Cats and Chickens?

[PepsNick]

Some neighbors across the street just got two new cats... and they're full grown. Do I need to worry about them with ADULT chickens? Can they get them? Or are cats too small? I don't want that to effect my chicken's free ranging.


ETA: In case it helps, I own almost an acre full of trees, pathways, a meadow and gardens.

 

[Kittymomma]

I've never had a problem with cats and adult birds. Occasionaly you'll see a thread where someone has, but it's quite rare and I doubt if you have anything to worry about. One of mine is a real hunter and will kill and eat full grown wild rabbits, but has never botherd the adult chooks. She did try for some chicks once, but momma hen learned her and now she won't even look at them.

 

[Ironmaiden]

I would like to know the answer to this as well. I have had cats getting in my coop and chasing my 11 week old chickens. The older hens and roo's would seem to be able to take care of themselves, but I don't know that for sure.

 

[teach1rusl]

My male cat, who is a decent mouser, will sometimes "play" with my chickens. He'll stalk them a bit (they mostly ignore him) and pounce close by, but I've never seen him actually go after one. And he's had access to them since they were 10 or 12 weeks old. Now when they were tiny things, I wouldn't have trusted him...

Oh...and we (well, not US, but the neighbors across the field) have a barn full of ferals, and I've never seen any of them around my birds, but our dogs probably deter them.

 

[PepsNick]

Thanks all. Think I'll go let my chickens out. Haven't even seen the cats in my yard, and I have a very protective, cat-hating dog too.

 

[Ironmaiden]

Keep a sharp eye though....I am sure they will come and check them out eventually. Curiosity. And you know what IT did to the cat!

 

[PepsNick]

Quote:
I'll be sure to.

 

[nzpouter]

some cats are very good hunters, we seen some that takes down adult hare, rabbits and roosters... but generally most are only threats to young/ smaller ones...

 

[Imp]

I have a big mean feral male that tries to take me on. (He better be careful about biting the hand that feeds him)
I have to wait for him to finish eating before I open the run. At the sight of the hens he runs like a coward out of the yard.

Imp- never had a problem with cats & chickens

 

[emarble]

I have had cats forever and never thought twice about it when I let my chickens out to roam! The older cats that had not been raised with the chooks never pay any attention to them and the chooks likewise never pay attention to the cats as a matter of fact the cats will leave when the chickens come on the front porch and roam around! Now the 3 kittens that were raised with my girls are still at that age that they want to play and will run head long THRU ThE middle of them but have never made an attempt to grab one! IT seems to be a game that they play where they see how many chickens they can scatter without the ROO going after them! But they also do it to our minuture Dauchand also/ The only difference being they stalk her first and then take turns tormenting her 3 of them 1 little dog!!!! The answer is I have never had a problem with Cats and My Chickens

Ernie