Are cats a problem?

[Sue Gremlin]

I have three adult cats that were introduced to chickens in middle age. They are not a threat at all. In fact, the chickens will chase them.

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

Grabbing a couple of kittens is your best bet.

 

[Folly's place]

Most cats will leave big chickens alone, but chicks are at risk. A good broody hen, especially a standard hen rather than a bantam, can protect them.
There are cats who will hunt small chickens, but it's a smaller subset of cats. This doesn't help if you are dealing with one of them, however.
I have had several adult cats move in here as barn cats, and only one was a problem. She may have killed one of my bantam broodies, not her chicks, and she moved to an indoor only home that week.
More usually, the cats are intimidated by the chickens!
Having a barn cat really helps with the mice!!! Non of mine would tackle adult rats, however; they figured rats were my problem!
Kitten survival out there is poor generally, and I'm not willing to deal with the typical 90% death rate...
Mary

 

[ejtrout31]

I have a cat we got when it was old enough to leave its mom it hunts wild birds but never has harmed a chicken I raise OEGB and my free range bantams that go in the coop at night to roost are fine with my cat in there with them I had a cat sleep next to a broody hen and never hurt her
I also had a cat die from wounds protecting my flock from a raccoon.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

Ive had 7 barn cats and none of them are a threat to the chickens and ducks. I took any cats that were a threat to an animal shelter and kept the nice and small ones to keep. They will sometimes go on top of the coop bc they are fascinated by these strange creatures. Honestly I’m more worried about my cat if she got close enough to the chooks when they are in a bad mood

 

[Alexandra33]

After successfully keeping chickens and cats together for the entirety of my poultry-obsessed years, I'll repeat the same opinion time and time again. From experience, a normal feline isn't going to harm chooks of any age. Yes, fluffy chicks are technically more at risk than adult chickens, due to the fact cats prefer small prey. That's not to say any of our house kitties/barn cats/strays/neighbors' pets/ferals have ever attempted to so much as touch, let alone kill even the smallest of OEGB juveniles. For example, I raise all my bantams and standards in an enclosed room with 2 indoor cats, brooders uncovered. Quite often, an escapee keeps them company.

Every cat that has taken residence in our barns loves spending time with the flock, also occasionally spending the night in the coop. The current two young females eat wild birds left and right, but do you think they hurt fuzzbutts smaller than robins? No.

If it makes you feel better, perhaps try raising a young cat with your birds, to get him/her used to interacting with them.

~Alex

 

[RodNTN]

I have so many cats my chickens don't care anymore The only time they're a threat is if they are adults but haven't been raised around chickens, or you have chicks a cat can get to.
One of my pullets actually enjoys torturing one of our cats...

 

[Ginmary]

if you get a cat from a shelter to use as a "barn cat" and just put them out, they will disappear. You have to feed and keep them in an enclosed area, large kitty condo/cage etc for about 2 weeks to teach them that your property is their home/territory. You should interact with them as often as possible so that you can handle them at all times for any and all reasons. (keep them friendly to humans, check for health problems, getting them yearly vacinations, going to vet etc.) If possible, it's better to let them in the house and then later give them access to the outside.

 

[Folly's place]

All true except for the last, at least here. My three old house cats will not meet and greet any new barn cat that arrives here; the plan is that they are separate. When these three old folks are gone, maybe something else can be worked out, but not now...
I want the 'barn cat' to live at the barn, be fed there, and not lust after the house.
Mary

 

[Kylo_Hen!]

yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!