Cats, any way too keep them out of the yard?

[Schnayke]

I just had to chase off a cat and now my chickens are freaked out.
What is a good way too keep them out? I live in town, and I would guess 50% or more of the house's around have cats, that are free range too the neighborhood.
I don't really want too trap and take them too the shelter, our local shelter takes in 3000 cats a year, and adopts out 300. Its perty much a death sentence.
I live on a ally way, and that attracts the cats even more.
I figured if I trap them, then let them go after they are stuck in the trap for some time it will get them too leave the yard be, but will it? I really don't want too loose a chicken, I only have 2. They are attached at the hip and figure it would be a large blow for either too loose one of the other. My yard is wood fenced in some areas, and chain link in others. One side is only about 5'.
I will be putting up a run later today too keep them safe till I figure out how too let them free range. But one of the main reasons we moved here is because it had such a nice sized yard for the birds. They will free range no matter what I have too do too get that too happen. I just want too be copacetic as possible.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Cats almost never bother grown chickens and nothing short of totally enclosing your property can keep them out

 

[Schnayke]

I was reading around and saw a suggesting about getting a baby monitor so I can hear when something is up. So I am going too do that. I guess it makes since that the chickens don't face much of a threat from them since the feathers are so darn thick and the cats claws/teeth are very small in comparison.
we had a cat at our last house that would come by now and again and we just scared him off with a super soaker squirt gun. But in this house we can't hear much from outside. I guess it has better insulation.

 

[ll]

I let the dog out, his bark chases the neighborhood roaming cat away.
Our yard is fenced, he can't get the cat.
The cat still comes back and sits on the other side of the fence though.
Then I let the dog out again.
Our dog lives with our indoor cat.
He likes to protect the hens.
The 1st time he scared the cat away, the hens followed him around afterwards like he was their rooster!

good luck

 

[madmantrapper]

I'll put scratch out for the birds and the cats nose around with them. The birds even climb over the cats sometime, neither think anything of it.

 

[kimmberly]

you might have another sort of pest in your coop.Cats will only hang around a chicken coop if there are mice,rats, squirrels etc. to catch. I would say leave the cats be.They will probably do you a favor.Grown chickens usually are not afraid of a cat and cats dont like to get pecked.probably just catching a quick meal mice, rats.thats what happens here anyway!

 

[Mattemma]

Very unlikely the cats will attack grown chickens. The chickens will scare the cats,or you can spray them with a hose when you see them.

 

[CupOJoe42]

I have friends that have indoor outdoor cats. The keep the cats in their yard by putting up a fence made of what looks like deer netting, but they leave the top really loose *picture a candy cane effect* and it keeps the cats from climbing out. Might work to keep cats from getting in, but like others have said, it's unlikely a cat will go after a full grown chicken. They are more helpful in keeping the rodent population down.

 

[hispoptart]

We have the same situation as the OP it seems. Lots of neighbors and have an alley way. I myself really don't care if the strays that come in my yard won't go after my chickens. It's my yard and I don't want them in it, so for us a paintball gun works great. They get hit a few times and figure out real quick that our yard is off limits.

 

[moetrout]

All cats seen in my backyard get sprayed with hot lead and never come back.