Chooks and cats
 

G'day all,

I'm contemplating getting a few chooks for my suburban Brisbane back
yard. One of my concerns is whether the neighbourhood cats (not mine!!)
will kill them? Has anyone had any experiences with cats killing chooks?

Thanks
Joel

g'day joel,

cats are well noted for killing pretty much anything that moves so
they could if not kill the chooks certainly hassle them. best bet
build a lock up section for the chooks to sleep in each night, that is
a section where nothing can get in or out.

len

snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1

I can give you my recipe for getting rid of those nasty feral creatures. But
it only works on cats that wander.
Jim

"Joel Little" wrote in message
u...
G'day all,

I'm contemplating getting a few chooks for my suburban Brisbane back yard.
One of my concerns is whether the neighbourhood cats (not mine!!) will
kill them? Has anyone had any experiences with cats killing chooks?

Thanks
Joel

In article ,
gardenlen wrote:

cats are well noted for killing pretty much anything that moves so
they could if not kill the chooks certainly hassle them. best bet
build a lock up section for the chooks to sleep in each night, that is
a section where nothing can get in or out.

The other reason to do this is that chooks are good at hiding their eggs, and
they like to lay first thing in the morning. Give them a nesting box in their
shed and the eggs will go there.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.

I'd be interested in that recipe.
thanks
"SG1" wrote in message
...
I can give you my recipe for getting rid of those nasty feral creatures.
But
it only works on cats that wander.
Jim

"Joel Little" wrote in message
u...
G'day all,

I'm contemplating getting a few chooks for my suburban Brisbane back
yard.
One of my concerns is whether the neighbourhood cats (not mine!!) will
kill them? Has anyone had any experiences with cats killing chooks?

Thanks
Joel

Equal parts prime mince & snail bait (powdered) NOT the pet friendly one the
one with the warning. Use only at your place.

"ataman" wrote in message
...
I'd be interested in that recipe.
thanks
"SG1" wrote in message
...
I can give you my recipe for getting rid of those nasty feral creatures.
But
it only works on cats that wander.
Jim

"Joel Little" wrote in message
u...
G'day all,

I'm contemplating getting a few chooks for my suburban Brisbane back
yard.
One of my concerns is whether the neighbourhood cats (not mine!!) will
kill them? Has anyone had any experiences with cats killing chooks?

Thanks
Joel

"SG1" wrote in message
...
Equal parts prime mince & snail bait (powdered) NOT the pet friendly one
the one with the warning. Use only at your place.


Surely your not serious..That is just wrong. pete

"ataman" wrote in message
...
I'd be interested in that recipe.
thanks
"SG1" wrote in message
...
I can give you my recipe for getting rid of those nasty feral creatures.
But
it only works on cats that wander.
Jim

"Joel Little" wrote in message
u...
G'day all,

I'm contemplating getting a few chooks for my suburban Brisbane back
yard.
One of my concerns is whether the neighbourhood cats (not mine!!) will
kill them? Has anyone had any experiences with cats killing chooks?

Thanks
Joel

"Joel Little" wrote in message
u...
G'day all,

I'm contemplating getting a few chooks for my suburban Brisbane back yard.
One of my concerns is whether the neighbourhood cats (not mine!!) will
kill them? Has anyone had any experiences with cats killing chooks?

Thanks
Joel
Hi Joel,
Bloody great idea to put chooks in your yard. They are great to have around
and are really easy to keep. Buid them something safe and warm to roost in
and when they start laying you'll be so happy. We had six chooks that had
the run of the place, (Brighton, Brisbane). We have five cats too. There
was no problems. Our hunter cats even left them alone. It's not the same
story for chicks though, they love em. It's a good fun exersis to get them
as chicks and rear them for a month or so before putting them into the
beautiful chook run you've made by then. I never locked my chooks up, but I
rekon it's a great idea. I found a poultry news group that will be all to
keen to help a newbie. ;)
sci.agriculture.poultry
they are pretty friendly and know heaps.

Have great fun Joel, you're doing the right thing.
pete

Thanks for the replies all. I was planning on constructing a lock-up for
them, but was concerned about cats getting at them during the day too. I
guess I'll just have to see how they fare.

Now to find a design :-)

Joel

peter wrote:
"Joel Little" wrote in message
u...

G'day all,

I'm contemplating getting a few chooks for my suburban Brisbane back yard.
One of my concerns is whether the neighbourhood cats (not mine!!) will
kill them? Has anyone had any experiences with cats killing chooks?

Thanks
Joel

Hi Joel,
Bloody great idea to put chooks in your yard. They are great to have around
and are really easy to keep. Buid them something safe and warm to roost in
and when they start laying you'll be so happy. We had six chooks that had
the run of the place, (Brighton, Brisbane). We have five cats too. There
was no problems. Our hunter cats even left them alone. It's not the same
story for chicks though, they love em. It's a good fun exersis to get them
as chicks and rear them for a month or so before putting them into the
beautiful chook run you've made by then. I never locked my chooks up, but I
rekon it's a great idea. I found a poultry news group that will be all to
keen to help a newbie. ;)
sci.agriculture.poultry
they are pretty friendly and know heaps.

