[welly]

hello all,

wonder if anyone can give me some advice?
I have 3 bantams (Pekin and Wyandottes - POL) which I collected yesterday (and they are so sweet) 
They have a fully enclose run attached to their house. They are gradually getting used to human company (with a bit of bribery); however although one of my cats is scared of them, the other is stalking them (outside of their run) and the poor terrified chickens bolt inside their house each time they catch a whiff of him. I have only let him out for about 20 mins at a time today to try and give a gradual introduction and he has never caught more than a fly before, but I am worried about the situation in the long term. 
Do you think the chickens will get a bit braver when they realise that he can't get to them???

Is there anything else I can do? I am trying to take comfort from the many posts that I have read saying that cats and chickens are ok togethor but think I need reassuring that this will pan out ok, what have other poeple done?
TIA

[WR1]

First word is     PICCIESSS of the new onees

Well we dont have cats but theres alot around here and ours are fine with them they were nervous to start but when the chickens confidence grew they were fine no problems .

I think that the chickens will soon realise that the cats mean no harm and then all will be fineee


Catii

[raeburg]

My cat is terrified of 2 little silkies and runs a mile from them.  Usually cats realise that they will come off worse to a determined hen!  Once the chooks have settled down in their new home you'll get a better idea.

[Vember]

Hi Welly

Welcome to the forum

It may be because your girls being in new surroundings are a little jumpy and feathers flapping is rather enticing to any cat

The birds will soon realize the cat can do them no harm, likewise the cat will no doubt get bored and find something more interesting to stalk

A favorite of mine for new hens especially timid ones is dried mealworms, pop some of those in the run when the cats not around, to get them used to the taste. Then again when the cat is around, the hens hopefully find the treats and be so busy eating them that they wont even notice the cat


Sarah

[welly]

Thank you for replies, so once girls get into swing of things should be better then?
Will try that tip, sounds like a good idea.
Sorry, did try and include pic but didn't work, am not very good at that sort of thing, girls are luverly tho'!

[raeburg]

Buy a big tub of dried mealworms for bribes!  One of my silkies wouldn't come near me until she discovered how lovely mealworms were   She now tries to follow me into the house if the door is left open.  Enjoy your girls company they are a wonderful way of wasting a few hours

[HENrietta]

Hi sorry this is a message for Vember.
Hi Sarah  just to say thanks for advice on poo. Have looked at pics and i think it is a healthy poo. As it is more orangey red than red red, Does that makes sense! Anyway we are going to keep them separate until easter and the newbies will much stonger and hopefully can defend themselves more. Thankyou sarah you are a mind of information its great. Take care.

HENrietta

[Vember]

Thanks Hen 

I'm glad she's ok


Sarah

[mrs.ploppy]

Never had any trouble with my 3 cats or any from local houses either.  One of my J. Russel girls loves to taunt them at the gate now and again but the chickens give as good as they get.  I think yours will get braver though.  All new to them now.  As for naughty cat, if it gets too interested, I pull out my emergency water pistol (always loaded) and that puts a stop to anything.  99p for toy pistol one of the best deterants I have every bought.  Also works for barking dogs in car.

[chickenlady]

Welcome to the forum! I have a cat who used to stalk and be too! interested in my girls, but one day when my girls were out in the garden, my moggie (Molly) was stalking them, Nugget  (goldline) turned around and ran at her and gave her a huge peck on the head!! now if Molly has to go out and she see's that the girlies are out, she will double back and run off as if to say 'dont make me go out there! they all mean!'

[Jellyhead]

I have erm lots of cats and normally it isnt a problem......unless there are chicks. I lost my little chick ED....F last week and I am sure it was Buttons (one of the cats). All other times it isnt a problem but a chick is just too tempting If I catch him in my small pen then I spray him with a water pistol

[chasechicken]

We've had our cat for around 9 months (she's close to 1 year old now) and has just developed the art of hunting.  We got our 4 ex-batts a couple of days ago and locked her in the house - however, she did manage to get out by fiddling with the lock on the cat flap (who says animals can't do anything without opposable thumbs!?)... anyway, she started stalking the hens and crept over to one (we started intervening at this point) - but once she was a few feet away she realised how big they are and went bushy, turning and darting off at full speed...

This is just my very recent experience and not much to go by - but maybe yours would do the same up close.  Of course, our hens are probably a bit bigger than bantams though...

[Daffy]

Just to confirm what the other posts have said, my cat enjoys stalking the chickens, hiding in the flower beds and jumping out at them, and they tend to flap about and squawk at her and she runs away - all part of the game, she does it to the labrabors as well!

[welly]

Thanks everyone very reassuring and good to hear experiences
I let the cat out today and kept hose on standby (girls were in the run) and although he still stalked them and jumped at them - they seemed to be not quite so terrified as although they ran inside again, they were half peeping out the pophole to see where he had gone. When he got a bit close another time one girlie let out a loud 'bok' which sent cat scampering away.
I can see how when they have their pecking order out and are a bit more comfortable within their group they will be a bit more sure of themselves and stand their own ground. I guess it will take time, hard to believe that have only had them a couple of days, they are so part of things already!