Chicken Ate Dead Mouse - Poison Concern

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Hi! My crazy chicken, Willy Honka, tossed back what my husband believes was a dead mouse 2 days ago. He said it happened so fast he couldn't be sure, but I've since been worried about rodenticide poisoning. I'm hoping it was maybe a mole and/or not dead until she ate it, but who knows. We don't use rodenticide but I'm unsure about neighbors.

When should I expect to see signs if she did ingest a poisoned mouse--and what signs do I look for? So far she's acting normally.

Also, is there anything I can do in the meantime? Feed kale? Put milk thistle in water?

 

[MyParadiseFalls]

My cats and chickens have eaten poisoned mice and rodents without a problem, BUT that was only on a couple occasions, we did nothing and they turned out fine. It’s more than likely a mole came up in the chicken run and she went after it. I have never known a chicken to ‘toss back’ and entire mouse whole, I could’ve been something else maybe…

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

My cats and chickens have eaten poisoned mice and rodents without a problem, BUT that was only on a couple occasions, we did nothing and they turned out fine. It’s more than likely a mole came up in the chicken run and she went after it. I have never known a chicken to ‘toss back’ and entire mouse whole, I could’ve been something else maybe…

Thanks for the reassurance. We do get moles in the run occasionally, though this happened when supervised free ranging, in the bushes along the side of our house. My husband said he saw her running with it and before he got to her it was gone. Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed--and it helps knowing that even the worst case scenario may be survivable. So thanks again!

 

[nuthatched]

How close are your neighbors? It will likely be fine as the newer generations of rodent poison are designed to be a minimal threat or nonexistent threat to other animals

 

[Meri Maura]

My cats and chickens have eaten poisoned mice and rodents without a problem, BUT that was only on a couple occasions, we did nothing and they turned out fine. It’s more than likely a mole came up in the chicken run and she went after it. I have never known a chicken to ‘toss back’ and entire mouse whole, I could’ve been something else maybe…

I have seen my chickens devour entire small rats.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

How close are your neighbors? It will likely be fine as the newer generations of rodent poison are designed to be a minimal threat or nonexistent threat to other animals

The closest is a little over 150 ft. Both houses have a lot of open space around them. There is also a house people just moved into at the other side of a little woods at the edge of my property. Also 150+ feet.

Thanks for the reassurance!

 

[coach723]

I've seen my chickens swallow a whole mouse, a whole lizard, and a whole frog.
When they don't want to share, they gulp it down!
If it's been 2 days, I would think she will be fine.

 

[Coops Dad]

Two days ago? Forget about it and rest easy- she would've shown signs of being poisoned well before now. As a testimony, I use a warfarin based rodent poison in my outbuilding which shares a wall with the tractor shed where our chickens hang out. None of my chickens has gotten sick from eating anything they've caught or scavenged in the last 4 years.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

I've seen my chickens swallow a whole mouse, a whole lizard, and a whole frog.
When they don't want to share, they gulp it down!
If it's been 2 days, I would think she will be fine.

They're such little dinosaurs! I'll never forget when my willy (subject of post) and my dog albie--a 100 lb GSD mix--were playing tug of war with a little Sparrow. Nor when Willy won and tossed it down. Crazy beast!

Thanks for the reassurance. I got concerned when I read symptoms can show 1-7 days--such a range lol. She still seems fine, so I am hopeful

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Two days ago? Forget about it and rest easy- she would've shown signs of being poisoned well before now. As a testimony, I use a warfarin based rodent poison in my outbuilding which shares a wall with the tractor shed where our chickens hang out. None of my chickens has gotten sick from eating anything they've caught or scavenged in the last 4 years.

This is heartening to know--and she is still doing well so I think the catastrophe has been averted (or was never a catastrophe in the first place). I appreciate you sharing your experience!