chickens and cats?

[mom wewantchicks!]

we have 5 about 6 week old chicks. ive read on here that a cat will kill (and im sure mine would!) a small chick,but not mess with a full grown chicken. so my ? is, when are they big enought to be safe around cats? so far the cats seem curious,but have never attempted to attack. but im afraid to turn my head for a sec when i have them out in the yard,bad enough if a hawk would get one,but one of my own precious little kittys? that would be to much. and yes my cats do kill mice, birds, small bunnies if that matters!

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have 15 stray cats that kill mice, rats, snakes, frogs, bugs and anything that moves. I DO NOT trust them alone with my chics. When I let my chics out in the yard to free range, I am always there. The cats lay in the grass and watch them like a hawk. It seems as though they will leap at any given moment to kill. I love my cats but I just don't trust them around my bantams. But that's just me. Cats are "hunters". That's what they do. If I were you, I would keep an eye on them and not leave your chics lose so that the cats can get them. Keep us posted on how that works.

 

[mom wewantchicks!]

usually i will lock the cats, we have 3 in the house while i am out with the chicks. but id like to let them free range and with 3 kids and a house theres noway i can be outside at all times. at some point, size wise, wont the chicks be ok outside witht the cats??

 

[jemagsy]

the first chicken we ever lost we believe we lost to a feral cat or bobcat hybrid and she was 45 weeks old.

Do not trust your cats with your chickens. I love cats - have 9 in all including a couple we are watching for the time being but they can be ferocious and killing things is what they do for fun / down time.

Please be careful and best of luck!

 

[Freebie]

I have not yet lost a full grown standard or bantam chicken to one of my cats. The barn cats, will eat any goodies I throw out for the chickens if they find them good. And I have to shoo the chickens away from the cat food or the cats would not get a bite to eat.
Now, chicks, thats another story... My brother actually pullled a chick from the cats mouth. Just a little wet but no blood. But that is the only one that I almost lost. Mother hens usually protect their babies, but this one was separated.

I feel my full grown chickens are safe, but the babies no way. I also realize I am taking my chances and will suffer the consequences if something should happen.

 

[Jolyn]

My cat is one of the main reasons i asked dh to enclose the top of the run.

Yesterday my 7.5 year old said "Mom Spencer (our cat) is on a mission".....I said "Yes to have a full tummy".....

Then he said our coop was Spencers version of KFC!!! Hahaha!!!

So we are very careful and always will be with our little hunter.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Chickens outdoors. Cats indoors. No problems.

 

[jemagsy]

Too funny!

 

[Miltonchix]

I lost 23!! yes, 23 at one time to neighbors now dead cat. Wife and I put them in their "playpen" left for about 30 minutes and when we got home found 23 slaughtered 8 week old chicks. 2 survived with wounds. They had all been killed for sport.

Neighbor lost one more cat that was about 10 ft from pouncing on my full grown goose. Cat was stalking goose and I, in the nick of time, saw it just as it was starting its run/pounce. Cat died of a severe case of lead poisoning.

Goose figured out what had happened evidently. A few days later DW heard the goose alarming. Went to the door in time to see goose hot on the heels of another cat. That cat survived as it never returned.

 

[RobinEgg]

I love my cats AND my chickens , I wouldn't trust the cats with the chickens at all. My 5 & 6 wk old chicks are behind chain link fence to keep out cats and dogs, however one cat is very persistent as she has sat by the run for about 4 days now trying to figure out how to get them. But DH has made it very secure with wire across the top under the metal roof.