Chickens and cats

I have always meant to get chickens and am getting closer so that I might actually do it this spring. It just occurred to me - I have been figuring out how to protect chickens from our dogs and the owl that lives on our property. Do I also need to worry about my cat?!?!?

gwen

Veryy good questions!!


I my self have over 25 chickens that are "Free Range". I have two dogs and live right in the middle of hawk city. I have a issues with hawks, raccoons, opossums, weasels, foxes, coyotes, fishercats, dogs, and cats. I have had chickens for over 5 years, and experienced, and learned alot. My dogs (Golden's) more or less "chill" with the chickens. Kayle thinks shes a chicken! lol! Its really depends if you are going to have "Free Range" chickens or more or less cooped chickens. If you are you are going to have "Free Range" chickens you are taking on a whole new life of your chickens, because they are easier to be attacked. I have had the neborors cat come and play a little "tag" with the chickens, but never harmed them to the point of death. If cooped you just have to make sure your coop is safe for your chickens and your pets. It really depends on what your pets attitude is.

Once my chicks get beyond a certain size the cats are no longer interested. Generally at about 12 weeks, I think. I have a spoiled queen who will rub up against my roosters looking for affection. Full sized, they play with 'em to some extent. I would say it largely depends on the cat. Keep them separate until the chickens are of a size to defend themselves. And make sure the cats know early that chickens are off limits. the young chicks are our biggest worry.

I know I will have to keep the young chicks from the cat (and dogs) but I'm hoping when the chickens are full grown that the cat will leave them alone. He chases and kills, and eats, shrews and rabbits. Which is fine with me, that's why we got him! We are fully fenced so the only thing that can get in are flying things. We have hawks and eagles but I am situating the coop in an area they cannot swoop into. The owl seems to be less of a swooper and able to get into tighter spots, so I also will likely cover the top of the pen. But I think my cat could find a way in if he really wanted to, and I'd also like to have the chickens free range when I'm out in the yard.

I think I can control and train the dogs (lab and golden) but the cat is a pretty independent guy. It didn't occur to me until today that he might be a problem!

gwen

Mine pretty well recognize family...

Once the chicks were half grown, the cats just found them annoying (chickens love dry catfood). As peeps, I kept them secure, and didn't let them free range until they were about 4 months old.

My outdoor cat, Squeek , gets perturbed with the chickens a/c I often give the chickens some of her cat food. She will go over and smell the food and then walk away if it is something she isn't interested in. She is very jealous of me paying attention the chickens instead of her. I sit with the chicks in the evening when I let them out for awhile.
I have had other cats and they haven't been interested in the chickens
Marionr

My cat is terrified of being rushed by the chickens--although she stalked them as chicks. The chickens have also cleared out all the feral cats that had taken over the backyard. I found an adult cat's skull in the chicken area last weekend. Could they have? Naw........

Get yourself a couple of Silkie hens & let them hatch some eggs for you. The first time your cat goes after the chicks will likely be the last time. We have 4 cats, all of them excellent hunters. It used to drive me nuts when I would find dead wild birds that they dragged onto the porch. However, after each of them had a close encounter with our one of our Silkie moms, they no longer prey on anything with feathers. In fact they are terrified of them. One of their favorite cat toys used to be a feather on the end of a pole. Our grandson got it out the other day & the cats all took off like the devil himself was after them! Now if I could only get them to leave the poor lizards alone. Anyone know where I can get a lizard skin chicken suit? LOL!
Sheri

Grandma Sheri,

Sounds like your cats are just a bunch of pussys (excuse the pun). Around here the cats are wild and big and really mean. I've seen carcasses of 8 lb roosters that were jumped and killed by feral cats. Well fed house cats are not gonna be too tempted by chicks escorted by a broody hen (as you've pointed out). I have a couple Game Fowl hens that have escaped from coyotes while defending their brood. Any one of my Game Fowl hens would rip your little Silkie hens a new cloaca if they ever got into a fight. A broody Guinea Fowl hen is even more violently inclined when protecting he brood. So ... the point is as you say house cats probably aren't too serious a threat to chicks escorted by broody mothers. I'd estimate close to 90% of the chicken folks in the USA get their chicks by way of an incubator or live day-old chick purchases. It depends on what kind of cats are involved in the predation as to how careful one needs to be with chicks and cats. The advise about not wanting to mix cats and chicks is relative to % of individuals with broody hens. There are many who use broody hens but the % who do is real low. I still have yet to share emails with anyone who has had a guinea fowl hen sit on a nest, hatch out the keets and then raise them to maturity. My hens have done it 3 times in 3 years in 3 tries. I'd lay odds that 9,999 keets out of 10k are hatched in an incubator.

