Will cats kill Chickens?

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Hegatha

Hegatha

Songster
8 Years
Mar 13, 2011
462
1
119
Washington
My neighbors have cats and Im worried there cats might try to kill my chickens? Im not sure they ever did when I was growing up.
 
In my experience no. I have around 10 barn cats. Some who are real big hunters of birds and they have never even once looked at attacking one of my chickens. I even have dutch bantams who are one of the smallest breed of bantams the roo coming in at a whopping 4 ounces. And they dont even touch those. The only thing in the coop they go near are the mice that like to nest in the hay and the ocassional snake which they get rid of for me. But i think it all comes down to how brave the cats are. Cause even the strays that live around my house wont go near my chickens. But i think that is the cats are big enough and brave enough they could, not saying they would, take down a chicken.
 
I have two cats that live at my house and more than I can count that roam the neighborhood and I've never had a problem. I've even seen some of my braver chickens chase away a cat that came too close! So, in my experience, cats are afraid or indifferent to chickens for the most part. I am sure a big tom cat could kill a chicken if it had the right temperament, but chicken can put up a good fight. My cat Bergstrom will chase the chickens for fun, but he never does anything. I am 99% sure he only does it when I am around to push my buttons. He's such a brat sometimes!
 
Quote:
Yep, cat's not that big of a deal around chickens.. Now, I have personally had about 9 or so chicks killed by a cat before. So they will kill chicks, but chickens no.

-Daniel
 
Here the cats stare at the chickens.... as if they are dreaming of some huge roast but thats all. My standard size chickens are too big for them.

My chickens will take food from the cats as well and the cats just sit back and watch annoyed.
 
Quote:
It really varies, but my cat tried to mess with my chickens when they first came & I was very nervous. But the chickens have a way of letting the cats know that they're not putting up with their crap. Most birds flee from cat attacks & that's their downfall. The cats don't expect the chickens to turn around and come back at them head-on!

My cats lay down by my henhouse. My good mouser, Maggie, will kill mice and leave them in the henhouse for the chickens to eat.
 
I just lost a cochin bantam roo about 3 weeks ago to a stray cat. I mean, I can't prove it was the stray cat, but feathers were everywhere, so I don't think it would have been a hawk. The cat hangs around the ditch that is right in front of our property. I hadn't let my chickens out to free roam in a long time and decided I would since it was a beautiful day. Needless to say, a couple hours later, we were minus the roo. I was really upset and now I'm scared to let the others out of their pen. They aren't real happy with me, but I have lost too many already.

So, just beware.
 
Cats killing chickens is not the norm but chicks they will kill and by chicks I mean up to 3 months or so longer on bantams but once a chicken gets to a formidable size they pretty much leave them alone. Disease would worry me more with cats, not to chickens but to other animals and people.
 
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