Is it possible? Egg laying drop question...

[Sequin]

Ok, so I was getting 10 - 14 eggs a day from about 16 or so pullets. There was a slight decline in one of the pullet runs, but I figured it was a normal cycle of things. I have noticed a cat lurking and stalking my chickens in that particular run. Now, the cat is there daily(who knows how long it hangs out there). I will go out to feed and water - no cat in sight. If any of the chickens gets out the cat is there also when I return. My egg numbers in that particular run have dropped from 8+ daily to 1 or sometimes 0. Out of 10 layers this doesn't seem right. The pullets in the other house are laying just like normal. Is it possible the drastic decline in eggs from that run are due to the cat and the stress caused by that cat?

Today I caught the cat. My neighbor thinks I ought to let it go. Personally I would rather drop it at the humane society and be done with it. Right now it is in my guest bathroom until I decide what to do.

p.s. there is only one place for the chickens to lay eggs, and I swept the yard searching for any eggs in the grass. Nothing.

 

[chick4chix]

Absolutely drop it at the humane society! That way, if someone owns it they can find it and if you let it go- it'll just come back or get killed by a predator.
Good job catching it- that's hard to do- is it a feral cat?

 

[Sequin]

It doesn't seem to be feral. It used to always run away and no one could ever get close to it. But today it was extremely friendly and wanted to be held a lot. Me thinks it could be pregnant. Fabulous, eh?! Yeah. Great. Real pretty thing though. If it IS pregnant, the kittens ought to be really lovely little things. Come to think of it, this is how we ended up with one of our dogs! It chose our place as home. But at least the dog left the chickens alone.

 

[JENx]

Have you any reason to believe that the cat is lost? Does it looked well cared for? I would be extremely upset if someone took my cat away without good reason.

The chickens are the boss of my cat! Since getting our chickens we have also had another cat start coming into the garden, very interested in the chickens, but just watching! They don't take any notice! I have the cat, rabbit and chickens running round the garden happily together!

 

[Sequin]

JENx - the fact that the cat is on my property, and has been steadily for the last couple weeks, is reason enough to keep the cat or take it to the humane society or do with it however I please. Particularly since it is hunting my chickens. At least for now it is out of harms way from the coyotes and owls and other prey animals that roam the woods around here. The 'owner' should be thankful that I took it in.

So nice to hear that all of your critters are running together in one big happy family. But watch that that 'just interested in watching' cat doesn't eat one of those chickens or rabbits. You might feel differently about stray cats hanging around if they start eating your chickens or rabbits.

 

[JENx]

I'm in England, you can't just remove a cat because it's on your property. Scaring them off is the only thing people can do. The animal shelters won't take a cat they believe isn't stray.

I know i'm new to this but i read up about it before and all i read said chickens can look after themselves where cats are concerned, it's certainly what i've seen! My cat can't get near my chickens!

What about cats and chickens on farms? They seems to all get along fine at the farm park my son volunteers at!
Hope you get your eggs back soon!

 

[CKMom]

I would say if you think the cat is bothering the chickens, you have every right to take it to the humane society or find it another home. We have feral and wandering cats in our meadow all the time, and don't own a one. I used to try to find homes for them, and I took them to rescue too. I will no longer try to catch them though, as last year I caught one, and got bit, luckily it had tags, and had been vaccinated. I realized then , how risky that was, just trying to be nice...