Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[Lisa]

Hi

 

I am getting my first eglu and hopefully my chickens a week today and am a little concerned about one of the neighbourhood cats. He is always killing or trying to kill birds in my garden and those locally door. My neighbour has had chickens and she is worried about this cat Charlie with the chickens. I am getting three POL hybrid chickens and am wondering how safe they will be in my garden if Charlie comes to visit. I will only be letting them free range when someone is around but I may not be able to be in the garden with them the whole time. Also where do you stand if your are keeping your pets safely in your garden when someone elses pet comes into it uninvited? I know it is difficult with cats but surely the owners are responsible for keeping their pet away from your property if they are dangerous to other pets? I don't know. Charlie's owners have 4 cats and the others are lovely. I like all animals but Charlie the killer is difficult to like and his owners only reluctantly agreed to put a bell on him to give the birds fair warning!

 

Any advice willingly received. please.

 

Lisa

[Yolky]

My youngest is a killer cat. She has got rats, mice, birds. The biggest bird I have seen her catch is a magpie so she can get big birds. She was initially interested and did a small bit of stalking but she soon realised she had no chance. Also the chooks weren't scared of her, they just boked a bit and gave her the quizical eye rather than running off. She now likes to sit by their run or them if they are out and also tries to rub up against them as if they are friends.

 

However I did keep a special eye on them when they were first together.

[clootie]

I've got two cats, both exceptionally good hunters and although they were more puzzled than anything else with regard to the chooks, they have never attempted to hurt them. They happily all live together. It's Eric who used to get a little too close for comfort but he was soon told who was boss (not Eric) and he doesn't bother now. He only ever wanted to play anyway.

[mot336]

I have a big cat who is a keen hunter, he did chase the chickens round when I first got them but the ex batts sure put him in his place!!!! I do have to giggle when I see Freddie (cat) running for his life followed by 4 hens in full sprint!

[TAJ]

Two different things here:

 

Responsibility of next door - if it was a dog they would be responsible for keeping it off your property and under control, however I understand such legislation views cats in a different way and they have no obligation to control it.

 

Cats & chickens - I have two cats one is perfectly fine with the chickens, they other I just would not trust - he is a hunter, kills rats and pigeons very easily and has twice attempted to attack the chickens through the netting. Given his form I would never allow him in the same area as the chickens, but the Omlet netting keeps him out of their frerange area and they are safe as long as they do not get near the edge.

 

To be honest foxes are likely to be more of a worry than a cat in terms of attack, but I would not leave them unsupervised if you know there is a potential problem.

 

Tracy

[Lisa]

Thanks for all the information. I think I will have to play it by ear and see how things go. My friend has recommended a sonic cat repeller - which she says takes about 28 days to work fully but has worked well at her house and, as she has wire fencing. has also worked for her neighbours as well who were thrilled. She says you must buy a good one about £25.00 as the cheaper ones don't work. Has anyone else tried one of these and has it worked for them. I have tried a sonic mouse/rat repellent but that was not successful for me?!!

 

I would be interested in your comments.

 

Thanks again.

 

Lisa

[chicklit]

Personally I would not bother spending money on a cat repeller. In my opinion the chooks will be quite capable of defending themselves against a cat. I have three large cats and apart from showing interest in the beginning, they have given the chickens a wide berth.

 

My main worry is my daughters Jack Russel cross terrier who showed enormouse interest in the chooks every time he was around. I do try to keep him out of the garden if the chooks are free ranging but he did get out one day and tried to chase them. However, the chooks soon sorted him out and I had to rescue him from them as they had him cornered under the lilac tree and ganged up to sort him out. He now is much more wary of them than he was before.

 

If I was you I would wait to see what the reaction is from the cats. You will need to keep them in the run for about five days anyway so it will give them a chance to see each other without being too close.

 

Good luck but I'm sure everything will be fine.

[keyhole kate]

Hi

 

I have two cat sisters age 8 one will now go out and observe the girls from a safe distance the other one who will fearlessly chase my daughters Staffie X boy if he gets in her way it totally petrified to the point she refuses now to go out in the garden full stop

I have had to go back to a litter tray for her.

 

My son has four chooks and his next door neighbour has seven cats who used to constatnty come in his garden and his house if you were not vigilant since getting his chooks they no longer set foot in his garden or house However he has two squirrells visit that will eat from your hand who ignore the chooks and vice versa

 

As for a sonic cat repeller my next door neighbour has had every gadget including this to try to keep my cats out of his garden nothing he ever bought worked my son and daughter used to complain it hurt there ears though Happily me & OH being older and clearly suffering from disintigrating hear as you do could not hear a thing. Now our cats dont go out of our garden myself & my 15 year old will sorely miss watching from behing my wooden blinds the hilarity of the latest gadget that didn't work

[Egluntyne]

A couple of good pecks on the nose from the hens coupled with some icy blasts from a hosepipe from you should do the trick.

 

It did for me when a mangy ginger moggy kept turning up and making a nuisance of himself.

[TAJ]

It really depends on the cat - mine has taken a chunk of feathers out of one of my chickens through the netting and if your saw him catch and eat a giant wood pgeon or rat you would not trust him either.

 

Most people on here do not have cat problems, I would just keep a close eye in the first few months and judge the situation.

 

Only our evil cat is a problem all the other cats around that have come into the garden to look at the chickens have not been an issue at all.

 

Good luck!

 

Tracy

[Lisa]

Thanks for all the responses. It has given me something to think about. I am so excited about getting the chickens I will probably not let them out of my sight for the first few weeks anyway!!

 

Only 7 days to go!!!

 

Lisa

[Stevie]

Despite have a big dog-i still get cats in garden due to the chooks freeranging all day,but they dont ever try anything on with them.I think its down to perspective-the cats see a bird,but until they get close-they dont understand just how large the actual chook is! Mine arent worried about cats anyway and are used to them sitting on fence.

[RubyReckless]

Don't worry, they'll be fine.

 

Local cats have a go at our girls all the time. It's HILARIOUS! Chickens are much bigger than cats think they will be. We find the odd cat collar in the free-range run fence from time to time - a cat retreating and panicking as she realised just how large the hen truly was.

 

One cat has pounced several times and pulled out a few feathers. It's had a major pecking and finally learnt its lesson. Indeed, our lovely RIR, Biffer, got her name by being a total "come and have a go if you think you're hard enough" with every cat in the area.

 

(edited for a daft typo)

Edited August 25, 2008 by Guest

[Lisa]

Thanks everyone.

 

That is reassuring I will just have to wait and see how they get on especially when Charlie is on the prowl!! Maybe he will have finally met his match!

[Dinkychick]

I had a cat venture into my garden for the first time since i got my chucks thats about 2months.... the biggest chuck made her first real racket, the girls were free ranging in the garden whilst being stalked, they didnt attack the cat but all hudled together. I heard the noise thinking that maybe they had finally decided to lay an egg but really they were calling for my help.

I chased the cat away.... i really dont know what would of happened if i hadnt of gone out, the chucks are only 16weeks would they know how to defend themselves? I let them free range now but leave the kitchen door open so if the need me they dont have to shout so loud haha.