Gross things that chickens eat!

[Chicky-dees]

Anyone else able to watch while their chicken catches and kills things to eat them?

I was moving some large flowerbed stones around the other day and one of my pet EE hens (follows me around like my shadow) quickly jumped on the small snake I uncovered (12" long brown head snake) and began to flip, shake and peck it at lightening fast speed. I had to back off out of the way for fear of losing a finger or toe from standing too close. Even one of the dogs came over to see what was going on. As the snake became more and more bloody, I had to walk away - and I have a strong stomach for gross things, too. Not this time! My dog sat right next to the chicken and watched the whole process that took about 10 minutes. The bird ended up eating the head and I discarded the rest.

It was amazing but incredibly disgusting at the same time!

 

[n8ivetxn]

I've seen my girls violently attack insects and then - they're gone! So quick.

I have a lot of little grass snakes during the summer and I worry about the chickens eating them all....the snakes help keep down the shrews and field mice....I haven't seen the girls with anything other than bugs - yet....

I recently relocated a compost barrel and oh my! The chickens were all over that bare spot - the roos were clucking and pointing and the girls were pecking and running after each other

Fun stuff!

 

[MamaRoo]

I give mine the moles that the cats bring in the house. Sometimes there's a game of chase and shred, and sometimes it just gets swallowed whole by the lucky girl who gets there first.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Your kitties like you!

Once in a while I see one of the girls running for dear life in the pasture (from the others) and I have to wonder what she found that they want! Run, girl, run!

I keep saying I'm going to farm some mealworms to supplement their diets, especially for the long, cool season...

 

[Chicky-dees]

One of the most brutal things I've see is my pack of guineas (I say pack because they run together like one when hunting) catch and try to eat a frog that is WAY TO BIG for any of them. Talk about trying to enjoy breakfast in the morning with that going on right outside the window! EEEWW!

 

[real_redhead]

@Chicky-dees your post made me laugh out loud. I haven't seen my girls get anything like that but I am hoping that they will catch a chipmunk, I have way too many of them!

 

[cjschickens]

Chickens like mice too ! We had a nest of mice under our coop, and when we moved it, a mouse ran out. Those chickens saw it before we did and attacked it with fury ! Then they proceeded to tear it apart and eat it ! Yuck !! I was a little worried what the next days eggs were going to taste like --- just kidding !!

 

[Pele]

Mine have become experts at using spring fledging time to get a few extra sparrow snacks. I find stripped skeletons several times a year in my yard. Weird chickens.