Washingtonians

[Teva]

Any suggestions on how to free-range my chickens with a neighbor's cat that's used to running free? I finally discovered what the huge problem was all morning - our neighbor's cat has discovered them and is hanging around. It was bad enough with the stray (that I still haven't caught) - now I have to deal with a loved domestic cat. I talked to the neighbor, they gave me permission to spray their cat with a hose, but, I'll be honest - I'm nervous to let them out of the coop now. They told me he was a "good hunter" and that he's used to being out wherever he wants.

Let them out for an hour at a time, when you can be out there with them. Keep your hand on the hose and spray the cat the minute it comes into the yard. It will learn. My cat is a good hunter too, but he has learned to NOT stalk the birds. So, he'll hang out amongst them (and they will SQUAK all day long!) but he'll leave them alone. He's learned the wrath of my peahen, so he knows about the beak. heh heh.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Any suggestions on how to free-range my chickens with a neighbor's cat that's used to running free? I finally discovered what the huge problem was all morning - our neighbor's cat has discovered them and is hanging around. It was bad enough with the stray (that I still haven't caught) - now I have to deal with a loved domestic cat. I talked to the neighbor, they gave me permission to spray their cat with a hose, but, I'll be honest - I'm nervous to let them out of the coop now. They told me he was a "good hunter" and that he's used to being out wherever he wants.

We have a few stray cats that come in the yard too. Some are feral cats, some are neighbor cats...one is mine.

They don't bother the chickens, even if they sit and watch them, because by golly my chickens will chase them down and peck them like crazy! Yours are just as big as mine; almost full grown! I wouldn't worry about it. If they were still chicks I might worry and keep them locked up all the time, but not now. Why don't you just watch a while from a window?

 

[FirewifeJess]

**Sigh** I FINALLY caught and inspected Flower, our other Maran x bird. I knew something was a bit off but could never get anywhere near close enough to pinpoint anything. Well, about the first 1/3 of her top beak is broken off. She's eating fine and there's no blood, it's an old injury looks like and is already healed. I have no idea if it will grow back because of how far up it is. This is the bird I was going to give to SadieSue's friends who build that awesome coop and are looking to get new birds. I hope they still want her. I have a feeling she was bullied and got flighty and somehow ran into something. She's almost always on high alert and in a panicked state when I'm around, and the girls are relentless with her. Maybe a new home will be better if they still take her.

 

[itsren]

**Sigh** I FINALLY caught and inspected Flower, our other Maran x bird. I knew something was a bit off but could never get anywhere near close enough to pinpoint anything. Well, about the first 1/3 of her top beak is broken off. She's eating fine and there's no blood, it's an old injury looks like and is already healed. I have no idea if it will grow back because of how far up it is. This is the bird I was going to give to SadieSue's friends who build that awesome coop and are looking to get new birds. I hope they still want her. I have a feeling she was bullied and got flighty and somehow ran into something. She's almost always on high alert and in a panicked state when I'm around, and the girls are relentless with her. Maybe a new home will be better if they still take her.

Drama's grew back! She looks perfect now. She had at least the first 1/3 of her top beak broken off, too. As soon as the kids saw her when we got back they noticed her "underbite" was gone. I went over and looked and sure enough, it was!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
That's great to hear!! Glad hers grew back

 

[itsren]

We have a few stray cats that come in the yard too. Some are feral cats, some are neighbor cats...one is mine.

They don't bother the chickens, even if they sit and watch them, because by golly my chickens will chase them down and peck them like crazy! Yours are just as big as mine; almost full grown! I wouldn't worry about it. If they were still chicks I might worry and keep them locked up all the time, but not now. Why don't you just watch a while from a window?

It's the squawking I am worried about. I did ask the one neighbor (who owns the cat) if they could hear them loudly from their home - they live furthest away from us in the cul-de-sac - and they did say our birds have been very loud lately. I think their cat may have gotten used to hanging around because we were gone and the birds were alone to harass for 12 days. Our birds hardly made a peep up until the day we left. At least they now realize that their cat has been in my yard causing a ruckus, so they probably won't be too offended by the racket. I have a couple of neighbors that may be though, so we have to be very careful. The neighbors took their cat inside for a while and my coop has been quiet as could be ever since.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
I don't know why you would need to be careful; you are operating fully inside of the law and there's nothing they can do about it. You do not have more than the maximum chickens, your coop is aesthetically pleasing and secure, and you have no roosters. I'm assuming the coop is also properly positioned on the property so that it's legal. After that, there's nothing they can do. I know you want to maintain neighborly relations but perhaps once you bring over some fresh eggs to everyone that will help.

 

[itsren]

Oh... and Rhodie laid her 2nd egg IN the nest box.

She started out in one nest box near the pop door - and I could peek in and see her. She must not have liked that because she moved to the other nest box where she couldn't be seen. LOL!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Oh... and Rhodie laid her 2nd egg IN the nest box.

She started out in one nest box near the pop door - and I could peek in and see her. She must not have liked that because she moved to the other nest box where she couldn't be seen. LOL!

Nice!!

 

[itsren]

I don't know why you would need to be careful; you are operating fully inside of the law and there's nothing they can do about it. You do not have more than the maximum chickens, your coop is aesthetically pleasing and secure, and you have no roosters. I'm assuming the coop is also properly positioned on the property so that it's legal. After that, there's nothing they can do. I know you want to maintain neighborly relations but perhaps once you bring over some fresh eggs to everyone that will help.

Other than noise, yes, everything is legal. They could make me get rid of them for noise. I finally went out and mowed the lawn during Rhodie's biggest squawk attack (before I discovered the cat) just to help camouflage the noise. Boy, that small back yard took me a very long time to mow!

Auburn has pretty strict noise ordinances. All it takes is one call for animal control to show up on your doorstep and issue a warning. My friend went on vacation for 5 days and came home to animal control issuing a warning about her 2 expensive pure-bred dogs that she's had for years, who normally do not bark - but they did that weekend because the Casino was letting off fireworks non-stop, and they were away from home and unable to put them in the house. Even with the firework problem, animal control warned them to get the dogs quiet or they would lose them. Our neighborhood is usually pretty quiet - occasionally we'll hear dogs barking - and then all of the sudden the barking stops. We've often wondered if those dogs have been removed. It usually takes a 2nd call and the animal is removed. From what I understand, they are not taken to a no kill shelter either - which is why I have never called animal control on the stray cat.

When we owned our dog, we had to keep him drugged from May through the week after 4th of July because our dog just couldn't keep from barking at the noise. Even in the house, he would go nuts at the fireworks. The Casino sets up firework stands and begins lighting them off the beginning of May. That is one of the biggest reasons I am dead-set that we will not get another dog as long as we live here. I hated seeing our French Brittany walking around in a dopey, drugged state for two and a half months each year. It wasn't fair to him at all. And, being kept inside during that time wasn't fair to him, either. He was an active dog - all the way until he died at 15. He wanted to be outside and playing.