Author Topic: Hens eat mice....  (Read 4762 times)

northernengine

  • Joined Nov 2011
Hens eat mice....
« on: July 17, 2012, 09:46:15 am »
Hi guys,
I know my hens are not alone in this, but lately they seem to be catching a fair few. I guess there are plenty of young ones about that arnt so quick, but Iv seen them catch and eat 3 this week alone. Im sure they much catch twice as many when Im not looking.
Usually the hunter will do all she can to keep the others from getting a share, often swallowing it whole. Im sure this cant be good for the hens - they often regurgitate it several times before it stays down, but they never give up.
Is there anything I should be aware of that could cause a problem here?
Cheers

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Re: Hens eat mice....
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2012, 11:16:25 am »
I have never seen my hens actually catch a mouse, but when the farm cats come with a dead mouse, quite often the hens will run at the cat and grab the mouse and eat it.
 
I have seen the hens, quite a few times, jump in the grass next to the stream, and come out with frogs, kill them and then eat it.
 
I suppose to the hen, its food, but it seems strange they will eat things like mice and frogs, to me!!  Not sure of the health implications, but doubt my egg customers would be happy if they knew!!!  There again, the hens are still here, so cannot have damaged them much, eating strange things.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Hens eat mice....
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2012, 11:27:15 am »
I've seen my hens eating mice too, but mainly it's endless baby frogs - and the chase is on.  Presumably they can grind them up in their crops.  The only possible problem I can think of would be worms, but I have no idea if poultry and mice share their worm species.  Someone else is bound to know  :thumbsup:
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Little Nell

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • Ashtead, Surrey
Re: Hens eat mice....
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2012, 06:11:24 pm »
My speckledy caught a mouse last year; it was hilarious! She ran round and round the run, the tail in her beak, with the others chasing her. She never had a chance to eat it and dropped it in the end. I didn't know they were so quick till then.

Sylvia

  • Joined Aug 2009
Re: Hens eat mice....
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2012, 06:35:16 pm »
Slow worms are tasty too, to a hen ;D

chrismahon

  • Joined Dec 2011
  • Gascony, France
Re: Hens eat mice....
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2012, 07:29:40 pm »
Our biggest Orpington caught a baby Robin which landed on the lawn after its fledgling flight. She picked it up and ran off to devour it, chased furiously by me. I caught her, levered her beak open to release the Robin and put it in a safe area. Presumably mummy Robin moved it on from there as it had gone half an hour later.
 
So I should imagine they do eat mice Northernengine and I've never heard of any ill effects -only snails and earthworms are very bad for them I've heard, because of their internal parasites.

northfifeduckling

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • Fife
    • North Fife Blog
Re: Hens eat mice....
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2012, 07:34:52 pm »
I've seen it and what a sight that is! It's party time, must be a special treat... :o :chook: :&>

goosepimple

  • Joined May 2010
  • nr Lauder, Scottish Borders
Re: Hens eat mice....
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2012, 07:36:31 pm »
I've seen my hens eat mice - just keep on top of the worming, free range, comes with the terriorty.
registered soay, castlemilk moorit  and north ronaldsay sheep, pygmy goats, steinbacher geese, muscovy ducks, various hens, lots of visiting mallards, a naughty border collie, a puss and a couple of guinea pigs

clydesdaleclopper

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Hens eat mice....
« Reply #8 on: July 17, 2012, 10:19:22 pm »
We always reckon our Scots Greys are better mousers than the flippin cats  ::)
Our holding has Anglo Nubian and British Toggenburg goats, Gotland sheep, Franconian Geese, Blue Swedish ducks, a whole load of mongrel hens and two semi-feral children.

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Hens eat mice....
« Reply #9 on: July 17, 2012, 11:22:13 pm »
I had hens used to steal mice from the cats.

I should imagine they do eat mice Northernengine and I've never heard of any ill effects -only snails and earthworms are very bad for them I've heard, because of their internal parasites.

Snails and earthworms are their natural foodstuffs, so I guess parasites have evolved to make use of that fact.
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Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

SteveHants

  • Joined Aug 2011
Re: Hens eat mice....
« Reply #10 on: July 17, 2012, 11:51:02 pm »
I've seen hens eat mice and frogs, one hen catches a juicy frog and runs around with all the others squabbling on behind it...

bloomer

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • leslie, fife
  • i have chickens, sheep and opinions!!!
Re: Hens eat mice....
« Reply #11 on: July 18, 2012, 07:53:38 am »
I've seen hens eat mice and frogs, one hen catches a juicy frog and runs around with all the others squabbling on behind it...


we call this effect chook rugby...


when i had mine frogs were popular never saw them with a mouse but then they didnt fully free range just had a large run so maybe the mice new to stay away!!!


As for slugs/snails and worms... they cant get enough of any of them...

 

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