Have great fun Joel, you're doing the right thing.
pete

"Joel Little" wrote in message
u...
Thanks for the replies all. I was planning on constructing a lock-up for
them, but was concerned about cats getting at them during the day too. I
guess I'll just have to see how they fare.

Now to find a design :-)

Our cat often brings a rabbit, mouse or bird to the door but never a chook.
She often wanders around with the chooks but we have never had chicks. Hope
to one day now that we have a new rooster. Better keep an eye out when they
are born eh.

"peter" writes:
"SG1" wrote in message
...
Equal parts prime mince & snail bait (powdered) NOT the pet friendly one
the one with the warning. Use only at your place.


Surely your not serious..That is just wrong. pete

There was a short item, I think on ABC "landline" that some organization
(I'll credit the CSIRO in the absence of information to the contrary) has
developed a poison bait that is specific for feral cats. It's in a tablet
form that you poke into a lump of meat, and the cat's method of eating
leads to its swallowing the tablet along with a morsel of meat. But they
said that all our native carnivores eat more delicately, nibbling at the
meat around the tablet but leaving the tablet uneaten. I'd reckon that
quolls would be most at risk of something like this.

No mention was made of Tassie Devils, but I bet they don't bat an eyelid
if they find a tablet in something they're tucking into!
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

u suck Joel

Amy Lou wrote:


Our cat often brings a rabbit, mouse or bird to the door but never a chook.
She often wanders around with the chooks but we have never had chicks.

Amy Lou,

Rabbit... OK; mouse... OK (as long as they aren't the native ones - can
you tell?); but how can you so nonchalantly mention your cat regularly
killing birds? Has it ever occurred to you the damage it may be doing to
local native wildlife??

Maybe I'm naive, but I just can't understand people allowing their pets
to wander around doing what comes naturally - ie hunting. I don't like
cats, but I don't blame them. It's their owners, who to me seem either
very unaware or very selfish.

Mark.

"Doyley" wrote in message
.. .
Amy Lou wrote:


Our cat often brings a rabbit, mouse or bird to the door but never a
chook. She often wanders around with the chooks but we have never had
chicks.

Amy Lou,

Rabbit... OK; mouse... OK (as long as they aren't the native ones - can
you tell?); but how can you so nonchalantly mention your cat regularly
killing birds? Has it ever occurred to you the damage it may be doing to
local native wildlife??

Maybe I'm naive, but I just can't understand people allowing their pets to
wander around doing what comes naturally - ie hunting. I don't like cats,
but I don't blame them. It's their owners, who to me seem either very
unaware or very selfish.

Mark.


Doyley,

I agree whole-heartedly. I cannot believe how much native wild-life
returned to our homestead after the last pet cat died, and puddin was
getting 2 square meals a day! Nearly every night, it would bring home a
bird, or one of the nocturnal lizards. And I was devastated to hear a person
(who lives in the district) tell how her cat brings home one of the
marsupial mice nearly every night! I was seriously thinking about slipping
down to her place and shooting her cat...

In keeping with the Original Post, I have actually found feral cats eating
leftovers in the chook-house when I went to lock the door at night. Those
particular cats are now wearing wings an a harp each, but the chooks didnt
get attacked by the cats. However, we are yet to see a really big feral
cat, which may try to eat a chook or two. My policy is to shoot the cat
first, and then discuss how it might be affecting the chooks.

Also, in nobbling afore-mentioned kitty, I discovered that chooks completely
switch off when the sun sets. The .45 handgun fired a foot-long tongue of
flame at the cat, and I was very relieved to be wearing ear-muffs for the
noise. The chook (not a foot away from the cat in question), merely opened
an eye, had a quick look around, and back to sleep.

The pet lambs in the shed next door nearly took out the back wall from the
gun shot, but Mrs chook was off duty...

I, too believe the cat is just doing what it evolved to do, and that it is
the owner who needs to be given a kicking. If I ever consider having a cat
again, it will have an enclosed run that it can use, and will live in the
house. No running free for my moggy...

For the moment, I am happy with my assortment of frogs, lizards, the odd
snake, and an assortment of very weird birds. Last count was 8 Spotted
bower birds in the house yard at once, along with all the other
species...Makes for an interesting time!

Cheers,

Rod.......Out Back

"Rod Out Back" wrote...
Maybe I'm naive, but I just can't understand people allowing their pets
to wander around doing what comes naturally - ie hunting. I don't like
cats, but I don't blame them. It's their owners, who to me seem either
very unaware or very selfish.

I agree whole-heartedly.

Me too.

I am happy to keep our cat very fat, but I bet he still catches wildlife
sometimes.

--
Stephen Oakes