Cats !!!!!!

Hi
My next door neighbour has 3 kittens and last week i notice my eggs were only 1 or 2 a day instead of 4 a day,today i went to check for eggs and two of my neighbours cats were sleeping in the nest boxes ! i dont know who was most suprised,them or me ! they soon shot out and went back over the fence.
How can i stop these pesky cats from goin inside my hen house ? we have to leave the door open so my hens can get in for food and egg laying.I have bought some cat deterent in the form of sticks which smell of citranella or something like that,i have placed these around the garden but it doesnt seem to have stopped them,i have now placed one each side of the hen house door in the hope this will work,failing that what else is there i can do ? I hope somebody can help me please.
flump

Hey Flump! How are you?

Good to hear the cats aren't going for the chooks!

Are they jumping over a fence to access your garden? If so you can get a plastic strip that you can attach along the top of the fence which is spiky and designed to stop cats and other animals like foxes jumping up and entering the garden. There are also cat deterent devices which give off a ultra sonic sound but it is a tad expensive (£54.99) http://www.crocus.co.uk/product/_/catwatch-cat-deterrent/classid.1000000700/

I hear orange peel repels cats but have never tried it!

Let us know how you get on.
x

My girls chase the cats off, thankfully. We were worried when we first started letting them free range but after seeing them chase off cats, I feel much better now. I don't think any local cats would want to be cornered by my hens in a nest box!

I have two large chocolate long-haired hunter cats, who deal with mice, rabbits and rats in a very easy manner.
I was worried about how they would react when I got my girls, but after a short swift peck and claw kick or two, they soon learnt their lesson.

Cocoa the tom, now sleeps in the coop sometimes, but more often on the top.
He has decided that it's easier trying to 'be' a chicken, and now thinks he IS one

The chickens think he's daft as a brush and treat him accordingly.