Solitary chicken - need advice

[cavysqueak]

The girls were free-ranging, which I let them do whenever we are in the house (there is a very limited chance of any foxes during the day in my garden). Then while I was in the kitchen washing the dishes a cat decided to pay my girls a visit (I think this cat has been hanging about for a while). They got exceptionally upset, including Henrietta managing to fly over the 5ft chicken wire fence, which has kept them fully enclosed for a few months up to today. They were both very visibly upset, clucking and even coming over for a hug (which is unheard of!). They were obviously put out for about 5 minutes, even with some sweetcorn to try to take their mind off things.

 

My questions are: am I being too over protective? Should I just let them get used to the cat coming in? Will they actually defend themselves next time? Or is this actually as scary for them as it seemed?

 

Our only options if we need to secure them away from the cat:

1) lock them in the eglu run, all day, every day (which I do not like doing)

2) buy a cube & run extension & keep them locked in that all day, every day (which is, of cause, expensive, but at least the amount of space they would have is better)

3) Build a large, covered enclosure (which is expensive & will look horrible in out little garden)

 

The annoyance is that I never wanted cats in my garden anyway, even before I had chickens. Also we wanted our girls to be able to free-range, so we could go out and join them every so often & sit with them, etc. We like their company!

 

Any ideas / thoughts would be welcome. Thanks.

[Raina]

Hi,

 

When i was little we had a cat problem,

 

My mum asked at our local zoo for some big cat poo so she could put on the garden,it worked.

 

BUT, it could possibly attract dogs?

[siriradha]

How ironic--I just ordered ten pounds of tiger poo to try to deter foxes! I certainly hope it doesn't attract dogs! I have a problem with neighborhood cats, too, so I'll just cross my fingers and hope it fends off both!

 

I don't even HAVE my chickens, and like you, I am hoping to spend time in the backyard enjoying their company without having to fight off other animals!

 

vacant at the moment!

[Chook n Boo Mum]

...a hose aimed at the little monster as it arrives to upset your girls.......or a water pistol if you'd rather not drown it

 

I tend to find that a hysterical labrador or a shrieking chook or 10 has a rather immediate effect on marauding moggies in our garden, they also don't like me much as I hiss & spit at them, so they disappear quickly as soon as I appear too... sorry if this sounds like I don't like cats, I wouldn't hurt one, just don't like their feral tendencies nor their little pressies in the gravel & newly turned earth

 

Have you looked at the walkin run thread on the Eglu, Cube & Run section viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4703, there are some truly lovely runs of various sizes, which I'm sure could be adapted to suit your garden if you want the girls kept out of the way of the cat. The cube run is not much if any bigger than the eglu run, just a different shape & taller obviously.

 

Sha x

[Egluntyne]

Try **Silent Roar**

[luckielorz2001]

OK I know this is going to sound really gross but hear me out....

Get you other half to pee around the edges of your garden

It works on the basis of hormones that puts animals off such as cat, foxes, dogs etc. I have to say my chooks were in an 8ft x 8ft x 8ft walk in enclosure (we have 100ft+ garden) so I have not tried it as I have had no need to, but Ive heard its a good deterrent!

Obviously, I dont suggest he go out there at night and do his business in the garden......

...but you get the idea!