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

my kitty catches only rabbits that I ever see. I don't think he is
really interested in birds, and there aren't any native species within a
kilometre or 2 from the house. He does have a pair of honey eaters
that follow him around all day squarking. You know when the cat is
coming as the birds are not far away. And I saw him trying to catch a
willy-wagtail and he came off second best and won't go near them now.
When he wanders past the chooks they freak a bit. I guess as he is
ginger he looks a bit like a little fox. Well he weighs 6kg so not that
little.

Darren



Stephen Oakes wrote:
"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

Joel Little writes:
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.

My thoughts are that well-fed neighbourhood cats will probably show close
interest in the chooks, and may at first chase them, but probably will
not injure them. However, having strange cats stalking them day after day
may well put the chooks off laying.

If cats are going to do damage, it would most likely be feral/abandoned
cats and these generally emerge only after dusk, so provided the chooks
are securely locked up by late afternoon, probably no problems. However,
the suburbs of modern cities are home to many foxes. Although these have
evolved a cloak of invisibity to humans, and fare well on pet food and
scraps from bins, they have retained an appetite for fresh chicken.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

John Savage wrote:


If cats are going to do damage, it would most likely be feral/abandoned
cats and these generally emerge only after dusk,

Evening All,

I've seen cat-threads in this group take some bizarre and nasty turns,
and at the risk of setting off another such, I feel I must add another
2c worth before I shut-up.

John, I agree that ferals/abandoned cats (and there is a difference) do
commit a great deal of damage, unfortunately dusk also brings out hordes
of house cats whose owners must have no awareness of what their pets get
up to (for no considerate, respectful person would allow it to continue
if they were aware of it!). From leaving disease-ridden excrement all
over neighbours' gardens, to spraying foul scent over cars, front doors,
steps, etc, to dismembering baby possums, these house cats are very bad
news for anyone except their owners.
..............................................

D wrote:
my kitty catches only rabbits that I ever see. I don't think he is
really interested in birds, and there aren't any native species within a
kilometre or 2 from the house.

Cause and effect, D? How can you be so blase about what you cat is doing
when you can't see it?
..............................................

Stephen Oakes wrote:

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

And Stephen, have you perhaps considered doing something to prevent the
destruction continuing?????
................................................

OK, that's enough. I'll go away now.
M

"Doyley" wrote...
And Stephen, have you perhaps considered doing something to prevent the
destruction continuing?????

Do you mean kill the cat?

--
Stephen Oakes

Stephen Oakes wrote:
"Doyley" wrote...

And Stephen, have you perhaps considered doing something to prevent the
destruction continuing?????


Do you mean kill the cat?



Stephen,

Certainly not - my original reply-post indicates that I feel the cats
are only doing what cats do, and are not to blame.

However, there are ways of preventing cats from roaming - the enclosed
cat-run mentioned by Rod Out Back is one. Unfortunately, very expensive.

M

John Savage wrote:

"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

Pete: Why? If the owner of the cat kept it on it's own property, they'd
be no problem.

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.

John: I think you'll find it's for feral pigs

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/innovations...s/s1393875.htm

Did I hear somewhere there's 14 million feral cats in aus?

--
Scrap the 00 to post direct.

"We all should present legal cars. I'm embarrassed we've presented a car
that's ineligible." Mark Skaife, Chief Sook, HRT.12/11/04 (It must hurt
to say illegal!)

'Speed limit near schools lowered to 40 grams per student' - CNNNN

Lindsay writes:
John Savage wrote:
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.

John: I think you'll find it's for feral pigs

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/innovations...s/s1393875.htm

Did I hear somewhere there's 14 million feral cats in aus?

Dunno, I lost count. But what about feral camels? SMH Sept 12 reports that
Australian camels are doubling their numbers every 8 years, and unless
steps are taken to cull them, by the year 2053 "there could be 2 camels to
every person". Now, that got me thinking what I could do with my pair.
Might camels hold the key to avoiding the high petroleum prices during the
mid 21st century?

Then there was the news item yesterday about an enterprising bloke in
Germany (maybe his name was Len someone-or-other) who has been making
biodiesel from a mixed range of things, including cat bodies. These he
obtains from roadkills, he later explained. I don't know how the posties
in Germany get around, but anyone running a vehicle on fuel that smells
strongely of cats is just inviting to be chased!
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

Lindsay writes:
John Savage wrote:
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.

John: I think you'll find it's for feral pigs

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/innovations...s/s1393875.htm

Actually, it was for feral cats. It is an amazing conincidence that there
was a similar press release concerning a bait for pigs around the same
time.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/ enviro/EnviroRepublish_1429383.htm

"Johnston says this is because while feral cats tend to swallow their
food in relatively large portions, native animals tend to chew their
food very carefully and are likely to spit out the poison pellet when
they find they can't chew it.
Another challenge the researchers face is finding a bait that will
interest cats, which don't generally eat dead flesh.
Western Australia's Department of Conservation and Land Management has
identified kangaroo and chicken fat as key ingredients for an
attractive bait, says Johnston.
It has also found the baits are best laid in the winter when there is
less alternative food around for the cats and they are using a lot of
energy."
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

John Savage wrote:

Did I hear somewhere there's 14 million feral cats in aus?

Dunno, I lost count. But what about feral camels? SMH Sept 12 reports that
Australian camels are doubling their numbers every 8 years, and unless
steps are taken to cull them, by the year 2053 "there could be 2 camels to
every person". Now, that got me thinking what I could do with my pair.
Might camels hold the key to avoiding the high petroleum prices during the
mid 21st century?

:) "2 camel power" just doesnt sound right imo:)

Then there was the news item yesterday about an enterprising bloke in
Germany (maybe his name was Len someone-or-other) who has been making
biodiesel from a mixed range of things, including cat bodies. These he
obtains from roadkills, he later explained. I don't know how the posties
in Germany get around, but anyone running a vehicle on fuel that smells
strongely of cats is just inviting to be chased!

I saw that... 2 cats per 50k... hmmm..

You'll never find a road kill cat in Perth! My brother tells me they
are THE best bait for crayfish..


regards

Lindsay

--
Scrap the 00 to post direct.

"We all should present legal cars. I'm embarrassed we've presented a car
that's ineligible." Mark Skaife, Chief Sook, HRT.12/11/04 (It must hurt
to say illegal!)

'Speed limit near schools lowered to 40 grams per student' - CNNNN

John Savage wrote:

Lindsay writes:
John Savage wrote:
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.

John: I think you'll find it's for feral pigs

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/innovations...s/s1393875.htm

Actually, it was for feral cats. It is an amazing conincidence that there
was a similar press release concerning a bait for pigs around the same
time.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/ enviro/EnviroRepublish_1429383.htm


Well there you go.. thanks for that. Filed for future reference..

Regards

Lindsay


--
Scrap the 00 to post direct.

"We all should present legal cars. I'm embarrassed we've presented a car
that's ineligible." Mark Skaife, Chief Sook, HRT.12/11/04 (It must hurt
to say illegal!)

'Speed limit near schools lowered to 40 grams per student' - CNNNN

Certainly not - my original reply-post indicates that I feel the cats
are only doing what cats do, and are not to blame.

However, there are ways of preventing cats from roaming - the enclosed
cat-run mentioned by Rod Out Back is one. Unfortunately, very expensive.

M

Or you could just keep the cat inside....I have an ex-feral who it can be
difficult to keep inside, but we (mostly) manage it. It's safer for the cat,
spares the family from losing a much loved pet, and above all- cats are NOT
part of the Australian ecology!!