Feeding wild mice to hens?

[MommaHen2Many]

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I love this image [not mine]. Could the birds get tapeworm from mice?

That is tooooo funnY I'll have to try to get a picture when my birds get a mouse...
I have found three nests this summer: 1) under my storage "trash cans" (they will be put up off the ground for next winter) 1)under a brick holding something "up" off the dirt in the coop (also getting this off the ground) and 3) ) in a straw bale that was "outside" the coop but obviously a very nice nesting place....I found one nest in it, and I think the flock found another. The day after I found the first nest of "pinkies" as the little ones are called, they viciously ripped apart an entire bale of straw ...to get to the middle I think, as I bet they could "hear" them in there, and I could not!
I've wondered about the worms too....if a cat who eats a mouse can get them....couldn't a hen?
I had a hen try to swallow one WHOLE and almost pass out, her comb started looking purple, she sat down and couldn't stand up, I tried to pull the mouse out (its tail was still hanging out) and she jumped off & ran off with it. I followed again to make sure she wouldn't suffocate from eating the thing...but she got it down! there is definitely a gross factor involved.

 

[aart]

I think a tip on my scratch feed bag says "Keep rodents/wild birds away from food, they may carry disease". Remember that some parasites are generalists, so I would not risk it.

Wild birds definitely can bring in avian specific mites, lice, and diseases.
There may be some mammalian diseases that could infect a bird, but I believe the probability is pretty low.

I've wondered about the worms too....if a cat who eats a mouse can get them....couldn't a hen?

Mammal to mammal much more likely than mammal to avian.

 

[Leighe]

Wild birds definitely can bring in avian specific mites, lice, and diseases.
There may be some mammalian diseases that could infect a bird, but I believe the probability is pretty low.

Mammal to mammal much more likely than mammal to avian.

Eating rats and mice probably not such a bigger deal as mice and rats living within the area of chickens. Mice poop and urine in chicken food, definite transfer of mites from rodents to chickens. I use glue traps underneath my metal trash cans as the mice invariably dig under them and wait to come out and eat. I am now reserving one dog kennel for traps (electronic, glue, poison and old time traps) and using landscaping cloth to keep the chickens out. I have found the most fun way is to sit up in the dark on stools, with friends, and use our 22's and sling shots to kill them. Saw a youtube video of some guys that were hired by a dairy farm and I was excited as they took each mouse out. So planned a night with friends and we've done it twice. Unfortunatley, I have a farm and right next to my big chicken pen is a pasture...as a matter of fact my house, workshop, pens and sheds are surrounded on all four sides with pastures. I expect this will be a lifelong fight for us. See the following two articles.
https://poultrybreeders.blogspot.com/2014/09/diseases-rats-and-mice-spread.html
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/824/rodent-control-in-livestock-and-poultry-facilities/

 

[Chickenlover2017]

I think setting the traps is a good idea and I would not get a cat either lol my chickens would be scared of the mice so I would keep setting those traps!

 

[poultry person]

I have no idea but my Rhode island red loves to eat mice and her name is Rapter!