Do Cats Eat Chickens?

[lovemychix]

BTW: Vicious killer above is not all that trusted with my chicks. I keep the brooder closed when I am not around. Cats have a tendancy to kill for fun. He would never want to eat them unless they were cooked and served on a platter but I don't trust him for just having a little fun.

 

[dancingbear]

Mine, don't. They're a little afraid of the birds. Except for chicks, everything eats chicks if they get a chance. Here's why:

Chick separated from mom: "PEEP! PEEP! PEEP! PEEP! PEEEP!"
Translation: "I'm alone, come and eat me!! I'm alone. come and eat me!!!"

I keep my chicks penned until they get about pigeon size, and feathered out, unless they have a protective mom. The ones with good moms seem to do fine, I seldom lose one. So usually just the incubated chicks have to be penned. I try to give new moms a few days penned separate with the the babies before I turn them lose, but sometimes I have more moms than spaces to put them.

 

[svaha storm]

Yeah ,I am on my neighbors bad side over their cat or their sudden lack of, after catching him in my pen with a dead chick for the second time, hopefully they will get over it, if not oh well.

 

[Sock Puppet]

Quote:
Good for you

They should get over it or take better care of their cats!

 

[Miltonchix]

House cat, barn cat makes no difference. I lost 23 chickens at one time. ALL killed by the neighbors (now) dead house cat. Poor thing died of a sudden and serious case of "lead" poisoning. I don't fool with them anymore. No more wounded cats. 30-06= 1 shot/1kill. And not alot to bury.

 

[tim_TX]

30-06, thats a bit of overkill and a little dangerous for a cat. It wont even slow down as it passes through. I recommend low brass bird shot (dove load) in a 20 gauge shotgun. You won't miss and you wont end up ricocheting a bullet halway across the county either.

 

[lisahaschickens]

yeah, we have a problem with a cat that is completely ignored and it just runs wild all the time and is quite thin. He is the sweetest cat I've ever met and is very snuggly and personable, but he's also an incredible hunter. I watch him catch things in the grass all the time. Then, the first night I moved my chicks out to the coop, we found him up on the roof of it, pacing and meowing. He is going to find a new home before I start to let my babies out to free range. He has no tags and no one knows whose he is, but he can't stay in my yard.

 

[Miltonchix]

Quote:
I don't live in town and most shots are 100yrds or better. I'd rather use a .223 but since I don't own one yet the -06 will have to do. Shotgun is useless at that range. I started out using 22 but at that range its too easy to wound. I don't want a wounded/suffering animal running around. 1 shot one kill.

 

[joanc]

My outdoor cats haven't messed with the adult chickens. Of course, when they were chicks, the cats were quite interested.

Now when my girls and roo are out in the yard, my cats will walk around and through the flock. However, they do so quite warily as the hens will run at them and chase them off. The rooster ignores the cats-he only runs away from me.

We have had some neighbors' cats come in the yard and stalk the chickens. If I see them I'll chase them off. None have ever pounced on a chicken, but they fight with our outdoor cats. My dh takes care of them his own way when he sees them.
The feral cats are in jeopardy when he's around.

 

[PortageGirl]

Well, guess I've been lucky. Cats not a huge problem, I know a cat -can- kill a chicken, but I have hardly any neighbors and it sounds like those are the worst kind of cats. Also, since I am able to have roos and enjoy having them, they are quite protective.

My lazy house cat watches mice run across the kitchen floor, chickens are out of the question for him. He WILL chase the occasional stray cat away though. Also active semi-free range, (lot-range?) chickens including the alert roos and bossy hens, also seem to keep cats at bay...

A long long time ago I had a semi-feral cat come live outside, and I loved him cause he kept mice and probably rat populations down, never bothered the hens, they seem to have an 'ozone area' that the cat respected, soon they ignored him too.

I got him his shots and fed him a bit, he had a safe place to sleep and kept away the vermin, I think he kept opossums away too, and I hate possums, (please don't preach to me about all gods creatures

blah blah blah... they're nasty belly eating vermin

) I usually get some but when he was alive, NEVER. Good trade with the cat I'd say, but I was probably lucky.