[flangey]

Hello, this may sound a bit mad, but one of my girls is becoming very badly behaved! Nothing too serious (I actually find it quite funny love her) but she seems completely obsessed with barging into our kitchen and stealing the cat food! I don't entirely discourage them wondering in occasionally, but she's started throwing herself head long towards the back door everytime its opened and yesterday, one of my cats was tucking in to her tea, when marjorie burst in, chased her off, kicking the other bowls of food flying and stuffing her face! When I pick her up and put her out, she does an about turn, head down and runs back in again.  I'm in the process of having a paddock fenced for them as they free range round the garden at the mo, its just extra security if I pop out, but at the moment I cant leave the back door open at all! The other morning, when I let them out, instead of eating her own breakfast, she charged down the garden towards the house to get the cats breakfast!  I've tried lifting the cat food up and letting her in to see there's nothing worth having, but as soon as its down again, she's back with a vengence.  If they had a chicken olympics she would definatley get a gold for the 100 metre sprint! Any suggestions!?

[joyfull]

don't know but would love to see a video of this  Perhaps you should send it in to the tv show that pays for videos.

[nzdunn]

cheeky mare, oh please you have to video that as joyfull said i would love to see her doing it, does sound very funny, obviously not for your poor cat who cannot eat its food in peace. nickyc

[Foxy]

maybe replace the catfood with layers pellets? That'll stump her!

[SarahJC]

Ahhhhh, yes, chickens and cat food 

We ended up giving our chickens their own mini paddock in the garden, as we got to the stage when we could hardly get out the back door for all their faces pressed against the glass wanting to get to our cats food   

Entirely my fault of course  I thought I'd let them in to see what they did and they headed straight for the cat food. They were like rugby players round the plate.

[hillfooter]

Very amusing but you shouldn't be feeding animal products to chickens even though you don't plan on eating marj you shouldn't encourage her.

[dizzylizzie]

im sorry im not much help, that sounds very funny and puts fab images in my head! you will have to get video! lol

[kitkat]

I give mine a bit of non poultry flavoured cat food if they are moulting. Not exactly herbivores now are they
      Would love to see a video of that

[Elcie]

I have dog food near the back door and a water bowl.  Despite the fact that they have their own bowl they do like to come and take Lewies!  I wouldn't mind them coming in apart from their poop which I really don't want on the kitchen floor!  I have a water mister at the back door and when they come in I spray them.  It deters them a little although they try it a number of times.  They range around the garden in the late afternoon/evening so it isn't all day but I like to keep the back door open so that the dog can save them if any cats/foxes arrive.

I was thinking about getting a stair gate for the back door but it would mean the dog couldn't get out so kind of defeats the object of having the back door open.  Might work for you though.

[Flowerpower136]

She could probably get over a gate.

I was reading a hen book the other day..... can't remember which one it was, I've read nothing else recently.  Might have been 'Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance' - really funny book, would recommend!

Anyway, there was an account of a hen being kept out of the house by one of those chain curtains.  Usually use them to keep flies out.  Might not work for a v. determined chuck though!

[Sue33]

these girls are cheeky aren't they, I'm having the same with my three, they stand outside the conservatory and if the door is left open they charge in and eat my aloe vera, it's quite a large plant and it's on the floor so I think I'm gonna have to move it!  They are funny though 

[SnooziSuzi]

Very amusing but you shouldn't be feeding animal products to chickens even though you don't plan on eating marj you shouldn't encourage her.

Well actually, as cat food contains more protien and good things it can be fed to sick hens in order to perk them up so I don't see the harm in healthy hens having a bit every now and again; after all, it's not as if it's made from real meat

Flangey; you have to get that on film!!

Mine almost take off and fly the length of their run when they see me coming in case I have any goodies for them!

[flangey]

hi, what a great idea, i will definately video it.  It would be great to put it to music too, maybe the theme from the great escape or the dam busters!! I had a little chat to her this morning about her behaviour, she seemed to take it on board............. NOT!! Just to let you all know, she's the one I named after the Mother in Law, might have something to do with it!!!!!!

[joyfull]

well if it gets shown on tv I want a cut of the money   

[SMD66]

she's a very naughty girl obviously with a mind of her own. 
 Try a bead curtain?