[CoopersCoop]

Hello Everyone,

Last night, a Cat from somewhere in the village got into my garden whilst my ladies were free ranging and charged at one  of my ladies.

Being completely spooked by it she jumped out the way only to clear the low fence surrounding the pond and fell into it. I heard all the commotion to see the aftermath and poor lady struggling to keep herself afloat  in the water. I fished her out straight away  and got her indoors straight away, wrapped a towel around her to try and warm her up. I then got the hair dryer on her (coolest setting) to dry and dry her off and gave her some corn water to try and cheer her up.

She was completely spooked, and looked so sad. I only put her back in the coop after some rest indoors and after she dried off. This morning she seemed to be ok, but my question is, is it likely that the effects of the cat attack have a lasting affect? She seemed so scared by it all. I had only left them for 2 minutes to talk to my OH when it all happened, I'm so annoyed at myself.

Any of your thoughts would be of great help.

Thanks,

Charlotte x

[PaulineM]

Hi

Wow, what a lucky hen, if you had not have been there she probably would have drowned 

It sounds like you have done everything right and I suppose only time will tell if it will have any effect on your hen. I would think it wouldn't be long before she is back to normal.

About the cat, do you think it was just testing your hens? Hopefully it has learnt that they are not food.

I wouldn't feel guilty about it if it was me, you can't watch your hens every minute, I know I don't.

[Lewjam]

I wouldnt worrt about the Cat.

Hens eventually get tired of being chased by cats and give them a pecking and the cats learn not to bother!

The hen will be fine!

[CoopersCoop]

I've seen the cat lurking around my neighbors garden before, so it must have worked out that there was something worth chasing the other side of the fence. I hope it will realise that these birds are not for eating!!!

I hope my ladies will soon learn to chase it away! I just don't want to end up with a drowned hen It possibly was just testing the hens, they are pretty big ladies to try and overpower (although I wouldn't like to leave it to chance). I'm thinking about getting the fairy liquid bottle full of water to squirt at the cat if I see it in the future.

I think my hen who took a tumble in the water seems to be picking up, she is chirping and scratching around in the run, hopefully she will be back to her usual self soon enough!

Thanks for putting my mind at ease

[evie2]

Our lavender Sabelpoot hens enjoyed chasing the huge black and white tom cat so much it's stopped visiting

[jhub]

The shock might upset her egg laying, sometimes hens that have been spooked lay a soft shelled egg but should only be short term.

[Jo57]

I have four cats happily wandering with the chickens although I only let the chick out with mum if I am nearby as it is still so small. I have seen my hens chase off a cat when it was stalking a baby blackbird. If one gets too close for the hens' comfort they make a fuss and the cats back off very quickly. Hope your spooked girl recovers quickly.

[marygall]

I once had a hen taken by a stray cat, which turned out to be pregnant and starving. I think that if they are desperate enough they will try to take a hen but most domestic cats aren't that keen.
I rescued the pregnant cat, re-homed her and now keep her single kitten to keep the mice down - he keeps well clear of the girls. 

[Mr_Dubs]

Had our 6 girls for 2 weeks now, also have 3 cats, 2 girls 1 boy.

Where as the girls were quite interested, he wasn't, until he climbed the tree and saw them properly, jumped down and promptly scared himself rotten when he realised they were bigger than him, thankfully he hasn't bothered since.

The 2 girls are a different story, one is the resident killer/present deliverer who we don't trust anywhere near them, whilst Tilly the eldest is more interested in the coop.

Cats will learn the hard way, even one of the local strays hasn't been back since having a run in with the girls.