Infestation - mice / pack rats

[aart]

Can the mice make your chickens sick? I just discovered a nest full of babies. Now one sick chicken.

Did the chicken eat all the babies?
Indigestion maybe?
Mice can carry pests and disease, but most won't bother chickens.

 

[Bound to Sea]

Did the chicken eat all the babies?
Indigestion maybe?
Mice can carry pests and disease, but most won't bother chickens.

Hi, thank you for your question! I believe some babies were eaten as I found three sizes of baby mice. I have quarantine her for now. So I assume some were eaten Must have been 20 little ones or more.

 

[aart]

Am guessing the mouse nest find and the possible illness are coincidental.
But the mice should be eliminated by cleaning up any nest sites and setting traps...
.... and the bird should be assessed(and a new thread started if you need further help).

When I have a bird that seems 'off' I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[Bound to Sea]

Am guessing the mouse nest find and the possible illness are coincidental.
But the mice should be eliminated by cleaning up any nest sites and setting traps...
.... and the bird should be assessed(and a new thread started if you need further help).

When I have a bird that seems 'off' I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

Thank you! I am on it! Your help is much appreciated!