Integrating a cat with chickens

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I have one cat and 7 chickens that both love to free range. I let the cat free range during the day, and the chickens from about 2 hrs before dark until they put themselves to bed. During the day the chickens stay in a chain link fence run that is bordered at the bottom with chicken wire so that the cat can't reach through.

Initially, the cat was very attentive to the chickens and would do cat things like stalking and rushing the fence, but now she seems to leave them alone. She's about 1 yr old; the chickens are 12 weeks old.

I would like very much to let the chickens free range all day because they love it. So I'm wondering how to go about integrating the two without endangering the chickens. I've already had the cat out with me while the chickens were free ranging, but I held her in my arms while the chickens scurried about my feet. She was very attentive, but also very calm.

The only step I know to take at the moment is to clip the cat's nails. Other than that I'm kind of at a loss for ideas. Any help to get me started is appreciated.

 

[silkiecuddles]

I have a cat that's 4 years old, and she lives IN the coop, poops in the run, drinks out of the chicken waterer, and suns herself on the other coop's roof. As long as you don't see any aggressiveness in the cat, then you'll probably be fine. You'll esp. be fine if a chicken attacks the cat, kitty won't forget that, ESP. if it was an angry broody

My kitty also hasn't shown any signs of stalking my chickens, who free-range all day, or pigeons, who she is only divided from by some chicken wire.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I have a cat that's 4 years old, and she lives IN the coop, poops in the run, drinks out of the chicken waterer, and suns herself on the other coop's roof. As long as you don't see any aggressiveness in the cat, then you'll probably be fine. You'll esp. be fine if a chicken attacks the cat, kitty won't forget that, ESP. if it was an angry broody

My kitty also hasn't shown any signs of stalking my chickens, who free-range all day, or pigeons, who she is only divided from by some chicken wire.

That's good to hear. I forgot to mention that I have 4 hens and 3 roosters. I have heard that roosters will protect the flock, but I see little indication of that characteristic in mine. Does that develop over time?

 

[silkiecuddles]

If they're young they'll get better with age. Sometimes a little too good, and then they get a train ticket out here

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Would I be crazy to let the cat loose under close supervision while the chickens are out? Just trying to see if there are some horror stories or something that I need to prepare my mind for.

 

[ChristieB]

My cat is always in the coop and run, the girls just give her a wide berth, but since they are for the most part bigger than the cat I don't worry at all. A cat is really only a danger to chicks , full grown hens and roosters should be fine. (A feral cat might be a different story though)

 

[silkiecuddles]

Maybe throw your rooster at the cat to leave a permanent scar in the cat's memory?

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

My cat is always in the coop and run, the girls just give her a wide berth, but since they are for the most part bigger than the cat I don't worry at all. A cat is really only a danger to chicks , full grown hens and roosters should be fine. (A feral cat might be a different story though)

At what age are chickens considered full grown?

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Maybe throw your rooster at the cat to leave a permanent scar in the cat's memory?

That's a good idea. I'm kind of wary of grabbing them though. They won't let me touch them, but they do like being around me and some will come up and explore my foot/leg with their beaks.

 

[ChristieB]

At what age are chickens considered full grown?

I'd say laying age, 18 weeks at the youngest, depends on the breed, my bantams I would never leave alone but the Sussex I've had since 10 weeks old and i never worried about them. Now they are twice as big as the cat.

As an aside I saw you said you have 3 roosters and only 4 hens. The general rule is one rooster to 6 or more hens or you risk fighting among the roosters and over mating of the hens. You might need to rehome some boys sorry