mouse eating chickens!!

[NewbyJan]

Has anyone else experienced their chickens catching and eating field mice whole!? We thought it was a one-off on Monday but the white sussex was witnessed today actually catching the mouse before fighting the frizzle for it (the frizzle managed to grab a leg) then the sussex swallowed the mouse whole!

Also, do you think the eggs will be ok to eat!!

I have photos of Monday's attempts to eat the mouse by the Frizzle who nearly choked on it!!

 

[NonnasBabies]

Oh yes mine LOVE them!!!

And yes the eggs will be fine to eat! It's just extra protein for the chicken!!

 

[EncinoMan]

Quote:
I don't see why not. A mouse sounds like a terrific protein source to me! Okay, not for me personally...but for a chicken.

I've certainly heard of chickens eating mice, lizards and small snakes. Basically, anything small enough to eat that they can catch.

 

[@FendiChick]

It was so dry here in So. FL - a couple of weeks ago I noticed a few mice getting into my coop at dusk- so I put traps out but haven't caught anything. I don't want mice in the coop! I am sure this happens in nature but I just don't want to think about them eating my chickens' food and drinking their water. I wish they were mice-eating hens!

 

[scooter147]

Yep, seen many a chicken eat mice, snakes, lizards, frogs, baby birds that have fallen out of nest. Just a source of protein to them.

I keep my feed in metal trash cans in my run (outside of the coop) and about once every two weeks I will lift them up and the hens quickly figured out it was a favorite spot for mice to build a nest and give birth. Just about every time a mouse has done just that and my hens gobble up the pinkies in a heart beat and usually are very good at catching momma too.

What's really amazaing is to watch a flock of hens surround, attack, kill and then eat a copperhead. I had a flock do this years ago, the whole process took a good 45 minutes to an hour but they got the job done.

 

[caspernc]

I had a mouse in the hen house once. I saw where it got in and so did the hens. Now there seems to always be one hen guarding the opening. Now for frogs, we call it frog ball. kind of feel sorry for the frogs.

 

[This_chicks_place]

 

[savingpurple]

Oh my....this was fun to read, but gross at the same time, as I had NO idea!!! LOL

 

[debontheweb]

Definitely, they are omnivores and the living relatives of dinosaurs. Little velociraptors, actually.

 

[the1honeycomb]

who knew!!!!