Mice eating chickens ! And I eat their eggs ?

[Chicken Woman]

I was raking the coop a bit and all the girls were outside in the run. As I raked a corner by the door 3 mice jump and ran out the door. The girls went crazy ! They caught all 3 of them and they were running around chasing one another trying to get the mice !

Of course I wasn't going to get them away from them so I didn't even try !

I was soooo grossed out !

Does anyone elses chickens eat mice ?

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Oh yeah! And any other living critter smaller than them that dares to tread their run! Moles, mice...nom nom nom.
I haven't seen mine actually eat them, but I've found them pecked to bloody pulps in the run before.

 

[momofdrew]

I have read that they will eat mice when given a chance... chickens are omnivorus... they like meat...

 

[karen71]

I keep trying to get mine to go into the shed and eat the mice that are eating their feed

I heard that chickens will eat mice but mine don't seen to want to

They also eat bugs- the way I see it all the protein that they are eating makes some good eating eggs

 

[augustmomx2]

I was reading a post about this several weeks ago. I was worried about mice getting into the coop & spreading their "mice diseases" & to be quite honest...rodents FREAK me out!

I was so excited to read that the chickens eat them! Although watching them do it would totally gross me out too

Now I have to get some of those chicken diapers...so I can let them run loose in my house...I saw a mouse run across my kitchen...eeekkkk

 

[Katy]

Mine think the mice are a tasty treat! Especially baby mice.

 

[nzpouter]

yep.. good for them, more protein.. tastier eggs.

 

[FrenchHen]

I think of my chickens as a handy way to dispose of mice I catch in my car (stinking little rodents!) or house. I carry the trap to the run, drop the critter, then watch the chickens play keep away.

 

[Chicken Woman]

Well if we should be concerned about them spreading mouse diseases then would't the chickens get it by eating them ? Maybe worms or something !!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Mice carry specific viruses which cannot live in a chicken. A chicken's
body is very different from a mouse's which is more like ours.

You're fine and your chickens are getting a good source of protein.