My babies ate and killed a mouse?

[Ruby Rogue]

I wouldn't put it past them... they're too small to eat a mouse whole and if you throw them a bone I'm sure it'd come out clean. I'm not surprised.

 

[Ladyturtle]

Are they maybe in the shavings? Like they burrowed in there before you bought them and died? Idk.

That was my only other thought, but I feel like I would find other evidence? I'm putting the shavings in myself, by hand and I am not seeing anything weird when I put it in. But I will definitely look closer next time. There are no mouse droppings in the bedding or any other indication of mice in the bedding.

 

[kimberjay]

Did you see any blood anywhere? Seems like there should be signs of predation in the brooder.

 

[AntiqueB]

I had three 2-3 week olds go after a mouse in their run. (The Speckled Sussex was at the head of the gang.) They would have killed it if I hadn't felt bad and let it out. But I would expect at least some blood somewhere on the shavings, since they'd have to tear it apart to eat it.

 

[Dollyrose10]

We have 10 baby chicks in a bin inside right now, along with 2 ducks.

We spent all day outside yesterday working on the yard, and the kids (older teens and young adults) kept using the babies as an excuse to take breaks.

I went in with them about 2-3 hours after the last "check " and there was a mouse skull, and a couple of bones in with the birds.

We know we have mice in the yard,and that they occasionally get into the unfinished basement. I was a little worried about it, but I've seen chickens and ducks decimate mice and snakes plenty, so my hope was that if one got in, they'd gang up on it and kill it. I did not think they would eat the whole thing.

I posted about it on FB, and once of my friends, who honestly seems to think I know nothing about what I'm doing, said someone is pranking me. Several other chicken owning friends were not the least bit surprised.

What is your experience? Wr don't know exactly how old they are. At least 1 week. About half of the chick were 2-3 days older than the other half when we got them a week ago, and the ducks looked about 5 days old, but they are HUGE now, compared to the chicks.

Max, I think some of them could be 3 weeks old, but most are about 1.5 weeks old.

What do you think? Could my flock have done this damage if they were threatened by a rogue mouse?

I caught one of my Silkies running around with a mouse in its beak and running around with it. I don't think it ate it. Chickens can eat mice if they catch them.

 

[Alphabet Farm]

Maybe they're secretly escaping, hunting down skulls and bringing them back?

Time to have tiny Predator costumes made for them

 

[luann545]

Love this response! IT is such a great way to describe them! thanks!! lol today!!

 

[plm6846]

Well your little group sounds just like mine! We have 6 babies and 2 ducklings which my daughter and granddaughter thought cute to slip in with chickens! Chickens are omnivores so….mice are protein….yep eat them nicely. My daughter tells me that the ducks eat mice whole not looking forward to that for sure.

 

[plm6846]

Aaaand, we found another skull this morning, so that decides. The room they are in must be the mouse entry point, so now we can figure out how to keep them out.

Love our mini Dino kids!!

 

[Silexian]

Aaaand, we found another skull this morning, so that decides. The room they are in must be the mouse entry point, so now we can figure out how to keep them out.

Aaaand, we found another skull this morning, so that decides. The room they are in must be the mouse entry point, so now we can figure out how to keep them out.

How old and where did your shavings come from? That skull is very clean and looks to be darkened. By being exposed to tannins. A fresh skull will be a pinkish, white color. Even the small beaks of chicks wouldn’t be able to totally strip all the flesh off. Especially the brain cavity. I think you are finding suffocation victims.