Part 0800.0005

[Mercedes55]

We had the ex batts out in the border at the end of the garden on Friday afternoon when suddenly we noticed that one of them was now in the middle of the lawn and had somehow got over or under the chicken wire. We then saw that a few feet away a big fluffy black cat was stalking the poor thing. We chased the cat away before it managed to get any closer and then spent ages trying to find the other 3 girls, who we eventually found huddled up right in the corner at the side of our house next to the gates. There were quite a few feathers in the border where the girls had been, but they all seem to be okay. We realise now that we obviously can't let them out in that back part of the garden unless we are out there too, which at this time of year is not very often.

 

Anyway this morning we were suddenly woken up at 6am by a lot of loud shrieking and flapping of wings and when we looked out of our bedroom window the same cat sauntered out from behind the WIR and we realised it was once again trying to get to the girls. Obviously it cannot get inside the run as it's secure, but it wasn't nice having the girls all stressed out and in a panic.

 

We do leave the door to the Cube open at night and now not sure if we should close it, or would the cat still wake them up and just make them panic inside the Cube?

 

We have always worried about foxes and rats and never really considered a cat to be a problem as in all the 12yrs we have lived here we've only seen a cat a handful of times as we live on a very busy road and hardly anyone around here seems to own a cat.

 

Any ideas of how to prevent it getting in would be very much appreciated

[Plum]

You can get ca"Ooops, word censored!"ch like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toolbank-STV610-Defenders-Mega-Sonic-Repeller/dp/B000NR8Q1U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1288512227&sr=8-2

 

But I would shut the door. My lot can make an awful racket if a cat sits on the fence beside the run but never had an attack thank goodness.

[Clairey_Fairy]

We have had our girls about 6 weeks now. I know there are cats around but never seen one in our back garden. This week I was in the kitchen, looked out at the girls, and they were standing bolt upright, obviously someting was worrying them. I looked around, for a wood pidgeon or whatever. Couldn't see anything, then suddenly noticed a cat's head over the top of the fence. It then made me worry about cats. In their run they are quite safe, but not free ranging. When we first had them I would prop the back door open, so any problems and I would hear them. But now it's colder I can't leave the door open. I'm always in the house when they free range, but usually doing stuff, I can't sit and watch them, so how much risk do cats pose? I guess it's a risk I take when I let them out.

[Steve the Gas]

Imo, it's a brave cat that takes a flock on or a stoopid cat. They normally learn not to bother after having been pecked alot.

If semi- feral and large................... who knows?

[Patricia W]

Generally, it's the cats that need protecting from the chooks. But there are always exceptions and you seem to have one. A water pistol handy for when you see him/her should also deter the visits.

 

My cat and all the neighbouring cats give our chickens a wide birth. Phillip the cockerel has a special call for when he sees a cat ( 4-letter I think) and when Poppy our cat hears it, she puts her ears back and walks past head in the air, pretending she hasn't seen them!

 

Tricia

[migsy]

I have 2 cats - one is huge and so strong that he smashed the locked cat flap down, breaking it to pieces. He wouldn't go too close to the chickens though!

 

I live in an urban area which has loads of cats. Someone behind me owns 5! Some of them like to stalk the chickens and fantasize about catching one but in reality, the cats know their place. I think one of them tried to attack a chicken once but I have not heard a commotion since so I assume the cat got a good pecking.

 

I never worry about cats

[scarlettohara]

If I see any strange cat in our garden I immediately let the terriers out - that usually does the trick If I have water handy they get that chucked over them - this also works. My 2 cats are scared of my hens even the bantams

[sezra]

I wasn't worried at all about cats. My big fella (a good hunter) soon realised that that he was no match for the chooks and I always watched in amusement as neighbouring cats visited the garden. However recently we have been visited by a new cat and I have had to start chasing him out of the garden as he is very persistant! Although mostly cats are harmless you sound like you are unlucky like me! I think I will be using the suggestion of the water pistol, my son has a pump action one!

[Mercedes55]

I had thought a cat would be scared of our ex batts as they are quite feisty usually, but I guess they have never seen a cat before. The cat in question seemed quite timid on the few occasions in the past that I have seen it in the garden. I used to try and get close to it to stroke it but it would run away scared of me. I just hope it doesn't keep coming into the garden early every morning as it was all quite noisy and OH and I got in such a flap about it

[Shelley]

I led my four back into the run this evening and as we got in there a cat darted out from inside the cube. I reckon it was snuggled up in the egg-laying section. Have to say the cat appeared to be more scared than the girls, though I hate to think what would have happened had I not been there