Author Topic: growing chicks and cats (Read 3422 times)

ladyK · « **on:** September 06, 2014, 01:06:47 pm »

My broody hatched a single chick 5 weeks ago - first time for me and for her! The little one has been growing well and coming along nicely. So far chick and mum have been confined to various small runs, the biggest one is in a net covered vegetable bed currently empty - just about OK for space at the moment.
Our hens are all free ranging and I am wondering at which point it would be (relatively) safe to let the pair roam outside with the rest of the flock. We thankfully do not seem to have a lot of predators around but... I have some fearless hunting cats (they regularly catch squirrels besides the daily crop of mice, voles and moles...) and I rather worry the chick needs to be a lot bigger than 5-6 weeks to be able to defend itself from them. They don't bother the hens but have been staring at the chick through the wire, and today Miki actually attempted to jump on the netting...
Anyone has experience with this? Will mum be enough of a defender at some point? Or how much longer should I keep them both confined? Thanks for your advice!

shygirl · « **Reply #1 on:** September 06, 2014, 01:17:08 pm »

we lost alot of 10 week old chicks to a village cat on more than one occassion.
our new cat is a hunter and will try and catch the hens but cant - touch wood. but i have no doubt he would take a young chick if he had the chance

in the hills · « **Reply #2 on:** September 06, 2014, 01:23:47 pm »

I suppose it's not a good sign if one of your mogs jumped on the netting

but our chicks, with a good broody, are allowed out and about at about that age ..... they are often pekins and so still relatively small. Our cat, before we took her on, had been largely left for weeks to fend for herself. She is a good little huntress and will bring back fairly big young rabbits in the spring etc. When we first started rearing chickens she did watch them but never harmed any and now totally ignores them.

A neighbour has 3 rescue cats that were complete ferals before she had them. She lets her broodies and day old chicks out and says cats don't touch them.

I think a lot of cats just seem to 'know' and don't take chicks/growers even though they are quite capable of doing so. I suppose some would though.

Could you let them out while you and mogs were around and see what the reaction is?

Cross posted with SG

ladyK · « **Reply #3 on:** September 06, 2014, 05:21:09 pm »

Thanks both for sharing yours and neighbours' experiences - gives me a better picture, but in the end it's hard to know what my particular cats will do in this situation

In the past they have occasionally triedd to take a swipe at the hens but they always end up being chased away with a big squawking racket and they keep away now, but I didn't like the stalking scene today...
I have been letting mum & chick out of the run for an hour in the early evening when I can be around, and they mill about for a bit, clearly enjoying themselves, before mum takes herself and baby to bed early but that's also the time when the cats tend to be fast asleep in the house...

hughesy · « **Reply #4 on:** September 06, 2014, 07:21:06 pm »

We lost several fully grown large fowl to a local cat so chicks have got no chance if Puss is hungry.

HesterF · « **Reply #5 on:** September 06, 2014, 07:29:06 pm »

I've got hunting cats who have taken young chicks and ducklings from the brooder before. I've got six week olds with a broody at the moment and they're not going out free range for a good few weeks yet. What I will do first is let them into the big run with the other chickens first - it's theoretically predator proof but one cat can get into it but is chased off by the cockerel so it's a safer option to begin with.

landroverroy · « **Reply #6 on:** September 06, 2014, 07:32:47 pm »

I most certainly wouldn't trust the cat. If you had several chicks and lost one or two, it would be annnoying/sad, but not the end of the world. But you've only got the one, so if that gets killed then it's a 100% loss, not just for you but for the poor mother hen.
Also, I would not rely on a broody to protect a 5 week old chick as fiercely as she would in their 1st week. A lot of hens will abandon their chicks and leave them to their own devices once they get to 6 weeks old.

ladyK · « **Reply #7 on:** September 07, 2014, 02:14:55 pm »

Thanks for all your thoughts, some good points made there.
Looks like I need to plan for more a prolonged confinement...

lord flynn · « **Reply #8 on:** September 07, 2014, 07:33:54 pm »

my cat isn't to be trusted-he's no longer interested in the 12 week olds but still stares at the 8 week olds! I did get him to hunt so its fair enough. We have sparrow hawks, hen harriers, crows and ravens allegedly that mine are kept under cover until they are 5 months and i may keep the smaller breed ones under net for the winter.

artscott · « **Reply #9 on:** September 08, 2014, 12:56:28 pm »

Of the various cats we have had over the years only one has taken chicks, and he was a real bugger for it. He knew it was wrong and would hide for a couple of days after he had done the deed. He would take chicks and ducks up to about half grown. The rest of them never even tried to catch chicks, but one did take a full brood of pheasants I hatched under a broody hen. Somehow they seemed to know the difference between game bird and chicken chicks.

You will only find out by trying it. You only have one chick so if you are going to be devastated by the loss don’t do it. If you had more chicks or are not to bothered about the one you have try it and if the chick survives you will know for next time.