Chickens eating Lizards???

[dutchbunny83]

I know chickens eat bugs, but I didn't think they actually hunted animals.
We live in the sandhills in North Carolina and have those little anole lizards running around all over the place.
My cat loves to catch them, but I was quite surprised this morning when I caught one of my barred rocks carrying a rather large one in her mouth. I went to walk over to her and she swallowed the thing whole!!!
Is this okay for her to do???
I'm afraid eating an animal whole could hurt her stomach.
Anyone else's chickens do this???

 

[heybarb]

I can't specifically help with your question of the chicken eating the lizard whole, but in the last year I have seen my chickens catch, kill and eat a mouse and 2 small snakes. They turned out fine, but it sure did scare me too...

 

[Ridgerunner]

You can add frogs to the list of what they eat too. A while back someone had a photo of a large breed chicken with a full-sized rat. If they are too big they’ll peck them into pieces but sometimes a lot of that pecking is to soften them up where they can be swallowed.

I shake my head when I see these ads for all-natural vegetarian chicken feed. Chickens are omnivores. There is nothing natural about them being vegetarian. I specifically want a chicken feed that supplies animal protein.

 

[chfite]

They seem to eat anything they can catch and get into their mouths.

Chris

 

[Mtn Laurel]

My girls are particularly fond of snakes and frogs. I've watched them eat a large frog whole and I was amazed she could get it down. They'll peck it and beat it on stuff to "soften" it up and then - it's gone!

The girls fight over snakes and usually end up ripping them in two.

 

[mrsc1951]

They seem to eat anything they can catch and get into their mouths.

Chris

x2. I opened my coop one morning and out came a (literally) henpecked rat. Stupid thing ran toward me as if I would help. I finished him off with the broom and the girls had their way with him.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

lizards, snakes, frogs, fish, small birds, wee mammals, not so wee mammals like foxes and skunks. OK chickens usually need help bagging pole cats and foxes.

It is often said that a chicken will eat anything.

Its true. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER lay down or go to sleep in your chicken coop, don't even close your eyes in the presence of your flock because you just may wake up with a chickens' eye view of the world.

 

[SigningChickens]

I caught my Aussie downing a large lizard today and later discovered she was hunting them. She seems to know exactly where to look. I was shocked and am glad to know this isn't odd.

 

[Oceanic109]

My chickens caught a mouse and shared it with each other. They actually ripped the legs off and ate them then my white hen swallowed the body whole. It was gruesome to watch but at least she got some more protein in her diet...

 

[SigningChickens]

Interesting! This is all so new to me and super cool. I am such a chicken dork. I swear I should just make popcorn, grab a lawn chair, and go watch my girls instead of Maury. I'm sure they would end up eating all the popcorn!