The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Azzdodd on June 30, 2013, 10:45:06 pm

Title: Anyone ever used a cat flap for hens???
Post by: Azzdodd on June 30, 2013, 10:45:06 pm
It's not so much for them to get back in but to get out. Still not solved my eggs eating problem so there all now in a garden shed of an evening but I have to leave door open and magpies still eating away :/ so I'm thinking cat flap I can unlock when I go down off a morning and they will leave the house after they lay an hopefully magpies won't use it :/
Title: Re: Anyone ever used a cat flap for hens???
Post by: shygirl on June 30, 2013, 10:51:34 pm
i have heard of hen house doors that open up electronically, i think its based on sunlight though, but maybe a timer.
Title: Re: Anyone ever used a cat flap for hens???
Post by: Azzdodd on June 30, 2013, 11:19:42 pm
Yeah you can buy them there about £80 though
Title: Re: Anyone ever used a cat flap for hens???
Post by: Fleecewife on June 30, 2013, 11:26:40 pm
Unless you can find a very light weight cat flap I think they would be too heavy.   Our hens stand outside our cat flap, peering into the kitchen and pecking to get in, but they can't open it themselves  :chook:
 
Also, if a hen could get in then so could a magpie - very intelligent birds
Title: Re: Anyone ever used a cat flap for hens???
Post by: sokel on July 01, 2013, 12:26:02 pm
My sister has a cat flap and twice that we know of a jackdaw has got in through it
could have been going back out aswell because the cat food was vanishing very fast for quite a while
Title: Re: Anyone ever used a cat flap for hens???
Post by: Womble on July 01, 2013, 12:53:42 pm
One of our black rocks has learned how to use the cat flap - we keep finding her in the porch eating the cat food!
 
I'm not sure it would work as a general rule though.
Title: Re: Anyone ever used a cat flap for hens???
Post by: shropshire_blue on July 01, 2013, 04:44:08 pm
I thought you were going mad there, until I re-read the post title and saw it says cat flap, not flat cap!