Eating Mice?

[anndelise]

The cat that adopted us last fall just gifted us with a dead mouse. We double bagged it and put it in the fridge to give to the chickens in the morning.

Any thoughts/ideas? Should I make a few slices in it first? Will they eat it cold? They've never had a mouse before. Since it's already dead will they recognize it as food? Or should I just throw it away?

 

[MeepBeep]

They should eat it as is, no need to cut it or anything...

 

[Bantambird]

My chickens love to eat mice. They will slam the body against the ground to break it apart into smaller chunks, or to make it squishy enough to swallow whole.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Bantambird is right, they will whip the rodent around first to ensure compliance on the mouse's part plus to break up the skeleton or dis-locate the major bones then like a can of Budweiser at a frat party Mickey or Minnie will go down the hatch in one gulp.

If you want to see a T-Rex in action feed a live garter snake to a yard of chickens.

 

[anndelise]

*sigh* they don't know what to do with it. I dangled it and one pecked once, but one watching freaked, and now they're avoiding it. I worry that because it's already dead and thus not moving, that they won't be enticed by it.

How long do you think it would be safe to leave in the pen with them, before pulling it out and putting it in the garbage?

Btw, the birds are only 8-10 weeks old.

 

[TalkALittle]

If they've never had one before and don't have any older birds to "show them the ropes" they might no be interested just because they don't recognize it as potential food. Take a spde and chop it in half. Once some red flesh is exposed they should go for it.

Oh, if there is any chance the mouse had been poisoned then don't feed the carcass to your birds.

 

[anndelise]

I just went out and cut off its head. The top girl grabbed it and the others started playing with the body. Not much red showing at all, so if they lose interest I'll cut the belly open.

I'm pretty sure the cat was what killed it. He was very proud. And it was still soft and pliable with a shiny eye when he brought it to me.

For some reason I'm loving the idea of the cat feeding the chickens, heh. So I'm really hoping they figure this out.

 

[microchick]

My chickens relish the occasional 'mouse' treat. The Welsummers seem to appreciate the flavor more than the Buff O's but it is pretty impressive to watch the Welly girls uncover a nest in the barn and gallop around with a mouse in their beaks. They fluff their necks up and sing. Stop occasionally to pound the mouse against the ground or shake it till it dies then 'gulp'.

If you want to see how big of an object a chicken can swallow, watch them swallow a mouse in one big gulp, usually head first. Impressive.

 

[anndelise]

I look forward to that when they're bigger.