How do you all stop chickens from eating barn cat food?

[LostInAppalachia]

Just feed your cats only what they can eat at one sitting and when the chickens aren't around. Feeding them in the chicken space isn't working so you can just feed outside somewhere the chickens don't expect it to be, and if they never get a meal they won't come to that spot looking.

We fed our barn cats on the back porch and picked up the bowls when they were done. They learned there were two times a day to get fed and they showed up promptly for it. But we also fed wet food because it's better for the health of cats.
After 6 years of doing well here, both of our beautiful boys disappeared within a month of each other last fall. We were so sad, it must have been a predator as we are surrounded with farms and woods, not roads.

I’m so sorry about your babies!! I’m grateful that so far our livestock guardians in the pasture have kept the coyotes at bay. I think trying wet food is an excellent idea. They will probably eat it faster. I can’t stand the cats near the house anymore so they have been kicked out to the barn. The chickens come out of the coop from the corid treatment today. Wish me luck!

 

[Penpal]

I would just bring the cats into the house to feed them. Chickens aren't the only ones that eat cat food. I caught an opossum swiping the cat food once.

 

[LostInAppalachia]

I would just bring the cats into the house to feed them. Chickens aren't the only ones that eat cat food. I caught an opossum swiping the cat food once.

We are severely allergic to our dirty little monkeys so they have to eat outside for now.

 

[Liz1799]

Same problem. Large plastic tote with doors cut in each end and reattached with zip ties, set up on table.$10 solution. My birds haven’t figured out there are tasty nibbles inside. They don’t seem to like the swinging door either. Other barn prowlers have discovered it, so I feed a limited amount twice a day. Has worked well for a year or so.

 

[bobbi-j]

Feed the cats after the chickens go to roost at night.

 

[Folly's place]

Our barn cat ate meals, good dry food that was not just left out there. At mealtime the cat would show up, and ate in the tack room away from the chickens.
Food left out will attract every critter around, including skunks. Ask me how I know this...
Mary

 

[RedRoxy]

Our barn cats and our free range chickens don’t. Everyone gets feed, but our free range chickens prefer cat food. Our cats will kill possums and squirrels, but will not defend their food against chickens. They went from being barn cats to being garage cats. Our garage eventually got peed/pooped in, littered with squirrel tails, and they are screaming for feed at the door. What’s worse is the chickens have simply started braving the garage and leaving the occasional poop in return. As of this week, everyone has been kicked out of the garage because the chickens are on lockdown getting treatment. The chickens start free ranging again today. How do you keep your chickens from eating barn cat food?

Sorry I just thought your whole story so fun…. I can just imagine a “gang” of chickens giving your cats a “beat down” for cat food hahahaha