Scared chicks..mouse

[ShaggysGirl]

Hi Guys,
The coop shares a wall with the garage it is 1/2 osb and 1/2 chicken wire.
Yesterday while working in the garage I kept hearing a noise and the chickens were all outside. Then I seen a black mouse....our first but I knew they would come but I didn't think they would till fall. So I set two traps and set them close to where I seen it.
Last night about 11:30 DH had the pup outside to do his business and the roosters were crowing. Very odd since they usually sleep at night. DH took a light out and checked the outside and all looked ok.
This AM I go out to open their pop door and all of the were still on their top roost. Usually they are eating and drinking and standing on the ramp wanting to go out. Even after I opened their door the stayed on the roost. They always rush out when we open the door.
I had to pick up four and set them on the floor and they ran out then the rest jumped down and ran as fast as they could out the coop.
OK so I am thinking that mouse is in there and scared them. I took a rake and went through the litter but found nothing.
I have been wanting a cat and now DH agrees. We are going to get a garage cat....since we have no barn. I never had an outside cat only inside ones but my Dad has one who lives outside very happily and brings them home gifts all the time.
Any tips on training this cat to stay out and to stay around our yard?
I figure a kitten would be best to get to leave the chickens alone.
We would of course fix the cat and get it's shots etc. Are males better mousers than females? Any info on this is appreciated.
thanks
Rhonda

 

[fordmommy]

Good idea to start with a kitten. You should go with a female that's fixed too. The females are more likely to stay close to home and not be a Tom Cat and wander around picking fights with the nieghborhood cats. As long as you give them lots of love and affection, lots of food, and a cozy, warm bed...she should be a good mouser. And being young like that, you can teach her that chickens are friends, not food. But that is not a 100% garrinty. Nothing is.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Once they figure out its fun to play wtih you'll be chasing them around the coop trying to get the mouse away from them

My roo was all happy as can be that he killed a mouse yesterday. It was just

 

[ROOSTER_ROO]

My roos are now in their own section of the coop and it took them about 5 min to find and dispose of the first mouse. We have 40 roos and it was so funny watching them play keep away!

 

[scooter147]

Yep one lucky mouse, mine treat them like T-Bone steaks, DELICIOUS.

As far as the cat, get a female kitten (please spay it) and feed, water and bed it in the coop. It will sleep in the nest box and consider the coop it's home.
When I lived in Illinois I raised two kittens like this and the coop was their home.

 

[ShaggysGirl]

Quote:
Scooter, did they get along well with your chickens? what of any chicks the hens may raise? Keeping her in the coop is a great idea.

Thank you all for the responses. Yes she'll be spayed asap and get her shots and flea preventive. We are going to look at what the local humane society has available on Monday. I already bought litter, box, food and toys. I want her to like it here. This will be my first outside cat. I haven't had a cat in like 15 years and they all lived indoors. One would run the other way when the door opened.

 

[DLS]

once those chickens get big enough you won't need a cat ever again. they catch & eat mice & love them like candy

 

[scooter147]

Yep, sure did.
At first there were a couple pecks by the top ranking hens but other than that I didn't have any issues. As a kitten the hens did not see it as a threat and as time went on the hens completely ignored the two cats. Matter of fact, in the winter when I went in to collect eggs the cats had usually crawled in a nest box that was occupied by a hen, nice and toasty warm.
As far as chicks go, the two cats never really seemed to show a lot of interest in them as from at least what I observed. I would assume if the cats got too close momma hen would put them in their place.