the reason we have feral cats and I agree with you on that. I will do what I have to do protect my birds.

Killing a feral cat is a shame but letting it live is a bigger shame. It will destroy baby birds, aka kill them. It will kill chipmunks, squirrels and other small animals and surely will kill chicks. It knows where the food source is now. Besides leaving this cat alive allows it to produce more feral cats. A feral cat lives about 3 years ( not a like a well cared for house cat). During that time they will have 3-4 litters a year with 4-6 kittens a time.

By not killing that cat you are turning loose 35 more feral cats in the first year alone, the babies have babies at 7-8 months.

I understand your feelings for the cat, but reason, to me says get rid of the cat, the sooner the better.

I do not take pleasure in a killing like this, but I would do it. My opinion and I understand yours may be different.

 

[duluthralphie]

Holm I love that picture!

It is amazing which animals end up being friends!

It is like with my dogs, they are trained hunters and are very good at finding and flushing pheasants in the wild, but they lay with my chickens all day long and never even think of chasing them.

 

[dpenning]

This cat was not hurting my chickens, in fact it seemed to be pretty miserable huddled up in the corner of the poop shelf. It just wanted a way out. I've seen cats go in (on a game cam when the girls are out of the coop) and it never bothered me, nor the girls. The chickens didn't go in the coop until they were too big to be a snack for a cat. Didn't mean to start a cat kerfuffle.

 

[duluthralphie]

This cat was not hurting my chickens, in fact it seemed to be pretty miserable huddled up in the corner of the poop shelf. It just wanted a way out. I've seen cats go in (on a game cam when the girls are out of the coop) and it never bothered me, nor the girls. The chickens didn't go in the coop until they were too big to be a snack for a cat. Didn't mean to start a cat kerfuffle.

I thought a kerfuffle was like a thin pancake served with fruit....