My chickens go nuts over praying mantids. Even bitties just a couple days old will take on a Chinese mantid that is nearly a third of their own weight. They will take it on and they will eat it. Below is a male (normally runs smaller than females anyway) that is unusually small, smaller than any I have ever seen in 40 plus years. I have seen a lot.
![41527_mantid_chinese_male_very_small_2011_august_24.jpg](https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/41527_mantid_chinese_male_very_small_2011_august_24.jpg)