New Girl Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 We have just brought home 2 chickens (& Eglu), bought from a forum member today. I intended for the hens to free range in the garden but one of our cats has taken a keen interest in them, should I keep the chooks in the run for say a week for the cats to get used to them being around and then let the chooks out supervised until they both accept each other or will the cats always be a problem? I naively thought they would both ignore each other! Suzi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 I would be interested to know too as I have some cats. What chooks do you have Newgirl? What colour eglu. I bet you are so excited having them for the first time, I can't wait to get our girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Girl Posted June 22, 2008 Author Share Posted June 22, 2008 I've got an orange eglu, a Gingernut Ranger and a Mrs Pepperpot. They only arrived this afternoon so it's all very new and exciting! How do you attach the eglu etc on your signature? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 go into profile at the top of the page and then scroll down till you get to the signature part and in it write ( orange eglu ) G N R P P But don't put the spaces in that I have and it should look like this.. (orangeeglu) BTW We do need to see pictures of your new chickens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Girl Posted June 22, 2008 Author Share Posted June 22, 2008 Thank you Not sure if I've done the Eglu bit right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 perhaps there needs to be a space between orange and eglu. I shall try yep try it with a space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie&Moose Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Hi New Girl, I can't claim to be an expert on chickens - we've only had ours since March - but we've had no real problems with our cats and our chickens. Our male cat was very interested in them when they first arrived - did that running with his belly on the ground thing that cats do when hunting. However, having been chased off by me the first time (the chickens were in their delivery crate) he has appeared uninterested in them since then, and barely opens an eye as they forage close to him. However, some of the younger, neighbouring cats have been a little more pushy - so, having read that chickens were capable of standing up to most cats I decided to let one of the offending cats approach our 2 chickens whilst I was with them - I ended up having to rescue the poor cat from one extremely determined and irrate chicken who had the cat pinned up against our omlet netting (the chickens were ranging outside the netting at the time) and was pecking it repeatedly on the head. We haven't seen that particular cat in the garden since, and he used to be a regular visitor. Perhaps let the chickens get to know their new garden first so that they feel confident about their surroundings, and then if you're concerned supervise your chickens and cats meeting for the first couple of times so that you can see how your cat reacts. Unless your cat is a very confident and robust hunter, and larger than average, I suspect it will leave the chickens alone once it's been pecked a couple of times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christmasoompa Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 I thought you had to keep chooks in for a week or so anyway to get them used to their new surroundings?? Ours are arriving tomorrow and we've got two cats. I've been told that chickens will soon put cats in their place with a sharp peck if necessary so they should learn to tolerate each other given time. I think the chooks would do more damage to the cat than vice versa! But will be interested to see how we get on. Best of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Definitely keep them in for a week anyway. One of our neighbours didn't and her chooks kept wandering off. One ended up over a mile away. Our cats were quite interested in the chooks at first but by the time the week was up they had lost interest. It was the neighbours jack russell terrier that was the real problem but that's another story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Girl Posted June 22, 2008 Author Share Posted June 22, 2008 Thank you Yolky - it's worked! We haven't got the largest of gardens so I thought they could stretch their wings from the start, they are now in the run for their safekeeping! The cats are just watching them, we will see how it goes and keep our eyes on the cats when we let them out for the first few times. Fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodchick Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 I have three cats including George, a stray who joined the household a few years ago. George is an unreconstructed killer - and eater - of all sorts of things: birds, mice, rats, voles, rabbits and squirrels have all been brought home, but he is utterly disinterested in the chickens. He did give them a beady eye for a day or two but just for show. I really woudn't worry. My problem with George was him running into the netting, which wasn't there before, as he raced down the garden like a mad thing and got himself all snared up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Girl Posted June 22, 2008 Author Share Posted June 22, 2008 My problem with George was him running into the netting, which wasn't there before, as he raced down the garden like a mad thing and got himself all snared up. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Agree - after one vigorously repelled attempt, my cat gave the chickens a very wide berth. 18 months on, he will now sit in the garden while they are free-ranging, and pretends not to be bothered. If they start approaching him he beats a strategic retreat! Definitely chickens 1, Cat 0. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Sausage, one of my cats stalked the chickens relentlessly for the first few months that we had them. We were worried about the bantams for a while. Then the brahmas chased Sausage down the garden whilst holding onto his fur with their beaks. He avoids them like the plague now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 My two do try to round them up and Scamp likes to pounce on them sometimes but not with any great intent. I does make Bertha bok bok very loudly though which is a nuisance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathybc Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I agree with what the others have said. I kept my chooks in the run for about a week, with the cats watching. Now when I let them free range, I don't really worry about the cats getting the hens - poor Simba cat was a quivering wreck on the front mat as Hedwig and Hermione advanced up the hall towards him, and Harriet flapped her wings at Spooky cat who now hides in the conservatory when they are out. Ginger-barrel, the neighbours cat, was trying to stalk them in the grass yesterday; not sure who was laughing at him more, me or the girls ! But having said all that, I would never let them out on their own when I wasn't about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Hi Suzi - lovely to chat to you again yesterday. My two cats used to think it was fun to stalk the chooks, but soon gave up after a good hiding from the herd. A water pistol may help you (for the cats that is) I hope that you get the other thing sorted out. cx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggy-Bread Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 My cats are bigger chickens than the chickens! Oscar won't even go outside if the girls aren't in their enclosure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Morris Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Hi I too was concerned, as our cat Archie would bring home all kinds of birds that he had hunted. Even pigeons that were bigger than him. We kept our chickens in the run for a week and had noticed that Archie was ignoring them. Although our pup Ruby was fascinated by them! Monday was the first time that we had let them out to free range and Archie was nowhere to be seen, although Ruby can't understand why they don't want to play with her. I now leave them out all day, as I work from home, and was amazed to see on Wednesday, Archie sat on a chair in the garden with all the hens around him! I think that he knows that they are part of the family now and so should just accept them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FORENSICA Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 I have two cats, which were very curious (cautiously) about the girls from the first day. However, there was never any attacking (from the cats' side, rather more from the hens' side ), just a few chases. Have a look here. The hens sort the cats out quite easily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Girl Posted June 28, 2008 Author Share Posted June 28, 2008 Thank you all for your advice. You were all right, after a few days of the chickens being in their run the cats totally ignored them, when the chickens are free ranging the cats are nowhere to be seen or pass at 100mph! We are seeing the chickens personalities now, Ginger is timid and shy whilst Fred is very bold and pecks everything! I had been giving them too many treats and had a few soft or no shell eggs, so the treats have nearly stopped and have added limestone flour to their pellets and given them a tub of grit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Lovely to hear that you're enjoying them Suzi. you may get a few softies to start with, but they'll sort themselves out now that you've amended their diet. How are their bald tummies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
