How to raise Backyard Chickens: Re: [CHICKENS-101] I lost my first chick!

Like I said, I am sure some cats can and will kill chickens but you're going to see evidence of a struggle. And it won't be quick. The average cat is 8lbs and some standards are about that big, so there will be evidence. I have fox, raccoon, possum, fisher, marten, coyote, bear and hawks and owls - I worry much more about them than I ever will a cat. That said if I had a cat that wanted to hunt chickens we would have a talk.

Or my NH Red cockerel might have a talk with them.

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 13, 2013, at 17:10, CathrynTherese <cathryntherese@yahoo.com> wrote:

That is not true at all. I caught my cat after a white rock this summer when I let them out to forage in the evening in the garden with me. He obviously did not believe me that my chickens were off limits. I picked up an approx 3' long, 4" diameter branch and threw it and hit him in the shoulder. (At that distance I am still amazed that I hit him.) I dug my pullet out from under the tall grass in the fence row where she hid, and pecked his head hard with her beak, yelling at him the entire time. Garf has not approached another chicken. When Double Toes was going to go after a serama on the floor just as I was bending over to get Toes by the tail, Garf ran in and nosed Toes. They both left the barn. Cats can and will kill a full grown chicken, easily. I will not tolerate any of my barn/farm cats hurting my chickens and they are not allowed into their pens.

Cathryn rainbowsilkiesTM in Michigan