Housing a feral cat inside the chicken run for rodent control?

[HorseGirlAbby]

It certainly is an interesting idea. I would for sure keep the cat separate but within sight of the chickens at first, just to make sure he's not going to attack them, and also that they're not going to attack him. I've got two cats, one of them is scared of the chickens, and the other wants to have them for lunch. She's smaller than the hens, but she went after one of them once. All she got was a mouthful of tail feathers, because the rooster chased her off. I would not trust a cat in my chicken coop, at all, especially if you're going to have young-ish birds in there as well.

 

[McChooky]

My land is a certified wildlife habitat and I have many birds, rabbits, fox, deer and more species that live here, so just having "barn cats" on the property is too much of a danger to my wildlife population.
I've kept chickens for 16 years, in a predator-proof run and coop (never been breached by anything other than rodents and snakes). I currently have 26 birds, both full-size and bantams. I keep my bulk feed in sealed containers in a separate storage cabinet and I use peppermint and other oils and cayenne in this enclosure, so no rodent problem there. But in the coop and run I still have an ongoing rodent problem and this scented deterrent requires constant refreshing and even then doesn't really have any effect in these large open-air spaces. I've tried different types of feeders, but none work well as feeders or rodent control. I keep a few traps but, again, this is labor intensive (forever) and doesn't provide a permanent solution. Because of my protected wildlife habitat, poisons are not in the conversation.
I am a "cat person" having had indoor cats for 48 years and a few outdoor feral cats as well. To my knowledge none of my feral cats ever bothered my chickens even when they free range, but eventually I have lost all outdoor-only cats to predators. So, I have been considering bringing in a young feral cat to live inside my enclosed cat run. This cat would have access to the run and the coop, in hopes it will reduce the rodent population. Hopefully keeping it inside their enclosure would negate its ability to kill the wildlife that live on my property. I'm thinking that if a get a young feral and it becomes accustomed to the chickens, it will not harm them. My run is approx 300 square feet and has a separate enclosed area (approx 60 sq.ft) that I can use as the "cat house" when I open the run up for free-range access. I'm wondering if anyone has experience housing a feral cat inside their chicken enclosure for rodent control.

1/2" 16 gauge galvanized steel hwcloth makes an effective predator proof barrier against rodents,snakes and weasels. Many of the products we use on or around our chickens can't be used around cats.I built catios to prevent predators from killing my cats but never considered adding the cats to my coops.They won't even walk in there

 

[Apis mellifera]

My chickens don't have much tolerance for cats. Most of the time they will casually walk pass the cat and take a cheap shot. Hens with chicks, forget it. Hens are full on cat attack. Locking a cat in the run would be abuse.

 

[McChooky]

Not only can chickens spread parasites & disease to cats the meds used to treat them can be toxic to cats too. Some essential oils too

 

[Al Gerhart]

My land is a certified wildlife habitat and I have many birds, rabbits, fox, deer and more species that live here, so just having "barn cats" on the property is too much of a danger to my wildlife population.
I've kept chickens for 16 years, in a predator-proof run and coop (never been breached by anything other than rodents and snakes). I currently have 26 birds, both full-size and bantams. I keep my bulk feed in sealed containers in a separate storage cabinet and I use peppermint and other oils and cayenne in this enclosure, so no rodent problem there. But in the coop and run I still have an ongoing rodent problem and this scented deterrent requires constant refreshing and even then doesn't really have any effect in these large open-air spaces. I've tried different types of feeders, but none work well as feeders or rodent control. I keep a few traps but, again, this is labor intensive (forever) and doesn't provide a permanent solution. Because of my protected wildlife habitat, poisons are not in the conversation.
I am a "cat person" having had indoor cats for 48 years and a few outdoor feral cats as well. To my knowledge none of my feral cats ever bothered my chickens even when they free range, but eventually I have lost all outdoor-only cats to predators. So, I have been considering bringing in a young feral cat to live inside my enclosed cat run. This cat would have access to the run and the coop, in hopes it will reduce the rodent population. Hopefully keeping it inside their enclosure would negate its ability to kill the wildlife that live on my property. I'm thinking that if a get a young feral and it becomes accustomed to the chickens, it will not harm them. My run is approx 300 square feet and has a separate enclosed area (approx 60 sq.ft) that I can use as the "cat house" when I open the run up for free-range access. I'm wondering if anyone has experience housing a feral cat inside their chicken enclosure for rodent control.

Please tell us or show us what kind of chicken feeders that you used. Specifically, did you ever try a treadle feeder?

The scented oil and hot pepper for repelling rats just isn't going to work. Enough scent in an enclosed space, maybe, if it was eye watering strong. But you already have experienced that.

There is only one thing that is absolutely needed to control rodents; stop feeding them.

There are three paths to dealing with rodents;

Sanitation, bulk feed in metal containers, clean up the pathways that rodents use to travel to the food source so natural predators can get to them, and using a proper ratproof treadle feeder. Narrow and distant treadle, spring pre loaded door heavy enough to prevent rodents from just pushing the door open. All metal, no plastic. Do your research and don't trust any recommendation that comes with a link to purchase. Pay more attention to the negative reviews than the positive reviews. Figure $120 to $140 for a good feeder with the shipping included. And the labor to clean up the pathways.

