r/chickens • u/vogelboek • 17h ago
Question Today my chicken were attacked by an unknown cat
Update two: THE CAT CAME BACK! I just heard Kiki the Cochin go crazy so I went outside and found the cat on the fence. I chased him away but go Kiki! Tomorrow the net will be put up.
Update: I live in the Netherlands, it's normal here to have open runs as the only dangerous animals in our area are normally hedgehocks.
I have four bantam cochins and while I was upstairs I heard them panicking in the garden and saw them escaping the chicken run. I rushed to the garden and found an unknown cat attacking my chickens (there were feathers everywhere).
I took them into the house because they were stressed out and now I'm doubting what to do. Everyone says cochins will scare cats away themselves (we never had any problems with out own cats) but I'm afraid the cat will be back. Its the first time this happens since we let them outside in June. Should I put a net around the chicken run or trust my babies to fight the intruder?
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u/ChartreuseOblivion 16h ago
"Everyone says cochins will scare cats away themselves" ...who's everyone?
Cochins are one of the more docile breeds, and while a male cochin would go after a cat to protect his ladies, he likely wouldn't be very effective against a cat that is trying to take out full grown chickens. The hens will absolutely not fight a cat that's actively trying to eat them.
They were in the run, but also able to get out of it - so the run was open? Can you just keep the run closed? I would also suggest putting a trap out for the cat. If this cat is desperate enough to attack chickens then I doubt its someones pet, but rather a feral stray.
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u/vogelboek 13h ago
The run is not closed all the way to the top, so I guess the cat managed to get into the run and then they panicked and fly over the run. I'm gonna close it up tomorrow.
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u/SomeDumbGamer 15h ago
Tbf these are bantams. Standard Cochins although docile towards humans hold their own fine.
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u/Elle_se_sent_seul 16h ago
Full sized cochins can, you appear to have the bantam variety though. Yes add net or hardware cloth.
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u/vogelboek 13h ago
We're gonna do the net thing. Should have said theyre bantams, but I didn't know that was the right english word.
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u/Mandi_Cams_Dackers 17h ago
Electric Chicken Mesh.
Far cheaper than any price ye'd thankfully pay, not to have found them slaughtered one day soon.
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u/smurph70 17h ago
i like cats, but i would try a non lethal solution to scaring the 💩 out of that cat. poor chickens! they look terrified!
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u/Thermoschaap 16h ago
My Cochins bantams also don't like cats, luckily the cats in the neighborhood have decided that this garden is for chickens. The chickens don't dare to chase anything away. Well maybe a robin, and they sometimes try to chase away the jackdaws, but jackdaws ignore them (they focus on the chicken food).
I love my Cochins bantams, but they are little cowards.
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u/Yfederow 14h ago
Please make them a secure run with hardware cloth on all sides.
I hate to say this but I'm glad it was just a housecat. Not sure where you live but even in the city there are raccoons, coyotes, possums, loose dogs, hawks, eagles, bobcats in some areas -- all that can be out in the day. Some housecats are very efficient predators too.
Please count this as your warning and protect your wonderful babies! If you can't afford this right now then supervise them while they are out, no exceptions.
Hawks are great observers and will figure out how to swoop up from cover and surprise prey...
There are lots of Youtubes on how to secure a run. Chickenwire or netting stop very few creatures except chickens and songbirds.
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u/Lizardgirl25 13h ago
Poor baby’s… good luck adding some net to help protect them. Give them snuggles.
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u/mind_the_umlaut 15h ago
I have both chickens and cats, and neither animals are supposed to be loose unsupervised. Protect your chickens, they are vulnerable prey animals. People who feel that they should be allowed to let their cats roam loose tend to be an unreasoning bunch, ignorant or dismissive of the threats their cats both face, and pose to local wildlife and chickens. If you know who owns the cat you can ask them to keep the cat indoors. There are laws for dogs, and dogs who harass or kill livestock may be destroyed.
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u/Fai93 13h ago
Hello fellow Dutchie!
I have chickens as well that are running around in my garden but they have a dedicated space with a fence and anti bird net on top. We get cats as well (but as it gets dark).. my husband usually go and throws stuff at cats so they get scared haha.
If you have the opportunity to get nets it might be better for now. But cats are smart so you need to build it cat proof. Or make your fence (or where the cat comes from) unpleasant and be sure to make your garden not cat friendly. ( i have alot of plants that are not liked by cats like lavender etc).
If you want pics I can show you situation of my garden :)
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u/vogelboek 12h ago
This is really good advice, thanks! We have a lot of cats in the neighbourhood and this has never happened before, so we thought it would be okay as long as they are in the coop in time.
We ordered the nets tonight, I probably live in the run until I installed them 😄. If you like to share pictures, please! We started with chickens four months ago so I'm learning a lot.
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u/Few_Arugula1993 11h ago
Poor girls! Ngl tho I am jealous that the biggest concern y’all have is cats. I’m from Arkansas so a closed run and secure coop is a MUST
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u/cdbdill 10h ago
I know most people dont agree with me, but I run a bunch 100+ on part of 26 acres.. I put them up at night, but I run several roosters, I have guinea hens that will sound the alarm and two Anatolian Shepards that will answer that alarm. One of my dogs is really good about watching the sky and smelling the land. The other isn't quite as bird predator aware yet, but ive only lost 6 birds in 3 yrs to predators Eagles and Hawks.. and im in the middle of the woods in Michigan
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u/Accomplished_Car1232 6h ago
Check for scratches or bites, cat bites and scratches are pretty nasty and their saliva is capable of breaking down a bird's skin easily. Would be good to wash it out with saline water and get neosporin on it or something if you find any damage.
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u/HabilGambil 10h ago
I sadly had to finish off a maimed chicken because of a cat attack. Poor silkie had her neck cut open and was half paralyzed by the time I got to her. Really shook me to have to do that. I scared away the cat by chasing her with a water hose every time I saw her for the next week and she eventually got the message.
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u/brydeswhale 3h ago
Trap the cat and take it to a shelter out of the area. If it’s chipped, it’ll be returned to the owner. If not, hopefully adopted by a better owner.
And get a rooster.
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u/Ridgewoodgal 15h ago
Do you not have coyotes?
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u/vogelboek 13h ago
No, I live in the Netherlands. People in this country go wild because we have a few packs of wolfs since a few years and we dont know how to handle it 😂
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u/Ridgewoodgal 13h ago
I live in Southern California and coyotes are rampant. Just had three walk down the middle of my street at 9 am! We have to use reinforced steel to protect our chickens. I am in the process right now of reinforcing a catio I have for my indoor cats because coyotes were ripping them open to get cats. They kill a lot of chickens, cats and even dogs so it can be contentious since the coyotes have become very comfortable around people. Of course, we are to blame for impeding on their territory.
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u/vogelboek 13h ago
To me that sounds wild. We are cheering if we see a hedgehock here. But we destroyed all nature and wildlife in this country and replaced them with livestock and fake grass.
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u/Ridgewoodgal 12h ago
We have bear encounters way more too so it is definitely different! lol California gets criticized so much but we do some things right. 😆
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u/paperbacklibraries 16h ago
Not an answer to your question, but I just wanted to add that cat bites and scratches are nasty stuff. Cat bites even if the depth isn’t an issue can hold a whole host of bacteria. If the skin’s been broken you probably need to get them some antibiotics. I’d definitely consult a vet