Chickens & a CAT??

[krazeepolack]

I have access to an old shed I want to turn into a chicken coop. I also own a cat that's a pretty good mouser! Do I need to worry about him learning about KFC??

 

[Ducklove334]

not likely, just keep the chickens away from him until they're older if you're getting babies.

our cats all avoid the chickens, our almost-9-week-old kitten was born here, so he seems to have a learned respect for him.

 

[Imp]

I wouldn't let him near chicks. I don't have trouble with the adult hens. They run off the cats, and eat the food. And they are occasional mousers feral, stray, and pet.
Others have posted about cats killing their chickens.

Imp

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I have never had a cat kill or bother my chicks or chickens. They eat wild birds and mice but never bother the chicks....dogs...well, that is another thread

I have a kitten that sleeps IN the brooder with baby chicks. She loves to get in there and snuggle up - next time I have chicks in the brooder I will take a pic of this - soo cute

 

[kuntrygirl]

I agree with Chicks_N_Horses . They only eat wild birds and mice. I have had chickens for years and cats for even longer and not 1 incident. I have about 11 stray cats (the count for this week) and they are afraid of the chickens. I have new born cats as well and they respect all of the chickens. As a matter of fact, the chickens are very mean to the cats. They literally run the cats off of the property. It's a funny sight to see. But there has NEVER been an attack of a cat towards a chicken. One big happily family as long as the cats do what the chickens want them to do and that is get out of their way.

 

[TreeHugger]

I let my cats follow me into the chicken yard with no issues. They will try to chase the chickens, but the chickens usually end up chasing them. However, I don't let them near my chicks.

 

[Chickens in Elmwood]

Quote:
Umm..well, I guess my cat didn't get the memo about not eating chicks...

She didn't eat any of ours, but that is because she was allowed NO contact with them until they were about 10 weeks old. I mean, seriously, a tasty tiny bird is a tasty tiny bird whether it lives in a pine tree or in a nifty box that the person made.

Our cat still likes to take a run through the chickens and send them scattering every now and then, even though they are way to big for her to do anything with. You just have to make sure the little ones are secured in where she can't get to them. Older chickens should be fine.

 

[mamaKate]

I kept my cats away from the chicks till they stopped peeping and started clucking. Now they pretty much ignore each other. If I pet a cat in front of the rooster he does his little drop-wing dance and gives a hard stare. It scares the cats.

 

[rachiegirl]

I too have a cat that is a good varmint cat. He got a small weasel the other day. He occasionally gets a wild bird but never showed any interest in either our parrot or the chickens. I would make sure he can't get to them when they are small, just in case. My chicks are older now, around 16 weeks and they started following Spook across the yard the other day. Must have thought he carried his kitty treats with him? He kept walking away an looking back at them with a rather creeped out expression on his face. It was too funny!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Even my old 16yr old arthritic fuzzy will go after the chicks. After about 8 weeks she leaves them alone.