Predatory Cat and Letting Chickens Free Range

[sacchicken931]

I have a particularly predatory cat. This guy usually brings me about 4-5 mice per month, sometimes birds and about once a year a full grown squirrel. He's big for a house cat too. At what age can I let my chickens free range in his presence? I'm not too worried about the RIR, but I am concerned for the gold sex pullet and araucanas....all egg layers.

I'd rather not have to lock him in the house while the chickens are out all day. He's mostly an outdoor cat.

 

[Imp]

Cats don't generally mess with full grown chickens. Occasionally someone will post that a cat killed their bird. Chicks are another story. I wouldn't trust a cat with chicks.

Imp- My hens terrorize the cats

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

My cats will hunt wild birds, rats, and small animals like that but never have taken an interest in my chicks or chickens....I have one cat that sleeps in the brooder when I have chicks in it...and only when there are chicks in it. I guess they keep her warm

 

[gritsar]

And my hunter (former feral) became a housecat so the chickens could free range. We thought they'd get big enough so she'd leave them alone, but every once in awhile we test her to see if she's ready to stop hunting the chickens and every time she goes straight for the throat.
Depends on the cat.

 

[Judy]

Definitely depends on the cat, but I'd say the vast majority leave the chickens alone. Usually one good peck from an aggressive chickens is all it takes. You could supplement the peck with a squirt from the garden hose.

My hunting cat and my 4 dogs all roam free with the chickens.

 

[rachelbinnc]

I've had good luck with my three cats, as well as my dog, but I watched them for a long time before I felt totally comfortable. I was especially worried about my one crazy siamese who is not only an avid hunter, but fairly obsessive about anything that catches his interest. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. He took one look in the brooder and ran for it. Maybe he thinks all of those teeny chicks together in one box look like one big mean critter. Who really understands the inner workings of the feline mind? I would just do some highly supervised introductions and try to guage your cat's interest. Is he stalking? If so, spray him good with a water gun. Then see what happens the next time he encounters the chickens.

Oh, another thing about my chicks was that if any of the cats did find a spot nearby to sprawl out, the chicks would be attracted to the big shiny cat eyes and would inevitably try to swoop in to take a peck. That only happened once or twice before the cats really started to avoid being anywhere around them. Cats like to stalk but they don't like their prey stalking them in return!

 

[AZKat]

I'm brooding my chicks in the house (they are only a few days old), but put them out to run around for a couple of hours in the morning, and a couple more in the afternoon. The first time I did it, my grouchy old lady cat, Sekhmet, who used to be a great birder in her youth, was *stalking* them, and preparing to spring. And the three other cats who live in the area had to come over, and they all looked like they were looking for lunch.

So, until they are old enough to defend themselves, they only free range when someone can be out in the back yard to watch them. Fortunately, my six year old enjoys being the 'chicken guard'.

 

[Bluebyrd]

My cats are very interested in my chicks, I let my older chicks ( 13 weeks old) out to freerange just before dark, I have to guard my chicks with the garden hose, which I have used on the cats once they start stalking. They keep trying every few days or so, i guess to see if I changed my mind. The chicks are so used to the cats they don't pay much attention to them really, which is very bad. Once the chicks get full grown I suppose I should let an attack occur so the cat learns a lesson, but that means risking one of the chickens life or serious injury. So, I think, I will guarding my chickens with a garden hose the rest of my life!!!!