Cats & Chickens, I need some advice.

[warmheart]

I like the sound of your set-up! My only concern would be when the chicks are babies. Grown-up hens and cats should be fine together. In fact, Smokey dust bathes with our hens, naps with them, hangs out with them. The flock even kindly made him an "Honorary blue silkie!"

 

[lazy gardener]

My cats are new to chickens. I started chicks in Feb., the cats were overly interested while the chicks brooded in the house. I couldn't leave the cats in the same room with them even though they were in a secure brooder with a cover over it. Now that they're moved outside and in a tractor, the cats remain too interested. When ever I take a chicken out of the tractor for some supervised free range, (I stay in arms reach) the cats are right there in stalk mode. Yesterday, I thunked one of them on his head (gently) with a shovel when he lunged at the chicken. Today, one of them chased one of my Roos all over the yard, with me screaming in hot pursuit. Now, that would have been a winner on AFV. When the cats are inspecting the chickens, I'll hold a chicken and "lunge" it at the cat. The chicken makes quite an effective noise, and the cat runs away... but when the chickens are on the ground, the cats go into major "hunter" mode. Any suggestions??? The oldest birds are now 9 weeks old, and there are 3 roosters that I know of.

 

[gracefilkins]

This is great and thank you everyone for the advice! I ended up putting the cats behind the coop and very few problems. IN FACT: a very broody hen has taken to cuddling my 4 new kittens. When mama cat leaves she goes in and takes over the moma duties. She is sometimes even in the cat house with them. I have to put the cat food up high or the chickens end up eating it. All and all my chickens ended up having to teach a lesson to one of my small cats, it now has a boo boo on its eye but I do not something I do not expect it to recover from.

I was worried but so far it has been for nothing. Thank you all for the advice and thoughts on the subject!

 

[gracefilkins]

You know it may take the chickens standing up for themselves. I did not have any issues, besides one boo boo on one cat, but so far it has been 4 days and no other issues. I would keep up the supervised free ranging so you can be there to bop them on the heads if they continue. And you know the cats may look like they are in hunt mode, but they are also very curious too.

 

[shmccarthy]

Cats will definitely go after chickens. It depends on the size/age of both the cat and chicken. My cat is a Maine coon and she is pretty big. She's also a vicious killer of everything from mice to full sized rabbits and squirrels. She stalked one of my hens once (when it was full grown) and the hen turned around and well..kicked her butt! She came running back to me crying and she hasn't looked twice at them since.
I've also heard a lot of stories of feral cats going after chickens and killing them. So it just depends on circumstances really.

 

[blythspirit]

my cats would go after a chick..in a heartbeat.. my big hens..not so much lol they would need a bandaid when Beaker was done the them..but keep your eyes on them for awhile. Mine can see each other but not get to each other. I feel better that way.

 

[deserthens]

I have lost bantam hens to feral cats. Have been told that full size hens can hold their own to a cat. But he feral cats that I have trapped have been pretty scary!
If it is a domestic cat I would think you could teach to live in harmony with full size hens.
If you have feral cats in the area they would not only be a threat to the hens but also "pet" cats.