My babies ate and killed a mouse?

[El jimbo]

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?

Yes they will kill a mouse Iv watched my chickens kill and eat quite a few they go mad for them like eating steak ! And play tug a war with them ! Just a tip Do not use any mouse poised to kill mice as might wander into your coop and end up poisoning your chickens just let nature take it cause !

 

[El jimbo]

My chickens go made for them as live near fields they play tug of war with them and eat the lot as if the mice was a delicacy ! Big tip do not try to poison the mice in case they wander into the coop they will kill the chickens if they eat them also I suffer with the mice nicking there feathers when they roost as they are dead to the world so I put in lavender mint and lemon balm into coop they don't enter the coop then seem so of work for mine ! Atb good luck

 

[BarbarainGeorgia]

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?

My chickens catch them, run around with them as the other chickens try to get it away from the “catcher,” then the last one to wind up with the mouse swallows it whole. It freaked me out the first time I saw it but I have come to realize they are happy and got some mouse meat

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Once I had 1 silkie and 4 naked neck chicks all living together, i dropped a scorpion inside the brooder for them to eat, i tore its stinger off and they were curious until one of the NN chicks held down the tail, another held down one of the claws, another chick held down the other claw, one of the chicks just stood there and cheered everyone on in the corner and the silkie chick did the kill by stabbing the scorpions head in with its beak.

it was actually not only incredible but really interestings to see, I have never ever seen birds let alone chicks use 'teamwork' to hunt

the really interesting thing was how they all suddenly charged forward at once, like they are a hive mind and all got the same idea at once

now they are all grown up and laying eggs and are all hens now, one lays only when she feels like it, one is as aggressive as a rooster and the personality of a mare, 2 of them just do their thing, and the silkie one gets bullied by her own mother, shadow. they are terrified of everything LOL

 

[Vsackett]

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 saw mine chase and kill a vole and eat it. Fluffy dinosaurs!!

 

[Granitestater]

Just remember they can get worms from the rodents they eat so have their stools checked.

 

[Arelwood]

Chickens and ducks eat mice. Anything that falls into their pen is going to be attacked by all your baby ducks and chickens. I'd say your mice don't have a chance

I just had an image of that scene in Jurassic Park where they lower the cow into the raptor pen...but it was chickens instead!

 

[Arelwood]

it was actually not only incredible but really interestings to see, I have never ever seen birds let alone chicks use 'teamwork' to hunt

the really interesting thing was how they all suddenly charged forward at once, like they are a hive mind and all got the same idea at once

Clever girls!

 

[3KillerBs]

it was actually not only incredible but really interestings to see, I have never ever seen birds let alone chicks use 'teamwork' to hunt

When I brought the first chicks to this property I hadn't had them out of the box for half an hour when they found a spider and tore it apart that way.

 

[HomesteadRob]

My chickens love eating mice. I set traps and toss the bodies into the run.