chickens and kittens!

[jhat]

We recently rescued 4 kittens from a sewage treatment plant in the Bronx. They will be barn cats. The barn is separate from the chicken coop but everyone runs around outside together. The chickens made a lot of noise at first when they saw the kittens but since no drama went down, they seem relaxed around the playful curious kitties now. Here is my concern: We have two bantam sebright roosters who like to attack...i have seen them try a sneak attack maneuver on an unsuspecting kitten but i intervened. I have also seen the kittens practice their stalking skills on the chickens...but they don't follow through. Do you think there will be a problem in the future? Will the kittens grow up and kill the chickens? Will the roosters attack the kittens before they are big enough to defend themselves and set a tweety and sylvester precedent? Maybe I should just let them work it out.

 

[Scott H]

If you let the roosters attack once I think the kittens will quit their stalking! ;-)

 

[Den in Penn]

My cats and chickens get along well. When they are young they may practice stalking them but that is as far as it goes with adult chickens. Had one kitten last year that while she was still small enough to go through the fence would hang out with the pullets. Chickens are larger then most of the animals that cats see as prey. Now the roosters that is different. If they take a dislike to the cat and the cat can't get away, well a rooster won't stop if something doesn't run from him. So by the time the kittens are around six months they should be big enough and fast enough to get away. With your Seabrights maybe sooner.

 

[jhat]

you are probably right...and since i'm not always watching them when they're together...there may have already been some action that i'm not aware of! thanks!

 

[jhat]

and thanks for letting me know about your cats...that relaxes my mind about it!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

We have a BIG barn cat that is good at stalking and killing little creatures, but we've never lost a chicken to a cat. They are really too big to be prey for a cat, anyway.

I'd worry about any chicks that weren't with their Mama, but those would normally be in a brooder any way.

I happened to be right there with a camera when my cat decided she'd like a chick treat one day; can you juuust see the yellow chick peeking out from under the hen's wing? The cat ended up with a bloody nose from this encounter.

 

[jhat]

i don't know what i'm doing with this forum...so many choices...what is a "reputation"? i clicked helpful but i don't know where the comment went! well anyway i do very much appreciate your great story and pic. i am so at ease now to know that chickens are too big to be prey for cats! well....the sebrights are kinda little...and they are total ingrates attacking us when we feed them! the nerve! so i wouldn't mind seeing them get it a little. lol all the best, the loose cannon coop!!!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

i don't know what i'm doing with this forum...so many choices...what is a "reputation"? i clicked helpful but i don't know where the comment went! well anyway i do very much appreciate your great story and pic. i am so at ease now to know that chickens are too big to be prey for cats! well....the sebrights are kinda little...and they are total ingrates attacking us when we feed them! the nerve! so i wouldn't mind seeing them get it a little. lol all the best, the loose cannon coop!!!

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