Exclusion, a fort knox coop. Hardware cloth, no openings larger than a nickel. No free range. Going to cost a lot of money and maybe 16 man hours of labor for a small coop. Plan on a few hundred to a thousand bucks depending on the size of the coop. It does work though.

Elimination, traps and poisons, never ending work and expense, plus you have already rightfully rejected going there. Cheaper than a treadle feeder if it works long term but it rarely does. Over the life of the coop, it is likely more expensive.

A cat in a chicken coop? Might work, but would you want to live in an area covered in chicken crap? Especially if you licked your paws to clean them? No kisses from that kitty.....

 

[McChooky]

My land is a certified wildlife habitat and I have many birds, rabbits, fox, deer and more species that live here, so just having "barn cats" on the property is too much of a danger to my wildlife population.
I've kept chickens for 16 years, in a predator-proof run and coop (never been breached by anything other than rodents and snakes). I currently have 26 birds, both full-size and bantams. I keep my bulk feed in sealed containers in a separate storage cabinet and I use peppermint and other oils and cayenne in this enclosure, so no rodent problem there. But in the coop and run I still have an ongoing rodent problem and this scented deterrent requires constant refreshing and even then doesn't really have any effect in these large open-air spaces. I've tried different types of feeders, but none work well as feeders or rodent control. I keep a few traps but, again, this is labor intensive (forever) and doesn't provide a permanent solution. Because of my protected wildlife habitat, poisons are not in the conversation.
I am a "cat person" having had indoor cats for 48 years and a few outdoor feral cats as well. To my knowledge none of my feral cats ever bothered my chickens even when they free range, but eventually I have lost all outdoor-only cats to predators. So, I have been considering bringing in a young feral cat to live inside my enclosed cat run. This cat would have access to the run and the coop, in hopes it will reduce the rodent population. Hopefully keeping it inside their enclosure would negate its ability to kill the wildlife that live on my property. I'm thinking that if a get a young feral and it becomes accustomed to the chickens, it will not harm them. My run is approx 300 square feet and has a separate enclosed area (approx 60 sq.ft) that I can use as the "cat house" when I open the run up for free-range access. I'm wondering if anyone has experience housing a feral cat inside their chicken enclosure for rodent control.

I framed up some walls on a covered patio and covered it in vinyl coated steel hardware cloth to keep out small and large predators. After plastics attached it'll block wind,rain and snow and keep it dry. 2 of my outside cats will live in here 24/7 so predators can't kill them or steal their cat food.It keeps the chickens away from my front door too

 

[FrostRanger]

I think it'll work. I have a stray/feral cat population than often visits my property and none of them have ever bothered my birds. You just have to watch out for chicks and make sure that they can get out of each other's way if needed. Also, you're going to need to find a way to keep the birds out of the cat's food. My girls go nuts for cat food so I have to move the cats' food before I let them free range

 

[McChooky]

I keep dry catfood on top of my chicken run .This way the chickens can't reach it and rodents can't find it as long as I pull it before dark.We only have one stray cat it's not a feral

 

[PatriciafromCO]

How big is your enclosed area? Think they will be fine living in a building that has room and areas to climb. You going in there to feed and do chores they have plenty of interaction. The strays here are come and go loose and don't bother my birds or the hatchlings are under the care of adults birds. The birds will jumped down under the house to eat out of the cat bowls and the cats will eat with them. The first stray that showed up I found cuddled between to chickens in the barn one winter.

 

[Panamom]

My land is a certified wildlife habitat and I have many birds, rabbits, fox, deer and more species that live here, so just having "barn cats" on the property is too much of a danger to my wildlife population.
I've kept chickens for 16 years, in a predator-proof run and coop (never been breached by anything other than rodents and snakes). I currently have 26 birds, both full-size and bantams. I keep my bulk feed in sealed containers in a separate storage cabinet and I use peppermint and other oils and cayenne in this enclosure, so no rodent problem there. But in the coop and run I still have an ongoing rodent problem and this scented deterrent requires constant refreshing and even then doesn't really have any effect in these large open-air spaces. I've tried different types of feeders, but none work well as feeders or rodent control. I keep a few traps but, again, this is labor intensive (forever) and doesn't provide a permanent solution. Because of my protected wildlife habitat, poisons are not in the conversation.
I am a "cat person" having had indoor cats for 48 years and a few outdoor feral cats as well. To my knowledge none of my feral cats ever bothered my chickens even when they free range, but eventually I have lost all outdoor-only cats to predators. So, I have been considering bringing in a young feral cat to live inside my enclosed cat run. This cat would have access to the run and the coop, in hopes it will reduce the rodent population. Hopefully keeping it inside their enclosure would negate its ability to kill the wildlife that live on my property. I'm thinking that if a get a young feral and it becomes accustomed to the chickens, it will not harm them. My run is approx 300 square feet and has a separate enclosed area (approx 60 sq.ft) that I can use as the "cat house" when I open the run up for free-range access. I'm wondering if anyone has experience housing a feral cat inside their chicken enclosure for rodent control.

I have a pack of cats, not all are hunters, but some are. They keep the rodents down, although there are gory remains left in bathtubs, stashed in places in the house...These are not feral and live in the home, just go in and out. They don't harm the birds. But I don't let them near the chicks when I have them.