[Markw]

Hi there all

This is my first post on the poultry pages, I am planning on getting some chickens in about 6-8 weeks time. I have been reading some fantastic stuff on this forum. top class I must say.

Before I start planning on the run etc, a couple of questions, I would  like to let the girls have free range of the garden at sometimes. my question is !  live in the middle of claw hill. one of the cats next door is you could say the terminator cat from hell, it is after everything.

Would my chickens be safe and stand up to this monster ? a peck here and there might change things.
There is also one other thing , is ivy dangerous to chickens if so I will need to get rid of this before their arrival.
hope that someone can kindly give me some advice.

Mark w

[joyfull]

for a short while when you let your hens out keep a water pistol handy and if the cat comes near then give it a short sharp squirt it will soon get the idea to avoid your hens  .
I have ivy growing and never had a problem in fact one of my hens used to use it as cover to lay her eggs in and also it harbours lots of beetles which the hens found very tasty 

[CoopersCoop]

From my past experience of Cats, (I used to have a half ferrel half domestic cat that was a bird's worst enemy) water always is a good way to warn them off. Like Joyful said a water pistol works wonders, or a fairy liquid bottle with water is just as effective. You can also get Citronella Sticks  around your garden, to keep cats at bay as they hate the smell and tend to avoid  it. 

On the upside, if you have any pests or vermin a cat is sure to keep the population down!

[Markw]

Many thanks Charlotte and Joyfull,
I think I will give the water pistol a bash when they arrive, mind you it is good news about the ivy it will save me lots of extra work ,and as you have said there are lot of goodies to be found .

[ANHBUC]

My hens used to eat the ivy when I first got them so took out as much as I could.  Some is on a neighbours fence which is falling down so couldn't touch that.  They don't seem to be bothered with the ivy now but keep eating harts tongue fern plant which I will also have to remove.   

[Markw]

Thanks everyone this puts my mind at rest.