Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
chickens a great deal of grief. I've seen my farm cats sleeping with half-grown chicks
beneath brooder lights on a cold winter's day; I've also seen feral cats sneak up and grab
adult bantam chickens foraging in the yard on a warm, sunny afternoon.
TRAIN THOSE BARN CATS
Cats need to be trained at an early age so they can clearly differentiate between what's
acceptable behavior and what's not. Expose your growing, not-yet-weaned kittens to
young poultry. Spend plenty of time with the kittens observing their interactions with
the fowl and teaching them that the birds are yours and are not to be harmed. If the
kittens start to stalk the poultry, give them a spray of cold H
2
O and yell at them.
Don't expect to be able to leave a starving cat with a supply of young poultry. Like
all mammals, the cat will hunt for food to survive. Keep your cats fat, happy, and
well-trained, and they'll stay away from your flock.
Feral cats and baby chicks do not mix. The brooder facility must be secured with
tight-fitting screens over the windows, and all small holes covered with screens, boards,
or metal. Otherwise cats and other small predators will reach a paw through a crack in a
doorway and yank a young fowl out.
When your chicks reach an age at which they are able to roam around outside,
between four and six weeks old, it's time for you to have a good feel for the presence of
feral cats around your flock. If you've seen them in the area before, keep in mind that
they'll most likely attack the young poultry if given a chance. Because cats feed most
any time of the day, you need to be on guard at all times. Fences usually don't keep them
out of the area as they are skillful climbers. I have seen feral cats scale the side of the
barn and get in through the haymow door. Leave no gaps for them to obtain access.
When chicks are eight weeks old, they've outgrown the stage where cats will bother
them. Stay vigilant, though, about more independent chicks that are roaming around the
yard alone.
If your chicks hatch underneath a mother hen, she'll scare off a feral cat unless it's
particularly aggressive. Most mother hens protect their baby chicks from all predators.
But don't relax if you've seen one of your hens chase off a stray, especially after the
cat has captured and eaten a baby. Once a cat develops a taste for any variety of fowl,
they'll be back on a daily basis. It's important to be proactive and prepare yourself for
this possible problem.
Dogs
