Chicken eating rat poop

[CALI CHICK]

OK - I know this is disgusting, but our Barred Rock has taken a liking to rat poop!

We never had pests until we got our chickens. The rats sneak into the chicken yard and knaw on the coop door to eat the chicken feed. We try to keep the food cleaned up and out of reach, but the rat(s) keeps coming back. We've baited and killed many, but the word is out in the "rat community" where to find the free food!
Before I can look around and rid the chicken yard of rat droppings each morning, our Rocky searches for the little terds! Again - Yuk!

She had gobbled dozens up before we came to realize what she was eating.

Does anyone know if she is likely to die or contract a disease from the rats? I know some people keep these creatures as pets and they seem rather healthy, but it is really un-nerving to have a favorite chicken looking for these morning delicasies from the neighborhood rodents!

 

[ChickenPeep]

Oh chickens. They'll eat anything.

Sorry, I don't really know how to help you. :/

 

[Kagu]

yes, they will, and its gross!

i dont know how to help you but i must defend rat lovers-
Rats are only CLEAN if they are pETS, WILD rats

 

[Kagu]

are NOT clean,sorry

 

[Time-Out]

Sorry to revive an old thread. I wondered if the OP has any updates. Are your chickens all still healthy or did they catch something? One of mine seems to have just vacuumed up a load, so I'm a bit concerned!

 

[CALI CHICK]

Sorry to revive an old thread. I wondered if the OP has any updates. Are your chickens all still healthy or did they catch something? One of mine seems to have just vacuumed up a load, so I'm a bit concerned!

Actually all my chickens are still alive and well! They either have real good immune systems or we have clean rats around here!

I hope your chicken is OK

 

[cvande]

mine are doing the same..it makes me think twice about eating the eggs..will the eggs make us sick?
I am surely grossed out and have backed off on eating my 'farm fresh' eggs! gross!

 

[20andy19]

Hi i know this is an old topic but my hens have ate a considerable amount of rat poop! Im concerned and wont eat the eggs now! The hens all seem fine but after a hospital stay my 'hired' help wasnt very helpful at all and left the feed bins accessible to the rats and left the hens doors open and now i have a bad infestation of rats. There was alot of rat poop around and within 5 minutes they ate nearly all of the poop! Should.b be concerned?

 

[20andy19]

Should i be concerned*

 

[Sue Gremlin]

I wouldn't worry a ton, but they are likely to get tapeworms from that.