chickens eating migratory birds

[centrarchid]

I have three game stags that have run of place. All summer they have demonstrated a capacity for being predators in their own right by catching and eating the following: insects (some known for being foul tasting), crayfish, small frogs, lizards, small snakes and fledgling indigo buntings. Small birds have been consumed more frequently over last couple days. They are juvenile warblers migrating through. The warblers appear to be dead when found by the chickens. I chased a stag with one of the birds to inspect his catch. It seemed physically OK other than dead.

 

[wpalmisano]

Quote:
My pheasants do it too. Its natural. They take snakes. chipmunks, butterflies, mice, sparrows, etc......I imagine migratory birds are migrating and others are trying to fatten up for winter.

 

[centrarchid]

What is odd is that the warblers are dead when chickens find them, not so much that they are consumed.