I find that the free-roaming neighborhood cats generally can't catch my full-grown chickens. And many of the chickens are simply bigger than the cats. A few squirts with a garden hose when the cat gets close to your chickens and the cat should learn.
So sorry you are so upset. Don't be upset with your girls. I have read all of the posts. Everyone is giving you good advise. If the hens are terrified of you, I am thinking that he didn't spend time with them (associate with them). He may have had them in with a lot of others, just fed them and kept them penned up. That is the impression I am getting from your description of their behavior. Do you want to try to save your flock? If so, I recommend the following steps. Do you have them in a coop or loose in the barn (which I am assuming is rather large and they may have been kept in a pen.) I would go in the barn and sit quietly and let them get use to you and your voice. A lot of patience will be required. A nice treat (greens, grapes, scratch corn) sprinkled on the floor will catch their interest. Just don't expect to much to soon. Just because he told you they were 8 months old, they may be younger. As for the poop all over the barn, you can correct that, be limiting their access to the whole barn. If you have a true barn with stalls, you could put chicken wire around the top of the stall to keep them in one place. Give them some time in the stall to get use to the sounds of the barn and get familiar with their new surroundings. Put straw or hay down for them to scratch and play in (This will also make it easier for you to clean up the poop). Put their water and food in the stall with them. Then try to relax. If they are frightened, they may not lay until they feel safe in their new place. Chickens are community creatures. By pecking order, we mean that they work it out between themselves, who will be the boss, 2nd in command, 3rd and so on. This is normal for them. They are a family in a community setting. As humans, we don't understand until we read all of the info that we can here on BYC. They have an answer on here for every thing. Do you know what breed they are? Posting a picture for us, someone may be able to tell you more about the breed you bought, their behaviors, etc. I have 4 Red Sex Links. I got them as babies. All of them did not mature as the same time. One didn't start laying for 3 or 4 weeks after the others. I have one that is smaller than the others, she will lay for several days, then takes a day off. (nothing wrong, just her pattern for laying). My Big Red is the leader, she does everything first, then the others follow.
Annabele,
