Cats and adult chickens

[wegotchickens]

Neither of my cats have messed with my chicks. Jezebel is disgusted by them, since they occupy our attention. Callie is fascinated by them, and sleeps in the brooder with them any time she can.

Both cats love to go 'bowling for chickens' with the adults. They wait until the flock is busy digging or sun-bathing and then run through the center of the group to watch them scatter. Apparently this is great fun.
They both stalk the banties from time to time, but have never tried to truly catch one.

 

[wxdude99]

My chickens are only 2 1/2 months old and the neighbor's cat just sits there and watches them. I'm not too worried.

 

[Jennyhaschicks]

When my chicks were younger my cat thought he could push his weight around. It didn't take long for my my hens to open a can of whoop *** on the cat and now he doesn't bother them at all.

 

[Hensense]

My cat likes to hide and then bust out to startle the chickens but she never tries to hurt them. Honestly, I can see the laughter on her face after scaring the hens.

 

[erinm]

I have a couple of ferals that do not go anywhere near my chickens. ( maybe because i feed them twice daily. Their bellies are full I guess.) They know hwat side their bread is buttered on I guess. ErinM

 

[magikchick]

My cat likes to scatter my chickens too. That was until my big cochin roo scattered him across the yard.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

We used to have a big horse barn with boarders and the whole bit. We used bantam hens and roos to spook the horses in thier stalls and ge them used to loud, flying things. It was really a good way to get the new horses used to noise and darting objects.

We of course had ferrel momma cats and they would only try to play with the chickens. They never bothered the baby chicks, the momma hens would chase them all around the barn if they tried anything with the babies.

These were BANTAM chickens so I can not imagine having a problem with a big ol' chochin or leghorn roo. Dang they would kick some serious booty.

I do remember one cat that would wait in the corner of the barn for our Corgi to come in. That cat would chase the Corgi darn near back down to the house. It really was a riot.

 

[Smoky73]

Our momma outside cat will have her kittens inside the nesting boxes if she can find a way into the run. The last batch of kittens (2) were very feral though, even though we always tried to pick them up to handle them. I think the chickens make them skittish. Anyway, one we got rid of, the other we kept and now she lives permenantly inside the chicken coop and eats the feed even. She sleeps in the nesting box and sometimes on eggs. We named her "Chicken". I am sure she will not always be able to fit through the welded wire fence, but for now, she can go freeley between the pens that have their yard doors open.

I only had one cat we had to get rid of for munching on a juvinile turkey. I assume she killed the turkey and pulled it through the fence, but I suppose its possible something else could have, though it was the middle of the day and I have not seen a predator in years that close. Even the cats with my Dutch bantams are fine and its hard telling the difference between them and a dove sometimes. Same size. I have had the momma cat bring in killed wild birds into the pen for her kittens before. Bet my chickens were shocked!

 

[12 Acres]

My old buddy tomcat "Tyson" learned very quickly to leave the chickens alone. One peck on the nose was all it took to convince him!

 

[WriterofWords]

I've posted many times how Pudster takes care of his chickens,, but I guess every situation is unique. I'd start with a juvenile cat, not a kitten, but a young cat and let him mature with the chickens.