letting a hen hatch chicks

[centrarchid]

Not all cats are the same but for me they are much less inclined to go after chicks, especially if hen or aggressive rooster present. If cat appears to direct unwanted attention towards chicks, then release hen so she can flog threatening cat. Such flogged cats learn very quickly, more so than dogs under similar conditions. I have several hen and chick units like Den and Penn posted plus four cats and two dogs. Chick welfare is vary good with only concern being with cocciodosis when ground is consistently wet.

 

[Den in Penn]

Grew up with chickens and cats. Had broodies with chicks running around, when mom is present the cats do know better. Its when the I'm away and mom is confined with the supposedly confined chicks that the concern arises. That portable run is only for the older chicks when they need more room then the grow out coop allows, so I used the 2x3 mesh. By the time the chicks are old enough to use it any cat that can get through that is not a threat. But I don't have a dog like centrachid does so really my bigger concern is the other local predator population. Which brings me back to the concern with raising chicks with the flock, that a run that confines and protects an older chicken may not be adequate for chicks in most cases..

 

[centrarchid]

Grew up with chickens and cats. Had broodies with chicks running around, when mom is present the cats do know better. Its when the I'm away and mom is confined with the supposedly confined chicks that the concern arises. That portable run is only for the older chicks when they need more room then the grow out coop allows, so I used the 2x3 mesh. By the time the chicks are old enough to use it any cat that can get through that is not a threat. But I don't have a dog like centrachid does so really my bigger concern is the other local predator population. Which brings me back to the concern with raising chicks with the flock, that a run that confines and protects an older chicken may not be adequate for chicks in most cases..

Without dog and having all adult chickens penned, Coopers Hawks can be a real problem with chicks that get out away from little chicken tractors. My brother went through a production season a few years back with all dogs penned up near the tractors and had a Coopers come in like clock work to snag chicks and fly off with them squawling. The chicks wandered too from where dogs were to get more eats. Problem was resolved by tying out roosters in areas chicks foraged and placing feeders amoung bushes between tied dogs. Other chicks he simply penned up. The free-range chicks were much more vigerous.