Moles digging under chicken graves?

[Eddie12109]

Hi all!
I live in Florida in a neighborhood that has plenty of moles. When I go down the street, there is guaranteed one of those mound trails that look like they are from a mole. In my backyard, I don't have much of an issue with mounds but, right where my chicken graves are, there is always a mound.

One of my hens died a little more than a year ago, I have a pot turned upside down on her grave where it has been since she was buried. Lately, I have been checking up on it because there is always a small mound of dirt that has been lifted, in the same spot, everyday. I went out at 6 pm ish and had to pat it down and then for my curiosity, I went out around 9 pm and the mound was back. This has been going on for more than a week, there is no mound trail leading up to the grave, but it is always there. The hole that I track down in the mound is pretty small too, it isn't as small as an earthworm hole but I doubt a mole can create that small of a hole.

Then, I have a dead hen approaching two years in the ground with no pot over her grave, but there is a big brick a few inches away from the center. Two days ago, there was a massive mound right on her grave and the dirt was loose under the brick too.

So my questions are:

Are these moles intentionally digging into my chickens graves and messing with my decomposing chickens?!

Why are they so centered on my graves but not anywhere else, at all. In my acre of land, they choose the graves.

How can they dig under the big brick and make the soil loose?

@cmom ? Do you know or @azygous ?

 

[Eddie12109]

Also there really are no tunnels in my backyard, it is usually just a mound by or on chicken graves.

 

[azygous]

Here's what's happening in the secrecy of the soil. First of all, the soil is nice and loose where you buried your chickens. Second, worms and microbes move in to consume the chickens' remains. It's part of the decomposition process. Third, moles and a tiny version of moles called voles are finding it easy to tunnel in there to eat the worms and microbes.

This is the circle of life. Critters die and feed other critters. Energy is not destroyed or created. Energy moves through the dead and the living and connects and animates all things. In this way, your chickens are actually getting a new life.

 

[cmom]

 

[Eddie12109]

Thank you for explaining that very well.

After I had posted this, I have noticed more tunnels that are not near chicken graves. Some right where I walk every day. Could they be finding my backyard as a place with good food so they are repopulating in it and making more tunnels?

 

[azygous]

Not necessarily. More tunnels may not mean more rodents. Moles, gophers, voles, etc, continually add more tunnels and abandon others. I suppose eventually they will have litters of babies. Many of the tunnels may be escapes or just exploratory. And yes, they no doubt find a rich hunting "under" ground in your yard.

If you decide you would rather not have voles and moles, try stuffing avocado pits into their holes. I have had voles with tunnels all over my yard, and they became inactive after I stuck the avocado pits in their active holes. I can't tell you if it was the avocado pits that got rid of them, but what else are you going to do with avocado pits?

 

[Eddie12109]

Hmm, that's a good point, I will try the avocado pits and see if they make any difference. I probably won't do it soon though, they are not being too much of a pest.
How did you know you had voles and not another creature under your ground?

 

[Future vet]

Also there really are no tunnels in my backyard, it is usually just a mound by or on chicken graves.

Get a cat but be careful with chickens.