Can you put small kitten in coop with grown chickens B/C RATS!

[bluestar.ranch]

Any comments please? We have had horrific problems with rats from the creek due to Texas drought... I have done all possible, cleaning coop area, removing debris and so on..

First, I am getting the rats under control with "Just One Bite" bait bar... and picking up dead rats by the bucket full... uuugghhh it works.

http://www.farnamhorse.com/product.php?type=HORSE&mainkey=200005&pid=100442&key=300002

Second, I am adopting 5 to 7 barn cats all rescues (and fixed to not breed) to live in the outside barn area near the creek... So here is my question:

Can I place a small kitten or two INSIDE my coop to live with full grown chickens to keep down any infestation? I am wondering will a small kitten grow up and not attack full grown chickens.. eventually prowl inside coop to kill rats as it gets older? My coop is very very large...plenty of room.

We have several layers of thick plastic around base of coop... (to keep small chicks from escaping) I am moving all small chicks to new coop.. so only adult chickens in old coop...Wanted to put a cat/kitten there. The plastic attracts RATS.... if no plastic... my dogs try to get into the coop and kill chickens.. its a real problem for me and I appreciate any advice or comments? So plastic needs to be there...

All comments and advice appreciated.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

I would be concerned for the kittens. I have seen how my chickens (still not fully grown) go after my VERY large cat. He was petrified of them from day one. I would also be worried about the health of all - cat droppings in the coop, and chicken droppings - sounds like too many opportunities for shared illness.
Not to mention that most kittens won't have much luck against anything larger than a baby rat. My mouse hunter is a petite girl, but brings home large rabbits and rats often. I have noticed she returns with more battle scars when it is a rat's nest she raids in the night. They are tough, most kittens would lose that fight, I think.
Just my opinion, I am sure others will say they have had luck with doing that but at least I kept you in the recent posts section.

Good luck. With the rats and this drought you all are suffering. I feel for all of you in Texas this summer and hope you get some relief soon.

 

[jerseygirl1]

Not sure, but I would be more concerned of the rats eating the kitten rather than vice versa

 

[saladin]

If you have a rat problem then the best fix is a good black snake or two or three.

The only way you can get the cats to work is by not feeding them or not feeding them much; which I doubt you want to do (though I would have no problem with it at all).

Still snakes are less bothersome than cats.

 

[RoosterRidge]

I would not do that... Just my opinion but they chase my cats and would eat them if they could... I would not want to fall down in the coop or run and not be able to get out... They would eat me... We had a pecking problem a few weeks back and they actually ate the biggest part of my poor girl... That is how my husband new something was wrong he went to water and feed them and saw them running around with chunks of meat hanging... Don't risk it... I would get me a few good snakes as has been suggested... Good luck...

 

[chickengal30]

I let my kitten Lewie in reguarly with the girls, they all got on realy well, until one day when one of them had a staring contest with him and Jasmine, my Red Star pecked at his eye, and it must of hurt pretty good coz he was pitiful. I havent let him in the run since, but in the evenings when I let the girls free range Lewies always there with them, digging in the dirt right along with them! Theyve remained friends! Its so adorable to watch!

So I think Id let them get aquainted asap but I wouldnt confine the cat to the coop if I were you.

 

[conny63malies]

Can you lock the girls temporarly somewhere else overnight? A wiener dog left in a chicken coop would love to kill some rats. I own a eight pound mini wiener(cocktail wiener lol) and when she even senses a mouse,rat, guinea pig she goes nuts. She even " treed" the guinea pig cage when we had them in the dining room on a table. Cats might not be as good as a small dog that waas bred for hunting and killing small prey/varmin.

 

[teach1rusl]

I would not want a small kitten in with full grown birds. Besides, not all grown cats, much less kittens, are mousers. I do have two pretty good mousers myself (both indoor/outdoor cats, not barn cats), and I honestly don't think either one would take on a rat. They'll do field mice, small bunnies

, chipmunks

, moles, etc. But I've never had one go after a rat.
I'm like a pp, I'd worry more about the rats attacking the kitten(s). I've seen results of THAT

when I was helping trap/spay/neuter a neighbor's barn full of ferals...and those kittens were put down.

 

[bluestar.ranch]

To all thanks for comments.. I will keep my new 5 to 7 barn cats out of the chicken coop.... leave the plastic up around base of coop and regularly keep using the "just one bite" bar for rat bait...no cats in the coop.. lets hope these barn cats will kill and eat all rodents.. feel free to post any other rat killing ideas.. thanks