4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[melly264]

We are away for a long weekend, and feel that this is a bit long to leave the door wide open for (even with a friend popping in to check)

 

SO, our chickens are going on holiday to a friends house.....the only issue being that they own 2 cats, we don't think this is a problem as we do have cats in the neighbourhood, but I am on strict orders to make a posting and make sure that this is acceptable. I also promised to point out that cat number 1 is a fierce mouser.

 

I have told them that I wouldn't want them let out for fear of them escaping or refusing to come back, so the cats wouldn't be able to get at the chickens.

 

Any one else had similar issues?

[MadMitch]

I have my own two cats, my little girl often walks up and has a look at them but my big tom who is a big hunter is petrified of them and runs away if they are in the garden.

Can't say what other cats would be like though.

[Puffin]

We have a killer cat as well - catches rabbits and all sorts and he has stalked the chickens but if they come to near he runs off! I was really worried and wouldnt let the chickens out (within omlet netting) if he was out and about but now I am quite happy as he never goes too near them, just watches from a safe distance. My other older cat has no interest in them at all.

[melly264]

thanks for the reassurance, i am sure that my friend is over worrying, but I do sympathise as i'd hate to have something happen 'on my watch' as it were!

 

I think they'll be fine and will be packing their little chicken suitcases!

[Janepie33]

We have cats and chickens. Our big boy Billy is a complete softy and won't go anywhere near the chickens. Our little ginger girl Luna is a bit braver and will sometimes sit near the chickens when they potter about near her, but as soon as they look at her she runs away!

Next door's kitten thinks she is a tiger and she stalks the chickens, but the time she tried to pounce, one of the chickens sent her home with a bloody nose!

The only cat problem was a horrible black invader that killed a pigeon in our garden last year. She fancied her chances with our girls, but when they puffed themselves up to full size and squaked at it, it ran away, never to be seen again.

Conclusion:- Chickens can hold their own against the domestic cat.

[dancing cloud]

I have two cats and they and the 6 ex-batt hens get along just fine, just as long as I barricade the kitchen and stop the hens stealing the cats' dinner .

 

My little boy cat Loki is a frequent serial killer (birds, mice, frogs ), but loves his hens and will happily sit with them on the lawn. He even tries to get them to play - no success so far. When we had the monsoons last week, he took shelter with them in their run and the hens only bok-bok'd at him whe he got his paws on the ladder to look inside their Cube.

 

My little girl cat, well she's not so little - not called Fat Puddy for nothing -, catches things that die of natural causes and fall into her open mouth . She is afraid of the hens and will only walk past them if they're looking the other way and there's food in it for her.

 

My garden used to be the M25 for all local cats, but I'm now down to my 2 and my half-board cat (bed, breakfast and evening meal). The others seem to have pushed off now the hens are here, which is no bad thing.

 

Your chooks and their cats should be fine - might even be friends.

[ruth1]

My cats Mister and Loki are serial Killers, I fear I shall be held responsible for the decline of Birds, Mice and anthing that moves in my village over the next few years.

 

And although they like the chickens it is only to watch from a respectful distance.

 

In fact I think they guard them in a way.

[dancing cloud]

Another Loki cat? It must be a Discworld thing

[Seagazer]

My two cats are bird/mouse killers and did try ambushing the girls the first couple of times out but now they just sit and watch the girls. They don't even have evil intent in their eyes

[hennymom]

my cats are 11 and 18 years... the 18 year old is only concerned where is comfy to sleep... my 11 year old thinks nothing of visiting the hens in the run with me... and they bok loudly... so she jumps on the run roof and struts her stuff up above them instead and they stare up at her crossing the roof in awe!!!

[Chicken Licken]

My chooks have been terrorised by a cat twice in the last fortnight. Both times the cat has stalked in through the omlet netting and terrorised the girls and got itself stuck. Both times my neighbour has booted it out. Poor Fenny was so traumatised yesterday having been chased that she laid a broken egg. Cats....grrrr