Lost Half My Flock

[jules1329]

The neighbors moved and abandoned their dog and two cats. I re-homed the dog, but the cats have eaten almost half my six week old chicks. I can't catch them and I can't shoot them. Im not totally averse to killing them, i just dont have a gun.

(Btw, all three of my mystery chicks are gone. The partridge rock was definitely a pullet. The other two were Welsummers, but one was actually a pullet, as well.)

Suggestions?

 

[chicksbunsdog]

Can you just call animal control and have them remove the cats? Or trap them yourself and drop them at the pound? So sorry about your losses.

 

[DianaMallory]

Trap them! And if they are feral then go drop them off in the woods somewhere! If they are tame you can try turning them over to animal control, but good luck with that one. Most of the time our shelter has so many cats they euthanize the feral and try to re-home the tame ones. A live trap usually gets them. We have caught many cats when we were trying to get coons! Good luck! Sorry about your loss.

 

[DianaMallory]

Trap them! And if they are feral then go drop them off in the woods somewhere! If they are tame you can try turning them over to animal control, but good luck with that one. Most of the time our shelter has so many cats they euthanize the feral and try to re-home the tame ones. A live trap usually gets them. We have caught many cats when we were trying to get coons! Good luck! Sorry about your loss.

Then hunt down the neighbors that abandon their animals and have them euthanized!

 

[polskituft]

Set up a live trap with cat food next to your chickenyard and bring them to your local shelter.

 

[jules1329]

Discovered the cat can get into the coop. My babies have been a buffet, every single night. I've reinforced the coop, and set a trap.

 

[Wrightsx4]

So sorry Juliet - that's awful! I hope the reinforcement does the trick, not just for the cats but any other critters that may try to get in. We have trapped a lot of raccoons, possums, bobcat... the list goes on. Chicks are irresistible to them all. The best "bait" we found was actually wet catfood in a bowl. Good luck - I hope they're all safe now.

 

[barnyardmommy]

I'm so sorry for your loss. But I'm with Diana Mallory "Then hunt down the neighbors that abandon their animals and have them euthanized!" What are people thinking....

 

[jules1329]

All the chicks that were left last night are still alive. I had a "Big Kid" who refused to go into the coop, though, and she's gone. Nothing in the trap, but I'm determined to get he cat. He's already gotta a taste for my birds, so he won't stop.

 

[jules1329]

Trap's not working. I've lost 15 chickens -- half my flock -- including one of my Big Kids.

Sigh.