First Chicken-eating-mouse experience . . .

[glassparman]

I've heard of it and I have always had lots of mice around the coops but never saw my girls go for them. I've been doing this hen thing for about 2 years.

Then, last night I went to put my girls away (bobcat proofing) and a hen had a mouse in her mouth. She was not sure what to do with it but it was pecked to death fairly well.

Has anyone had a bad experience with hens eating mice?

Michael

 

[CovenantCreek]

I haven't had any bad experiences -- unless you count the fact that the mice freely scurry about the coop without fear.

The first time one of mine caught a mouse it had been hiding under a water trough when I turned the trough over to dump the dirty water. I think I still had 5 or 6 pullets at the time, all of them waiting for the crickets usually caught under there. When they saw a mouse within reach they went nuts. It was hysterical watching the victor trying to get away from the others with her prize.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I have lots of mice in the barn and whenever I trap one, I give it to the chickens. They will fight over it, and chase each other around trying to steal it.
The lucky winner will peck at it and slam it around for a while, and then swallow it head first.

 

[Mahonri]

I once had to get a dying rat away from my chickens because it was one that had eaten poison out of our bait tubes. They were fighting furiously over it.

 

[MandyH]

My nest boxes are 55 gallon drums cut in half shortways, and my coop floor is sand. About every 10 days I will move the barrells and the hens raid the mouse nests. I've seen them eat 30 mice in about 20 seconds!!!!!!!!!

 

[FarmerDenise]

I haven't seen mine eat mice, but I have seen them eat frogs and lizards.

 

[glassparman]

I guess the "bad experience" I was asking about is does it affect the taste of the eggs or give you the willies?

I just thought it might not be a good idea to tell my couple of egg customers that the chickens eat mice sometimes.

Michael

 

[halo]

And here I thought you had a mouse eating your chickens....

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

I have never had a 'bad experience' yet, as far as chickens eating mice, however..... I do tend to discuss my chickens eating habits as little as possible with my egg customers...! I think the less they know the better! There are times, when I wish that I knew a little less!

And yes, it does give me the willies too, Blech!

Good Luck!

 

[minifarmer]

no bad experiences, only good! Less mice and more eggs!! My girls had stopped laying for the winter. I hand caught (barn mice are fairly bold, brazen, and not too bright!) three mice one day two weeks back. The three girls that ate them are the three that have started laying!!! I told the person I shared the eggs with, and they wanted to borrow the hens to help with their mouse problems!