dead mouse in the nest box

[lilmstw72]

This seems odd to me but I'm still fairly new at the chicken thing so maybe someone can help clue me in...
I went out this morning to check on my chickens and in one of the nest boxes was a very small dead mouse. Would one of the chickens killed it? I've never noticed a mouse problem since I've had the chickens. I have 7 chickens total and most are almost 1 year of age. I just found this odd and thought I'd ask an expert (or several)

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[ColbyNTX]

Yes, chickens will kill a mouse in the daytime. They will also love when you find a nest with pinkies and feed them as treats! If you have feed out, then you have mice. They mostly come and steal feed at night when the chickens are at roost. Chickens can't see at night.

 

[WriterofWords]

If there was a mouse in my nest boxes it would be a snack so fast it would never know what hit it. I wonder if it froze to death? Or smothered under a hen and she didn't notice it when she got out?

 

[lilmstw72]

Quote:
Well it was the nest box that one of my JG girls seems to be hiding out in (or she's broody, haven't figured this out yet) so maybe she smothered it? hmmm...

I do leave feed out but haven't noticed a mouse issue. Maybe I'll start just feeding them in the morning and at night what they need so I'm not feeding a mouse population!

 

[kuntrygirl]

So it's ok to feed a mouse to chickens? They don't carry any type of disease that we should worry about? I found a mouse in my feeding stall over the weekend. He climbed into a feeding bucket and couldn't get out. He is still there. I didn't know what to do with him, so I left him in the feeding bucket.

 

[Wild Trapper]

It is ok to feed mice to chickens, especially the small ones. However, I've fed larger sized ones to chickens and while they will peck at it, and fight over it, they usually do not eat them. Too tough? Maybe.

At least that's my experience. FWIW!

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

yes chickens will eat anything you give them I suggest boiling any meat you give them though per say shoot a possum boil it shoot a coon boil it so on the chickens will eat and love you forever and its free protien.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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Boil the mouse?

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

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Boil the mouse?

yup might sound funny but its the best way to assure that you pass no diseases off to your chickens

 

[countrylifelover85]

I have reached into a nesting box and discovered a possum instead of a hen before. As well as fininding a mouse in the feed container. I was a little leery about getting eggs after that! That boiling a mouse comment made me laugh That is something I haven't heard of!