Cats and chickens?

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brooster

brooster

Songster
12 Years
Jun 14, 2007
1,650
18
181
northwest Ohio
Someone dropped off a cute little black house cat sometime last night. It is super friendly.
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brooster, the roo is making all the silly roo sounds protecting the flock. We really could use the cat for mice, but dont know if we can keep it arround chickens of if the roo kills it or if the cat kills the chickens. The cat is just a kitty, so maybe if it grows up arroud the chickens it will get used to them. Im sure people have barn cats and chicken together, how does it work out?
 
We have 2 full grown "barn" cats, here before the chickens. The cats are afraid of the chickens. When we first let the chicks out we would cage the cats. Then when the chickens were full grown we let them free range. When the cats came to investigate my white leghorn hen would lower her head and chase after the cat. I have 3 leghorn roos too but it was the hen that was braver ,lol. Now the cats will go the other way when they see the chickens getting too close. So if the chickens are bigger than the kitty it probably would be afraid of them too, but I would introduce them thru a cage or between fencing first.
 
We got three kittens over the summer. We already had the chickens, and we have yet to have a problem with either the chickens attacking the cats, or the cats attacking the chickens. Now with that said, a predator got one of the kittens about 2 months ago, and a car got another one just this past Sunday. We are now down to one cat, but we will probably get more. Just introduce them and watch when they are together... Here is a pic of my cat that is still alive watching as we gather chickens...

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That is a very cute picture of your cat watching the chickens.

We had a full grown male cat when we got the chickens. So he was around them while they were growing in the kitchen and never really paid much attention. He continues his diinterest in them now as they free range.

A couple of months ago, we adopted a kitten someone left to die on the side of the road. He and the chickens take turns chasing one another in a very playful way. He chases the chickens and they run. He stops and looks around then chickens come up after him and he runs.

We also saw a stray cat hanging around the barn but it did not bother the chickens at all. One time the stray was sitting under a tree the chickens were scratching under and neither really seemed to care about the other.

So much fun having this entertainment in our lives
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We've never had any trouble with our cats and chickens. The cats are interested in the chickens, but it's a social interest. They've never stalked and pounced or anything like that. I'd bet it has something to do with the size of the chickens. They're just too big to be huntable.

I wouldn't trust them around chicks though.
 
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My own cats are strictly indoors but we have several neighborhood cats and strays that visit our chickens. There was one that would sit on the woodpile and watch them for hours. Anytime a cat got too close the hens would run it off. I have to say though that my Nemo, if he were an outdoor cat would worry me. He has a strong prey drive and I can't have any pets in the house smaller than he is. We are having to seriously consider where we'll put the brooder this spring.
 
Seems like everyone gets along here, including the cats and chickens. Kinda funny when the cats walk way around where the hens are free ranging. I had a favorite Tom Cat that would go in the coop and sleep by the hens.....He was awesome at keeping the mice or rats away. He was too friendly with people though, and the drunken neighbors thought he was fair game. That was my daughters heartbreaking loss. Sure wish he was still here.
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bigzio
 

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