Rooster vs. Kitten

[Love my chickens 25]

Mine are all used to each other but keep them separate for now. My bantam hens when pullets came running at our cat. They just ignore each other,

 

[FuzzyCritters]

At least two more. 1 to two isn’t a flock. Three is the lowest number that actually is a flock.

No, pairs are fine. Two chickens might not be considered a "flock", but they still get to have company. Many people keep pairs of chickens, and the chickens are perfectly happy. More chickens would be better, but if they can't get 2 more chickens one more would be okay.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Our cats used to be quite interested in the chickens until we had two tiny bantam roosters who thought they were kings of the world, stalked and then attacked (1 or 2 jabs) the cats. The cats have left the chickens alone since then.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

No, pairs are fine. Two chickens might not be considered a "flock", but they still get to have company. Many people keep pairs of chickens, and the chickens are perfectly happy. More chickens would be better, but if they can't get 2 more chickens one more would be okay.

True. I forget about the limits in city’s and stuff.

 

[Ribh]

I keep an eye on my cats & chickens. One cat the birds don't even alarm for. He's not much of a hunter. The other is & my birds are wary of him but he made the mistake of taking on a POL BR when the chickens first arrived. All she did was stand tall & fluff out but she scared that cat silly & he leaves the birds alone now. I still don't trust them alone together just because a cat is a cat & likes to chase things that run.

 

[Kelly Klumpp]

If you only have one chicken, you really need to get another. Chickens are very social animals and are happier with friends.

we started with 6 chicks, in fact, and one night a neighboring dog came in and killed them all, took two, and left the one rooster who had hidden somehow. after that we moved, and now we are looking to add new birds to our flock; now there's a safe and secure place we built to house them.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Poultry and felines DO NOT get along! That rooster could easily kill that kitten if he gets ahold of it and it’s trapped... and when the kitten gets older instinct will take over and it will want to eat the rooster. I would not raise them together or let them have anything to do with each other. Just a generally bad idea.

That is preposterous. Yes the rooster could definitely injure or kill a kitten; however, making a blanket statement that all poultry and felines don't get along is not at all accurate. Nor is it accurate to say that as a kitten matures "instinct will take over" and it will kill the rooster.

Many years ago I had a stray kitten come up. Of his own accord he started sleeping with the chickens when he was about two months old and never stopped. His name was Chicken Kitty, and he was very gentle with all the birds, from the youngsters on the ground to the larger birds in the breeding pens. He'd even throw himself down in front of them when I put out hen scratch so they'd scratch his stomach while they were looking for grain. He only slept with the youngsters at first, but as he got older he'd turn up in random houses up on the perch with the birds ready to get locked up for the night. He did that for years and never hurt a bird.

As stated above, animals are individuals. I don't think I'll ever have another cat that goes to roost with the birds, but someone else might. I might also have never had a cat that tried to take chicks out of a brooder in the house, but others might. Use common sense to protect the kitten from the bird and vice versa.

 

[Aapomp831]

That is preposterous. Yes the rooster could definitely injure or kill a kitten; however, making a blanket statement that all poultry and felines don't get along is not at all accurate. Nor is it accurate to say that as a kitten matures "instinct will take over" and it will kill the rooster.

Many years ago I had a stray kitten come up. Of his own accord he started sleeping with the chickens when he was about two months old and never stopped. His name was Chicken Kitty, and he was very gentle with all the birds, from the youngsters on the ground to the larger birds in the breeding pens. He'd even throw himself down in front of them when I put out hen scratch so they'd scratch his stomach while they were looking for grain. He only slept with the youngsters at first, but as he got older he'd turn up in random houses up on the perch with the birds ready to get locked up for the night. He did that for years and never hurt a bird.

As stated above, animals are individuals. I don't think I'll ever have another cat that goes to roost with the birds, but someone else might. I might also have never had a cat that tried to take chicks out of a brooder in the house, but others might. Use common sense to protect the kitten from the bird and vice versa.

It’s not preposterous. Cats are predators. Chickens are prey. Simple as that. Maybe some situations can be different, but at the end of the day the two species are not and were never meant to be friends.

 

[RainbowHen]

Raised barn cats and chickens for many years together and never had a problem with either. If your rooster is actively attacking your kitten then you will need a to separate the two. Best of luck

 

[ColtHandorf]

It’s not preposterous. Cats are predators. Chickens are prey. Simple as that. Maybe some situations can be different, but at the end of the day the two species are not and were never meant to be friends.

Alarmist then. Saying they were never meant to be "friends" is called anthropomorphism and is also not true in the sense that animals aren't "friends" with other animals. They can coexist with one another. It's fine to have an opinion but issuing blanket statements where animals are concerned is generally not the best practice. Just because we have written books on animals doesn't mean they have. Animals, like people, are individuals. As such they may behave in vastly different ways. I can walk outside and look at all my chickens and say they are all chickens and treat them all the same, but I also know from experience with them that the English Orpingtons are calm, gentle birds. The White Orpingtons prefer to be out in the evenings free-ranging while the Silver-laced would rather lounge in the barn even if the gate is open. The Seramas are easily alarmed. The Lemon Blue Cochin Bantams like to be underfoot and investigating everything you do. Just because my birds behave that way doesn't mean that yours or anyone else's will do so. I can only speak from my experience.