Do Cats Eat Chickens?

[emilyschartz]

That's good to know. I actually have a trap already because I've already caught a cat but I took it far away and let it go. The gang up on my chickens in the yard

 

[krapnet]

The one and only time a cat tried, my rooster charged and attacked a full grown house cat from down the road, the cat never bothered to show up again.

 

[emilyschartz]

Really? I just chased a cat off right now. it was reaching in the coop trying to get my chickens

 

[krapnet]

Yup, cats are vey nosy. but there IS one cat that wont bother with my chickens, he just shows up and eats the scraps and leaves, but I wouldn't trust him anyway.

 

[Dreyadin]

The hunters will hunt...

Yes, cats can kill a chicken (or in my case... broody guinea hens) easily. Depends on the cat. Our neighbors have "barn cats" that they basically let go feral and don't feed too often- they got my 2 guinea hens. My Mom's cat is 18 years old and moths are the biggest game he's ever taken down. He hangs out with my rooster in the summer sleeping on the bench on the front porch. He's whacked the stuffing out of the neighbor's barn cats when they came to the house.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[emilyschartz]

Ya I can tell these cats want my chickens. Everytime I haven't been out there for a while the cats show up and my chickens get so scared

 

[rjkreutzer]

cats will eat chicken as often as they will eat birds, I have lost 5 birds to local cats in the last 9 months, I have live traps setup to catch the cats/oposum/racoon, this year I have relocated 4 untaged cats, 1 oposum, My girls are in a fenced area and have a rooster to give them a heads up but he is not an attach rooster, he is much better than my first rooster that was killed sticking his head threw the fence.

 

[emilyschartz]

Really? That's awful. Ya im afraid the cats will get my chickens. I'm sorry you lost that many. I have a trap set and caught one cat but the others won't go in it now? Any suggestions how I can get them in there? I tried cat food.

 

[OrpObsessed]

I've never had problems with my cats eating or attacking chicks. They want my baby bunnies though! I can see where a stray would be a problem more so than a tame kitty with a full belly but I guess it just depends on the cat.

 

[YonahKluck]

I have good results changing trap baits, generally I use canned mackerel and table scraps, leftover Chinese fried noodles and deli fried chicken are favorites. I target possum, cat and raccoon. (There is a fox around but I don't think it will enter a live trap, my understanding is fox does not like it's ears to touch anything). Also place a few pieces of lead-in bait. Try to place the trap where you have seen or think the predators are approaching your flock with the door facing the approach 40-50 feet away from your flock. Try washing your trap with pressure in 'attempt' remove scent. I don't use any cleaner only the stream from the water hose nozzle. Also any trapper must be prepared to deal with skunk, (knocking on wood) I have not had this pleasure yet, but be prepared.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/378563/how-do-you-handle-a-skunk-caught-in-a-live-trap