Will my duck get SICK?!

[ruthhope]

My Speckled Sussex[chicken] caught a mouse this morning and ate it right down.

My son cleaned out his shed 2 days ago and found a rat's nest with 3 baby rats: about the size of house mice, grey fur but eyes closed. He put the tire the nest was in outside the shed [while he had an argument with me about whether or not he could raise the rats himself--no he could not.] The next thing, his little female muscovy was running round with a baby rat in her bill being persued by two pekins that wanted it from her. Then moments later, his pekin hen had found the nest and gobbled down a second rat in a flash.

I really could not believe my eyes! Our gardens are full of little lizards and I have never seen our respective ducks chasing/eating a lizard, but they went for the baby rats!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Watching my drakes the mouse or rat or what ever would probably have to walk up to the bill and say open before they would go after anything. Lazy boys. Not the girls though they are always on the hunt,

 

[Luv Ducks]

I'd say they may be better than snakes at ridding us of vermin. This is the 2nd time This hen has caught a mouse that I've seen anyway.

We have shrews where we live here in Ohio. I have been concerned since they are deemed poisonous that they would hurt my ducks if they ate one. Do you know if they are poisonous to ducks?

 

[Quarterhorses1]

My birds swallow mice, frogs, fish, bugs, whatever they can find

 

[Miss Lydia]

sounds like the shrews put off a musky scent that keeps predators from actually eating them so hopefully, our poultry won't eat any.
https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Education/WildlifeNotesIndex/Pages/Shrews-Wildlife-Note.aspx

 

[Luv Ducks]

sounds like the shrews put off a musky scent that keeps predators from actually eating them so hopefully, our poultry won't eat any.
https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Education/WildlifeNotesIndex/Pages/Shrews-Wildlife-Note.aspx

Thanks so much for that article. We have the short tailed ones and I have seen them in my duck pen before. I have put traps out and caught many of them but they multiply like crazy. It is good to know that their smell may keep the ducks from wanting to eat them. Also my neighbors cat has been visiting our backyard and I have not seen as many this year as usual. Thanks again Miss Lydia for your time and the article. The shrews do smell for sure so hopefully the ducks think so too.

 

[Zoologist]

Your duck will be perfectly fine it shouldn’t cause any issues If toads eat them without any issue your duck will do just fine, probably a tasty snack for her haha I’ve been bitten by one of those before and it hurts but it can only kill bugs plus I’ve seen ducks and chickens eat worse

 

[Miss Lydia]

One of my Muscovy females ate a small copper head when she was around 1 yr old I was freaking out thinking she was going to die called vets and the nature center and no one could tell me anything. She is 14 yr old now so they have to be pretty tough to eat something so poisonous and not haven't any reaction.

 

[Luv Ducks]

One of my Muscovy females ate a small copper head when she was around 1 yr old I was freaking out thinking she was going to die called vets and the nature center and no one could tell me anything. She is 14 yr old now so they have to be pretty tough to eat something so poisonous and not haven't any reaction.

Wow, that is really something. Thanks for letting me know that their stomachs must be tough! I am still trying to figure out my mixed ducklings. One will stand guard while the other two do whatever so I am hoping I have one boy and two gals. I can't even go by the shape of the tails as they all seem to be pointed and the legs are all the same size. Time will tell I know but it is so hard not to be impatient! LOL