What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[jam]

We dont really have much trouble with foxes in our garden, but there are a few cats that have taken a lot interest in my hens. Its very frustrating because I can only allow the hens to free range when im in the garden for long periods of time, which is only one or two times a week. Buttercup, my light sussex, was attacked by a cat quite recently and it has made me even more nervous about letting them out in the garden without me being there.

The methods used to deter foxes havnt worked against the cats. Are there any methods I could use to keep my hens safe from cats, enabling them to free range almost everyday? (apart from electric fencing!!)

 

Jam

[the hopefulls]

Hi we used to have a problem with cats so i invested in a couple of Cat Repeller 40

£16.95, from (http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/cat-deterrents-c-102.html?source=googleads&gclid=CK7t8e2zupwCFZ0U4wodNDlhoQ) worked a treat and didn't affect the girls or the other birds and oue hedgehog was small enough to walk under it.

hope this helps a bit

[Patricia W]

I find the opposite- how do I keep my cat safe when my three bantams are free ranging! From the posts on the forum, that's the usual way round as chickens have sharp beaks. Other cats just peer nervously into the garden so it's not just my cat they've terrified.

 

Tricia

[poppy33]

My three girls have attacked our neighbours cat and the poor thing has never come into our garden again, yesterday the naughty girls cornered a wood pigeon and pulled all its tail feathers out, poor thing could not get airbourn so had to be rescued and placed with food and water in our neighbours garden, not sure how it will fair, it seemed very lively but i dont think it will be able to fly without those vital tail feathers

[CluckyBucks]

There is an old wives tale that cats hate orange peel, so whenever i eat an orange, i scatter the skins on my fence. im not sure if it has worked but i havent seen a cat for a while

Also, if you see a cat in your garden or hanging on the fence, squirt it with a water gun (it wont harm it, just scare it) so that way it might not want to come back to your garden

 

xx xx

[Mutrix Farmers]

Since getting chickens we haven't had any cats in our garden, although one occasionally walks along the fence looking over its' shoulder as it goes (ready to jump off if the girls spot him)

[Patricia W]

My three grown up bantams free range, and see the cat off at every opportunity, but I have 2 little ones in an eglu and run. Today I noticed the cat sunning herself on the eglu and then the run, looking rather interested in the newbies ( 18 weeks so not that small!). They weren't that bothered tbh.

 

But this is what she used to do with the big ones before they free ranged. I think she's storing up more trouble for herself when the little ones get out! They'll remember.......

 

Tricia

[Surrey Hen]

My tiny flock (of 4) is the nemesis of all the local cats. They bunch together, pull themselves up to their full height and give any intruding cat a collective hard stare which is designed to say 'we are descended from velociraptors you know'. Any cat who doesn't run at this point is treated to a loud chorus of bokking. No cat has yet lasted past this point so I have no fears for my girls as far as cats are concerned.

 

Surrey Hen

[jam]

haha, well from what your saying, i think the cats down my road are especially scary, or my chickens are, well, chicken!!

Ill have to try one of those cat scarers

Thanks peeps

[mikk100]

Amazing, we are struggling with our 3 upset cats who are all terrified of the chickens since their arrival 4 wks ago. One hen in particular has given chase and really pecked at my brave fighting cat and she now has to run the gauntlet through them to get to her 'loo' at the end of the garden. My real scardey cat (scared of plastic bags) won't come out in the garden at all now and I'm back to indoor litter trays which has added to the workload.

 

Before the hens were let out of the run all cats and the neighbour's cats were very interested but once the face to face encounters were over they have all stayed away. I find with cats they are interested for 5 mins and then get used to something, they are all the same with my guinea pigs who mingle with the hens and cats, the neighbour's cats are the same, they watch the GPs and hens but when they go up to them they are scared.

[dippy bird]

we have 2 cats and when we brought our girls home our youngest cat went straight for them and one of the girls ended up in our neighbours garden - terrifying both the neighbours and their dog,plus my poor husband had to chase the startled chicken around the garden to try and catch it! It was a very funny sight I have to say! Now our chickens have got bigger and much braver -Rio (my cat) still likes to sneak up behind them (I went through a phase of hosing her down everytime she got too close),but she doesn't bother them as much now,and there have been times when the girls have all ganged up on her which is hilarious to watch!!

I think eventually,the cats get used to having the chickens around and just tend to ignore them.