Are cats a problem?

[OldEnglishGameBantam33]

We are thinking about getting barn cats for rat population but I have a bantam. Any thoughts?

 

[roosterhavoc]

Get kittens so they grow up around the chickens. Shouldn’t be an issue that way.

 

[RWise]

I lost every chick last year to the neighbors cat, GGGRRRRRrrrr
I have also had cats, yes a group, come in after full grown birds.
I too would say get kittens so they are raised together,,
Good luck!!!!

 

[Trish1974]

If you have a rooster in your flock he will train your cat(s) to leave the chickens alone... he will train them the hard way!

ETA: I have 4 barn cats and haven't seen a mouse in probably 2 years.

 

[LoveMyChickenBabies]

I say this with experience, from having 26 cats, if you get a kitten and raise it outdoors and around chickens, it will not be a problem. If you need a kitten, I will be glad to give you one!

 

[Wezdin]

I have 3 cats that grew up around chickens and the cats are in more danger than the hens! I cant let the chickens free range until the cats are done eating, if I do the chickens scare the cats away and eat all of the cat food.

 

[LoveMyChickenBabies]

I have 3 cats that grew up around chickens and the cats are in more danger than the hens! I cant let the chickens free range until the cats are done eating, if I do the chickens scare the cats away and eat all of the cat food.

My cats are also afraid of the chickens! Every time they come near they have to make a choice; either ignore them, or scatter!

 

[50-45-1]

Years ago when i did not have a very secure coop, i went out one morning and found my mama hen very upset and in the nest box where she slept with her babies under her, was a pile of beaks and baby chicken wings and legs. A farel tom cat got in and spooked the hen off the nest and devoured all the chicks.
Caught and dispatched the cat the next night.
Baby chicks are easier to catch than a mouse.

 

[Fishkeeper]

I wouldn't suggest adopting a kitten to be a barn cat. The life of a barn cat is a harder one than an indoor cat, and kittens are adoptable to be indoor cats. For barn cats, go to shelters and get the ones that are never going to do well indoors, it saves them from being put down. Some cats are too feral to ever make good housecats but will do fine as barn cats with minimal people interaction.

Baby chicks aren't going to be safe around cats, they're too tempting and too vulnerable to infections from the bacteria in a cat's mouth. Keep the baby chicks out of reach, let the roosters teach the cats to leave the adults alone.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I wouldn't suggest adopting a kitten to be a barn cat. The life of a barn cat is a harder one than an indoor cat, and kittens are adoptable to be indoor cats. For barn cats, go to shelters and get the ones that are never going to do well indoors, it saves them from being put down. Some cats are too feral to ever make good housecats but will do fine as barn cats with minimal people interaction.

Baby chicks aren't going to be safe around cats, they're too tempting and too vulnerable to infections from the bacteria in a cat's mouth. Keep the baby chicks out of reach, let the roosters teach the cats to leave the adults alone.

I have hens hatch baby chicks outside right next to cats under my deck. They’ve never killed a chick. Getting a cat from a shelter and turning it loose outside is practically guaranteeing problems with chickens. A couple of kittens would be fine from the shelter. It’s not about “saving cats”.
Truly feral males will kill chickens all day long though.