The cat ate my chicks!

[Beekissed]

Great advice!

And a person can also train the cat on chickens just like they do dogs. When I get chicks and I have a cat on hand, I give the cat an opportunity to come and see the chicks...according to how they act when that happens, they will get a correction or, if they act appropriately, they get praise.

You'll know the difference...an inappropriate response is an intense gaze and a tensing of the body...this will turn into a crouch and a twitch of the tail if you let it go further. I'd give the correction as soon as you see the gaze and tensing...always better to correct earlier rather than late, when they are too excited to be redirected.

An appropriate response is to sniff curiously, watch them for a second and then turn or walk away from the chicks. My correction is a stiff poke to the side or neck and a sharp, firm "AAAAtttttt!" enough to snap them out of it and get their attention. The correct response to that is to walk away...and incorrect response is to lie down close by and watch the chicks intensely. That's not allowed...ever. A gaze is as good as a pounce and you can bet it will get to that when your back is turned.

A cat can be trained off domestic birds just like a bird dog can be trained off them, just got to know what you are doing and do it as soon as you get chicks...first day, don't wait, make it memorable. I've never had to repeat the first session on any cat I've had. This spring I'll be training two cats when we get our first broody hatch. The broody will assist me, I'm thinking.

 

[kajira]

Haha, yeah, I think the OP was just upset about what happened and wanted to vent a little. Probably doesn't actually want advice, just wanted to talk about it a little. I can understand that.

On topic: I have a cat with a very high prey drive, who has to be indoors all the time because I am RIGHT on a highway and don't want her to get run over. Yet, I raise chicks in the house (have some that are now 3 days from hatching) and I also raise canaries. This is what we do: we Close The Door. Then, after that, we Keep It Closed. This is an amazingly effective technique.

Ever since we've had that cat, she has not killed one bird in the house. Hopefully the OP will never lose another chick to this cat.

Shock collar works wonders.

 

[mustangrooster]

Haha, yeah, I think the OP was just upset about what happened and wanted to vent a little. Probably doesn't actually want advice, just wanted to talk about it a little. I can understand that.

On topic: I have a cat with a very high prey drive, who has to be indoors all the time because I am RIGHT on a highway and don't want her to get run over. Yet, I raise chicks in the house (have some that are now 3 days from hatching) and I also raise canaries. This is what we do: we Close The Door. Then, after that, we Keep It Closed. This is an amazingly effective technique.

Ever since we've had that cat, she has not killed one bird in the house. Hopefully the OP will never lose another chick to this cat.

I just wanted to vent a little. Wasn't really looking for advice...thanks for understanding.

I have 2 chicks now that are in a brooder with a lid. The cat hasn’t even looked at those chicks. I have 10 chook eggs and Quail eggs that are due in 2 weeks…I don’t think hes going to touch them.

 

[Zoomie]

I just wanted to vent a little. Wasn't really looking for advice...thanks for understanding.

I have 2 chicks now that are in a brooder with a lid. The cat hasn’t even looked at those chicks. I have 10 chook eggs and Quail eggs that are due in 2 weeks…I don’t think hes going to touch them.

That sounds great! Keep that lid in place... you can't trust cats, they are sneaky!

Hope you have a great hatch.

 

[mustangrooster]

Has a creature for the purpose of hunting birds. Gets upset when birds get hunted. Says won't get rid of birds nor bird hunter cause reasons. I am clearly missing something. Did OP want actual advice our just pity party?

.....

I didn't want advice. I just needed to vent.

 

[mustangrooster]

That sounds great! Keep that lid in place... you can't trust cats, they are sneaky!

Hope you have a great hatch.

Yep! Will do....Thanks

 

[mustangrooster]

Just thought i'd let everyone know, the chicks are ongoing 3 days old, and have not been touched by the cat!

I've been working with him..

He doesn't even look at them now with those chick hungry eyes, where as before he would stalk them, try every possible way to get them, be up on the brooder, etc. Now when im around the chicks he comes to see what im doing, lazily looks at the chicks, and falls asleep.

Score!

 

[Beekissed]

Good for you! Very pretty picture of chicks.

 

[N F C]

Just thought i'd let everyone know, the chicks are ongoing 3 days old, and have not been touched by the cat!

I've been working with him..

He doesn't even look at them now with those chick hungry eyes, where as before he would stalk them, try every possible way to get them, be up on the brooder, etc. Now when im around the chicks he comes to see what im doing, lazily looks at the chicks, and falls asleep.

Score!

Beautiful chicks, glad to hear the cat is behaving!

 

[Jessimom]

Thankyou everyone for your kind words.

Reading back on the thread I missed a lot of posts…I feel like I should be saying something however, as a lot of you are saying “That cats gotta go!”

Well no. He doesn’t. So maybe hes not one to snuggle with chicks, I don’t expect him to, he hunts birds, its what he does.

I have a young Pitbull puppy who has the most terrific energy bursts to the point shes running around jumping on people, she can play very aggressively, gets to the point where shes chasing chickens over the fence, almost killed one of my ducks in that energy burst and one rooster.
Some people, or a lot of people would say “Shes dangerous, put her down or rehome her!”
But im not going to do either, shes not dangerous, and the breed doesn’t matter but Pitbull’s do tend to have prey drives.
She came from hunting parents.
Im working with her, and slowly by slowly shes improving. Shes doesn’t know better, she was taken from her mum at 4 weeks of age, her actions are my responsibility.

That’s the same for this cat. His actions were my responsibility, it was MY fault he got the chicks, no matter how hard I kick myself about it…It was a open brooder, 2 chicks just sitting there…what does he know? Really I mean he didn’t see me cuddling those chicks for a start.
That cat is a good cat minus the bird prey drives..im not rehoming him, or putting him down, or shooting him.

I can work with him, he hasn’t been taught. And whilst many people have cats who know not to mess with pet birds, he doesn’t. It all depends on the cats background...some just love chicks, some just want to eat them,.

I just need to get the other brooder with a lid.

I don’t know..i just hate how people say he needs to go when the actual problem is me..it wasn’t the cats fault.

Don’t take this the wrong way..please..

Thanks,

-Mustang

I agree Mustang. My cats are WAY, way, way, way more important than any chicken. I am so very sorry you lost the chicks. I hope you find a way to secure the babies, so the cat doesn't have access.


I have a kitten that I know would kill any chick it found, because I have toys with feathers on them that I wave around to have him catch. He has a ton of energy, and if we want to sleep at night, we have to tire him out. I'm teaching him to fetch - and he's learning quickly, to bring me anything I ask him to. I'm not sure he's bring back a live chick he's grabbed. So, I have the hatched chicks in my bathroom, inside my bedroom. I can't possibly expect him to not kill the babies. The kitten isn't allowed in the bedroom or the bathroom as long as there are chicks in there. So far, he has left the incubators alone, but he really only goes near the 'bators, when I'm looking in them. He follows me everywhere. I always lock the kitten up when I need to go near the 'bators, when there are live chicks in there. My older cat wouldn't chase them, but if they wandered by, she'd eat them.

I have an Akita/Lab mix that loves the chicks and hens. She has been known to nose a chick all the way across the room after it had escaped the pen, over to where we were sitting, so we could put it back. But, we had chicks in the house when we first got her as a puppy. She never had a chance to chase or attack one.