Mousers?

[Ascholten]

I was reading on another site, that listed pretty much all the species' of chickens and general info about them to include personality traits, egg laying etc.

A few of the chickens were listed as 'great mousers'
This kind of took me by surprise. The thought of a chicken going after a mouse, just seemed odd, but then I thought on it and, well, mine will chase the hell out of a lizard or a small snake for a snack. I have also seen them find a rats nest and gobble down the babies. So while a mouse may seem on the larger side, the way I watch them bust up lizards and beat the crap out of stuff before they gobble it down, ok, I guess I can see a chicken going after mice, especially if it's one of the larger breeds.

GOOD TO KNOW !!

Brings me to question 2, has anyone had any experience with chickens that were good at catching / eating whatever mice. and the real question?

Do they go after moles too? About the same size, chickens love to scratch and dig? Anyone have experience with chickens going after moles? If so I know what my next species is going to be!

Thanks
Aaron

 

[SilverLacedFarmChik]

Last year one of my cream legbar pullets caught and killed a mouse. She ran around keeping it away from the other chickens and whenever she stopped she would slam it onto the ground until pieces would come off, the she’d swallow them down. It was the most viscous and most awesome thing I’d ever seen them do. She was really small at the time too, maybe 8 months old.

 

[Ascholten]

Wow thats crazy. Yah, I watch mine when they get lizards and such.
Step 1, try to run away from the other girls with it... good luck.
If successful Step 2, as you mentioned, tear it apart, smash it and eat it OR.. Step2a, get in a tug o war with another bird and rip it in half and each gets some.
Vicious isn't the word, and I find myself feeling sorry for the poor lizard and thinking god couldn't you just swallow it whole?

Im curious if there are any breeds that would actually kind of be on the lookout for mice, and if so, go after moles too, or just as a target of opportunity if one happened to pop in front of it? I have a mole problem, had for years, would love a way to help rid them.

aaron

 

[SilverLacedFarmChik]

I wonder if the breeds that are great foragers would naturally be good at catching rodents?

 

[DonyaQuick]

I feel like I may have one of those chickens among my hatchery buff orpingtons. I haven't personally seen her kill anything but various kinds of bugs yet, but that's only because rodents like chipmunks and voles have so far managed to get to the safe side of the fence or down a burrow before she catches up to them. I doubt they'll be that lucky all the time, since she really goes after them. As a little chick, she had to "kill" freeze dried mealworms and bits of grass by flailing them back and forth a few times before she would eat it, and she still sometimes does it with vegetable treats. None of my others do that and never have done. I have never seen my girl go after a mole though or try to dig after something she chased. Once something is in a burrow that's it, she's off doing something else.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I know Buckeye and Saipan have this reputation, I ordered some chicks of both breeds to see how they are.

Photo from the net

 

[Iluveggers]

My aunt had a chicken that put a whole mouse in her mouth in one quick swallow, guessing to keep it from the others, and ended up choking and dying. Just a word of caution. It’s all fun & games until…

 

[Ebony Rose]

I used to have a mouse problem, then taught my chickens to eat them. I no longer have a problem.

 

[DonyaQuick]

I probably wouldn't have a vole under my floorboards right now if I'd actually listened to my would-be-mouser going bananas when she was inside earlier today instead of picking her up and walking away going "silly Brownie, there's nothing behind that bench."

My aunt had a chicken that put a whole mouse in her mouth in one quick swallow, guessing to keep it from the others, and ended up choking and dying. Just a word of caution. It’s all fun & games until…

This is a worry I have if my crazy chicken ever gets a hold of something. Not just her swallowing it, but more if one of my others steals it that is more prone to stupid things like trying to eat whole paper towels. I've also been concerned that if the kill isn't sufficiently swift or if the animal gets cornered during the chase, rodents aren't entirely defenseless.

 

[3KillerBs]

Do they go after moles too? About the same size, chickens love to scratch and dig? Anyone have experience with chickens going after moles? If so I know what my next species is going to be!

I have never *seen* my chickens eat moles but I have noticed that they preferentially dig along the mole tunnels right up to (and occasionally under), the fence and that soon after I move the fence each time the only part of the yard with no mole tunnels is the chicken run.

Thus I'm guessing that some protein supplementation is happening.