I am totally bummed

[kingme]

I have a fenced off area for my garden, chickens, and my daughters rabbits. We had a cage malfuntion and our baby bunny got out. We can't find it, but my neighbor saw a cat carrying something about the size of our bunny. I really hate cats and wish people would control their animals (sorry to any cat people on here). Needless to say I am really sad and so are my daughters. It got me thinking, do I need to worry about cats getting my chickens? I have five leghorns that are about 10 weeks old and four barred rocks that are about 13 weeks old. I think the barred rock are big enough to put up a fight, but I am not sure about the others. I have a coop that is off the ground and it has a closed run, enclosed with chicken wire. Any thoughts. Thanks for your help.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I'm so sorry to hear about your baby bunny. I have a bunny myself.

I would worry about the chickens sticking their heads out the chicken wire and any preditor - cat included, being able to take a wack, bite, or pulling your chicks through the wire.

 

[kingme]

Thanks for the response, It's 1 inch chicken wire, I don't think they can stick a head in. And the chickens are too large to be pulled through it.

 

[Imp]

Cats don't generally go after full size chickens, but there is always the exception. Chicks are another story.
My feral, stray, and pet cats outside are afraid of the chickens. The chickens will run them off their food.

Imp- As a cat person not offended at all. it's just life. Good luck.

 

[crtrlovr]

Quote:
maybe they (the chickens) can't be completely pulled through it, but an enterprising raccoon can certainly yank a head OFF through it...

 

[kingme]

How did this become a thread about racoons pulling heads off??? I don't have racoons here, questions was about cats...

 

[CMV]

Quote:
You THINK you don't have raccoons, but you do. Crtrlovr was just trying to be helpful. Most of us don't realize how many different predators we have floating around our yards after dark until we get chickens. Then we get some pretty harsh lessons quickly. Unfortunately, those lessons are usually too late for our feathered friends.

Cats will go after chickens if there is no other food source available. Whether they can bring one down successfully is up to debate, but cats can inflict some nasty, dirty wounds trying.

 

[lleighmay]

A friend's mostly grown chicken stuck it's head out through his 1 inch wire and got its head bitten off by a feral cat. He's since added additional smaller wire around the lower perimeter.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Before my chicken days and living on a city lot I put in a pond with five fancy gold fish that my daughter named. (Didn't want to spend the money for koi in the event I attracted coons).

Those five fish lived happy lives for three years getting big and fat and spawning twice.

Then I went out one day to feed them and noticed my plant all turned upside down and only one fish left. Discovered fish scales on the lawn.

That night, three HUGE coons came back and got the last one along with the frog that hung out.

I waited 6 months and got more fish. They got finished off within a month.

Waited another year and got feeder gold fish. They lasted 3 months.

Since moving to my 4 acres two years ago, I haven't seen any coons or possum but it doesn't mean there not there. I do see coyotes, hawks, bald eagles.

My chickens are important enough to me to protect them the best I can. It's up to others to deside for themselves what level of protection that's right for them.

 

[kingme]

Thank you for the responses, although I maintain we do not have coons. But i have seem opossums. My concern right now are cats. I plan to get a trap and remove any critter that gets in my yard.