Baby chicks & cats

[BlindLemonChicken]

My cat is a prolific killer of rodents and birds if she can get them but she has never bothered my chickens even the chicks I brood in the garage where she sleeps. I put a lid on the brooder but it's nothing she couldn't handle if she were very determined. I think it depends on your cat though. I used to keep feral cats on our little farm and I am pretty sure one of them killed a couple chickens but only after she had decimated the squirrel population and only chickens who were separated from the flock. I would just watch the cats and see-maybe put the chickens in a wire kennel in the yard and see if the cats show any interest.

 

[janiedoe]

a

awwe it looks just like my cat Panda. She does the same and never bothers chicks

I'd never had cats, but we found both of ours in the chicken yard.
One (Junapurr) is a year old and lives inside. She is terrified of anything outdoors.
The other (Bootiful) will be 3 soon. Boo is an inside/outside cat.
I'm now an official old cat lady.

 

[The Ranch Girl]

I'd never had cats, but we found both of ours in the chicken yard.
One (Junapurr) is a year old and lives inside. She is terrified of anything outdoors.
The other (Bootiful) will be 3 soon. Boo is an inside/outside cat.
I'm now an official old cat lady.

haha same, we have never had cats before, the excuse for dad was it was a mouse exterminator but we're best friends. she has killed mice though. I hope to get another

 

[maryn7]

I had an old man cat that raised my first group of chicks from about two weeks. When we first introduced them, he thought they were snacks, but we told him they *weren't* snacks, and he was like, "oh, okay" and then took them under his wing. They'd cuddle him and wander around with him.

My 8-yo cat is hanging out with my 4-mo pullets now. They are FASCINATED BY HIM and his tail. He doesn't bother them at all.

I wouldn't put a cat with week olds, but once they're too big to munch - if you cat isn't much of a birder - they seem pretty chill with them.

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

My cat kills birds but has never bothered a chick. It’s like she knows somehow that the chicks and chickens belong to the family.

 

[janiedoe]

My cat kills birds but has never bothered a chick. It’s like she knows somehow that the chicks and chickens belong to the family.

Same. I wonder how they know? My cat kills everything, from rodents, to lizards & snakes, to birds, but not my chicks.
I thought it might be my smell on them.
We used to have ground doves here. They were so tame that I could pick them up. My cat never bothered them, but all other birds were fair game. Same with squirrels. There is a big fox squirrel that I feed. The cat kills other squirrels, but not Trixie the squirrel.

 

[Sandy Berry]

Well, I decided to let the babies out late yesterday afternoon. No problems with the cats!! Yippee! I did have one rooster though, that tried to get ahold of one of them (you know what I mean). Is that common? I've been making sure that he's not around them now. Boy, they are lovin' it!! They all have approximately 6,000 square feet to roam around in, along with the big chickens.

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Well, I decided to let the babies out late yesterday afternoon. No problems with the cats!! Yippee! I did have one rooster though, that tried to get ahold of one of them (you know what I mean). Is that common? I've been making sure that he's not around them now. Boy, they are lovin' it!! They all have approximately 6,000 square feet to roam around in, along with the big chickens.

Glad you had success! I know this is an older thread. I have 3 Maine Coon cats and all with strong prey drive. They are fine with the big hens but the chicks they were very interested in! I have hardwire on the top but I will need to find a smaller opening so the cats don’t get their paws in it! So much easier when it was just the dog.