Kelly in Moxee

To Kelly in Moxee,

Your comment about the cloaca cracked me up. Best laugh I've had in a while. I'm sure your Game Fowl could definitely make mush out of my little Silkies, but they'd better watch out because my Silkies just might "out cutsie" them. *grin*

I'll admit I was thinking of domestic cats, rather than the feral/cougar crosses you seem to have. ;-) However, when chicks are involved, Silkies tend to attack in packs, including all the roosters. Collectively, they can easily pack as much punch & resistance as an 8 lb rooster. Our neighbors cat recently got too close to some new chicks & found himself surrounded by about 15 angry, protective Silkies. When the cat fur started flying, the tom did a leap in the air, twisted once & hit the ground running. I found evidence on the ground that he was literally scared s**tless. LOL!

Having said that, I appreciate having you clarify my ramblings & point out that mother hens, no matter how formidable, are no guarantee of chick protection. In my case, they are just a small portion of the arsenal I use in my ongoing & never ending fight to keep the flock safe.

I am VERY impressed with your Guinea successes. Mine have hatched many batches, but once the chicks are here, they are lousy mothers. Many times, they'll fly up to a tree to roost for the night & leave the chicks on the ground, easy pickings for the first predator to come along.

I wish you continued success with your Guineas & your "Ferocious Fowl." If I was a predator, I wouldn't come within 10 miles of your place!

Sheri

I have a 22 pound tabby that is quite the hunter -- how do you think he got to be 22 pounds?!?! -- he thinks they are food, but hasn't quite figured out how to go about it since they are as big (not by weight) as he is... ha!

Both of my pets, a beagle and the tabby, are great with the chickens. I just watched them closely for the first few weeks and made sure they knew I meant to introduce them to the family. :-)

countryranch ... Sheri,

I love to joke a bit and it seems the poultry forum doesn't have quite enough amusing or interesting discussions going on so I try to contribute where and when I can. I'm so far beyond the 1st egg laid or 1st chick hatched in the incubator. I realize many people are just getting into poultry but I've had hundreds of varieties of poultry in our flock over the last 5 years so please excuse my sorta jaded outlook on the 1st of this or that. Providing suggestions on how fellow DG'rs can avoid poultry calamity from outside seems to be what is most interesting to me.

Flock containment and predator exclusion are the key elements in keeping poultry safe. My henhouse is wide open at all times ... but getting inside the henhouse for the few predator threats we have ... would be quite the feat and that is why we still have a flock. We worry a bit about the guinea fowl and game fowl in the daytime since they fly over the fences but they are quite alert and now that the hops field is harvested in the adjacent field west of us ... the birds can spot a coyote or dog 1/4 mile away or more. All is well in Moxee tonight.

Kelly

Hi to all, We have four adult hens, rooster, three teenage chickens (not sure of sex yet) and two chicks, cats, kittens and dogs. It doesn't take long for the cats to learn the chickens mean business, especially around the chicks. I also keep a small squirt bottle of water handy for the cats that are repeatedly tempted due to short memory. Jax cat hates to be squirted and runs back to the carport and meows loudly.

Hi Chiwee! A great big welcome to you! WE'd love to see a picture of your chickens if you can post one! Are the chicks the offspring of your current chickens? Or did you get them from another source? I am a big fan of having lots of different breeds, just for fun. Did you lose all your chickens in Katrina? (I see you are in Louisiana).

Looking forward to seeing your posts in the poultry and livestock forum!
Claire

Hi Chiwee WELCOME! we love new people here on the poultry forum cause it gives us more chickens to covet and drool over on this forum we all suffer from chicken envy and at times a great big case of the silly's come join us ^_^