Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Briezeechicks]

I live in southwestern CT, and I am suburban, and our predators are hawks and the neighbors cats (for the cats we are planning to just put up a mesh fence that is about 6-7feet high. thank you for your help.

That's not going to deter a cat unless they bump into at least a 45 degree angle above their head. When they climb the fence from the outside, to climb into your yard, if there isn't an obstacle at least 45 degrees, they'll just go over it. Ifff the angle is not at least a foot and a half wide, t hey'll just hook a paw over the end of it and over they'll go. If the angle is wide enough that they have to be upside down to reach the end of it, they won't do it. Been there, done that! My cat is 18 years old and can shinny up and over a 6' chain link fence as easy as pie. Just so you know!

Brie

 

[Gargoyle]

Also make sure they didn't make a secret run to Starbucks, the caffeine and sugar always have that effect on my girls.

 

[Kansas Prairie]

Quote:
Check food and water and see that it's okay.

 

[chickenlover89]

That's not going to deter a cat unless they bump into at least a 45 degree angle above their head. When they climb the fence from the outside, to climb into your yard, if there isn't an obstacle at least 45 degrees, they'll just go over it. Ifff the angle is not at least a foot and a half wide, t hey'll just hook a paw over the end of it and over they'll go. If the angle is wide enough that they have to be upside down to reach the end of it, they won't do it. Been there, done that! My cat is 18 years old and can shinny up and over a 6' chain link fence as easy as pie. Just so you know!

Brie

thanks SO much, we will be SURE to do that.

 

[chickenlover89]

Check food and water and see that it's okay.

thank you.

 

[chickenlover89]

Also make sure they didn't make a secret run to Starbucks, the caffeine and sugar always have that effect on my girls.

they haven't had any of that, i don't give them ANYTHING with caffeine, or sugar.

 

[Beekissed]

Ohhh... I get it...

All OT's are too wise, sensible and down to earth to answer such a simple honest question posed by a newcomer looking for a small bit of info.

Thanks anyway. I'll find my answer elsewhere on the web.

We're sensible and wise enough to expect that you can read the thread for the answers to these questions, which have been given time and time again. There are only so many times we will cover the same, simple subjects and after that we expect folks to actually do a little of the work themselves and read up. We work at gaining the information, we post it... but we aren't going to spoon feed it into your mouth.

In the time it took you to post it... then come back to complain about it, you could have searched the thread for that specific information.

question for old timers: all my chicks have been acting jumpy and scared today, as if there's a hawk watching them, and that there's no way they will live, is there something wrong? there are currently no hawks around, i couldn't find any.

It could be there is a predator in the area that they have seen that you have not spotted. Mine do that when a hawk comes over or lingers around. They will also do that if cats not known to them are lurking in the bushes and such.

 

[chickenlover89]

We're sensible and wise enough to expect that you can read the thread for the answers to these questions, which have been given time and time again. There are only so many times we will cover the same, simple subjects and after that we expect folks to actually do a little of the work themselves and read up. We work at gaining the information, we post it... but we aren't going to spoon feed it into your mouth.

In the time it took you to post it... then come back to complain about it, you could have searched the thread for that specific information.

It could be there is a predator in the area that they have seen that you have not spotted. Mine do that when a hawk comes over or lingers around. They will also do that if cats not known to them are lurking in the bushes and such.

thank you, my neighbors do have 2 cats and my yard is un-fenced (outside cats)

 

[Gargoyle]

thank you, my neighbors do have 2 cats and my yard is un-fenced (outside cats)

Is your run secure enough that cats can't get in? No gaps, no way to climb over? I don't think cats will burrow under, but other animals definitely will if the opportunity is there.

 

[chickenlover89]

Is your run secure enough that cats can't get in? No gaps, no way to climb over? I don't think cats will burrow under, but other animals definitely will if the opportunity is there.

yes, i have 3/4 inch wire mesh around the outside of my run, and on the bottom of it (covered by sand) and there are no gaps, or anyways for them to get in the coop.