Stray cat ate my quail

[millebantam]

Sorry for your loss. You did have them for quite a while. Cats make excellent compost. I grew out some killer pumpkins from the kitty-compost pile this season. Just doin' my part to save the planet with organic feline fertilizer.

 

[JJMR794]

SHOT GUN AT 20 FT OR LESS MAKES FOR SOME OF THE BEST FISHIN CHUM.... WORKS GREAT FOR SHRIMPING TOO

 

[joe125]

Sorry for your loss.
Well, the best defense is a strong defines, and you can't go wrong with 1/2" HWC all around, and plywood where needed!
Please don't trust nylon/plastic netting, chicken wire or anything larger than 1/2"HWC. Also elevating your pens will cure some ills, not to mention keeping your birds off the vector ridden ground.

Best of luck when you start again my friend!

 

[emvickrey]

I have had a ferel cat here for a few years now. It always gets away. It's taken out many quail. It's last attempt has made one of my hens lame and the roo is now up on his feet again. The hens feet look pretty rough. I'm thinking thats where the claws where trying to drag the bird to the wire. We had bought alot of the 1/2 wire mesh and covered the quails existing cages and any other cages are always made out of that same size mesh. It keeps the cats, coons and snakes out. This summer a snake got into one of the temporary cages I was using and swallowed 1 quail and I suppose the other one broke it's own neck and 1 was still alive. The snake was still in the cage. It couldn't get back out. I'd rather walk thru fire than have to get close to a snake. Since there wasn't any fire that day I had to get the 1 quail left.

I lost a couple to coons. Thats when I learned to put locks on the doors. I lost 1 and went searching the woods for the other 2 and found them. I was also covered in chiggers. So to avoid all the trouble predators cause, keeping them behind 1/2 wire mesh is well worth it.

 

[rittert3]

This brings up a [problem I'm having. I just tested for nusance wildlife control in my state and wanted to throw feral cats into my services, well I was to that if I get caught killing a feral cat I'll be looking at fines and possible jail time, what a crock. The whole country needs to take a good look at our cat problems. "Domestic" cats have the longest "prey" list of any animal and they are the most common animal to kill for fun. Those two things combined with that head count that is aloud (and able) to become feral, and their reproduction and survial rates, are a recipe for disaster. Not to mention the monetary amount of damage they cause to mobile homes every year. I think outside cats should be band except on farms were they are used as mousers and then shoud be required to be spayed or nuetered/castrated) anything else should be killed on site. Why would the gov. subcidize so many control groups for feral hogs yet, when cats (in my book) fall into the same catagory, they ban or at least severly limit control efforts. The public dosn't realize what kind of damage their cats do when they're out and about and for me to control cats it would cost me $45 per cat to have them euthanized or more to "fix" them and sell them for $5 max. ea. to farmers, when I could spend 10 or 15 cents each for a 22 bullet and fix the problem. I'm sorry for the rant and I don't hate 100% of cats, I've had and met a select few cats thet I've gotten along very well with and even borderline loved however, I become very frustrated and Iritated with the amount of damage and loss they are aloud to cause.

 

[JJMR794]

I could spend 10 or 15 cents each for a 22 bullet

GO TO WALMART BUBBA YOU CAN GET A BRICK OF 550 ROUNDS FOR $8.97

 

[ChooksChick]

Sorry about your losses. I'd help, but I just hatched my first buttons, and I'm guessing those aren't what you want.

 

[rittert3]

JJ I think I paid 18 something for 550 at walmart a couple months back, but I have almost 1600 rounds right now so I won't be buying anymore for a while. I really like the little federal 50rd boxes. chooks- glad to hear you're catching quail fever

.

 

[Wifezilla]

Thanks everyone. I knew you would all understand and I really appreciate the support.

A week after the quail got eaten, some stray dogs attacked my ducks. Fortunately my oldest son was home and chased them off. Only 2 injured hens. One recovered completely, the other has a droopy wing now, but otherwise she is fine and mouthy as ever. She is my best broody, so I am so glad I didn't lose her. The dogs jumped right over a 4 1/2 foot fence to get to the girls. They were playing in the back yard about an hour before lock up time in their secure night pen.

I am, unfortunately, unable to give the strays around here a good case of lead poisoning as some have suggested. 1) I don't have a gun. My youngest son is very autistic and he always manages to get in to exactly what you don't want him to. 2) The houses in my neighborhood are only about 30 ft apart. There is a good chance a bullet could go through a critter, then through a neighbor's wall! 3) Things only seem to attack when I am not home

The quail were eaten while I was visiting a friend in Denver. The dogs attacked while I was at my dad's funeral.

I don't know about you all, but I will sure be glad when this @$*!!*&*(@#! year is over. Rebuilding the pen will be therapeutic for me. I'll post photos when I am done.

 

[thekid]

Quote:
GO TO WALMART BUBBA YOU CAN GET A BRICK OF 550 ROUNDS FOR $8.97

Now its 555 pound brink, get dem 5 extra