Chickens in the Cats' House

[tienchinho]

I have 5 hens and 2 cats. I have a chicken coop with one nest box and a cat duplex. Two of the hens just recently started laying while the other 3 have been laying for 9 months now.

The two new to laying have started nesting and laying in the cats' duplex. At night, they even try to roost there if I am not there to discourage it.

It is getting tiresome policing the cats' house for them. Anyone else with this problem? How can I get the cats to defend their own house without my help?

Thanks!

Tienchin

 

[Kansaseq]

The hens will need to get used to using the appropriate place to lay and roost. You may have to close off the cat's section for a bit, if possible, until the girls get used to using their own part of the coop. After they get used to using the correct roost and nest box, you can open the cat's section up again. Don't know if that's an option for you, but that seems like your best chance of success.

 

[tienchinho]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. The chickens have their own coop on the other side of my backyard lawn about 30ft away from the cat duplex on my paved patio on the back of the house.

I covered the cat house entrances with curtains. I installed a motion-detector sprinkler which sprays across the lawn directly in front of the patio. I also built a second nest box within the chicken run (which they never use since they prefer to just run around in the yard). I made the nest box look almost exactly like the cat's duplex. Finally, I kept the chickens in the coop/ run for a whole day without letting them out.

They still try to come onto the patio, but run away when the sprinkler sprays them and haven't figured out how to move past the curtains. However, they are starting to lay in new nest box; so, I am hopeful that this problem will pass.

Thanks for your help! I have had such kind advice here on BackyardChickens and really appreciate it!

Tienchin