Well THAT went well! (sarcasm)

[newlyweds]

My cat Chloe has quickly learned to leave the chicks and chickens alone, its so funny, she sits and stalks all day long, occasionally she will chase one of my adolescents chicks (15 weeks old). But she never follows through just like the chase. But when she gets near my older hens, they chase her, its hilarious!

Here's my silly cat hiding in the feed bag.

 

[grace6691]

I have bird dogs, a lab and a German Shorthair. They will never be in the open with my chickens. Why? Because chickens are birds and bird dogs hunt and retrieve birds. Their nose knows the difference between a duck, a pheasant and a chicken, but their eyes see a bird. Can't and won't try train not pursuing chickens, because they are trained to hunt birds. Besides, if training them not to chase chickens work as well as training them not the chase cats, I wouldn't have any chickens left.

I have a German Shorthair Pointer he's 11 years old and he's been around chickens for 5 years and has never been a problem. He only had to be told once that he's never supposed to touch the chickens and we supervised him with them after that, but now he goes around the big girls every day and has never had an accident. They really can be trained not to chase chickens or cats for that matter haha because mine doesn't and he even went to bird dog school when he was younger and he hunts​

 

[KKatknap]

I haven't read all the posts, but my 2 cents is that you really don't need to "train" your cat to live in harmony with your chickens. Full grown chickens (if they are standard-sized) will generally frighten away cats. I say this as the owner of 4 "shop cats" who have more than proven their prowess at hunting. They daydream about the chickens (I can see it as they gaze longingly in their direction), but they stay way clear of the big girls.

Personally, I would never allow any of my kitties access to any of my young chickens. Cats are just stinkin' fast, and it isn't worth it. Believe me, you will never teach kitty not to hunt them. All you can do is wait until they are big enough to deter kitty themselves. It happens without conditioning or training.

 

[Morgan7782]

Very well said all! I will absolutely wait until my girls grow up a bit more and then THEY will teach Sampson not to mess with them. Both my girls are Standard Fowl, one is a BR and one is an EE, both are BIG! My cat really is not that big at all, so I think once the girls have time to grow there will be no more problems.

I will not try to get him used to my girls as pullets, like the above post the temptation is too great. Glad to hear once the girls are grown there is a better chance for success though! Until that time I will continue the "kitty shuffle".

My older cat totally ignores the girls, even when they strut past him, he doesn't blink an eye. He still remembers my first Barred Rocks, and knows to give that beak some respect lol! Sampson is young yet, he will learn

 

[rancher hicks]

My DD's home from college and her kitten Norma Jean got in the brooder in my office and went to sleep with the chicks. She got pecked and woke up before my DD could get a pic. My other cats seem ok with the big girls but I don't trust them with the chicks. Especially the EE's that look like sparrows.
My neighbors cat and a stray hanging around however i don't think are safe with the broodies and their chicks.

 

[catsmithpuddin]

I know our BRs taught the house cat a lesson after the cat chased a 4month old into and around the house. (wish i had a recording of that!) the next time he tried to sneak out the door the roo beat him up good and the next time he about fell over his tail running back in the doorwhen he say the herd on the porch. I bout wet myself laughing at him.