need help with trapping.

At my work, i saw to baby kittens.  I saw the mother last year, when she was a baby, but for one reason or another, i didn't trap her.. and now she just brought her 2 kittens out in the open.  my plan is to trap all 3, but i have never done this by myself.  i hired someone to trap the one i take care of out there now. she had a drop trap, but she changed her number and i can't contact her.  Also, i helped trap some cats when there used to be a lady that worked next door would trap them...but me, by myself, no.  does anyone have any advice for me? I need  help with this.  They all live in the woods..but there is bambo in there, so i can't walk in the woods, it's too thick.  I can get the traps for free at a local hospital..do you have any tips or instruction on how to trap them?

Another thing, the animal hospital is booked until Oct 15th.  If i trap these guys before then, where do i put them?  

and finally, how do i know if the baby kitty's are old enough to be trapped?  and if i get them trapped, how do i know if they are too old and too ferrel to be pets?  

i live in maryland. is anyone there who can help me with this?  it's putting a lot of stress on me. 

thank you, 

amy

There is an organization in Delaware which I believe also does some work in Maryland.  Not sure if they'll cover your territory but they may have a contact for someone near you.

http://www.forgottencats.org/index.php

If you can't get someone to help and have to go it alone, begin by feeding every in the trap.  Tie the traps open while the cats get used to them.  Don't leave the traps out overnight - take them up after feeding.  This gets the cats used to the feeding schedule and eating in the traps.  If you have to stay with the traps while they eat, so be it.  A pain in the neck but if it has to be done ...

Once they get used to eating in the traps, you can make appointments and set the traps.  If the kittens are big enough to be out and about, they will be plenty old enough to be fixed by October 15th.  I would actually make the appointments now and plan the trapping around it.

If you must trap before the appointments, do you have a spare room or shed where you can keep them?  You can keep them in the traps for a day or so but no longer.

Of course, you will have to recuperate mom (and any female kittens) for a few days anyway, so you should prepare a place for that.  The boy(s) can be released back to where you caught them the next day, unless you think they can be socialized.  Most feral-born kittens will socialize quite well up to 12 weeks old.  After that, they may or they may not, depending on their personalities.

Thank you for tackling this.  Fingers crossed you find help!

Thank you for caring.
Alley Cat Allies has a network of volunteers who may be able to give you some advice, too.
What county/city do you live in?
I agree with Ondine: feed them in the open trap, at more or less the same time every day. To make sure the traps don't close, you can put a stick horizontally through some of the holes (experiment where/which hole).

Thanks for the advice from both of you. 

My work is in Beltsville, Maryland.  

I've sent an email to the organization that Ondine gave me.  I'm getting the traps tomorrow and setting them up.  

How many traps should I put out?  There are 3 cats total.  One adult and 2 babies.  

I wouId set out as many traps as you have room for cats who will need a day or two to recuperate.
This organization may be able to help you; Laurel is not too far from Beltsville. (I went to college in College Park and use to live in New Carrollton.)

Thank you Ritz.