4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Valkyrie]

I uncovered the dirt bath today and Cheyenne pounced on a mouse that probably thought it was a nice safe place under the plastic. It wasn't a mouse very long - I don't think it suffered because after jumping on it she bashed it's head all over the place and it didn't even have a chance to squeak. I have seen quite a few other postings where the hens have eaten mice but it is still rather a shock when you see it first hand. I didn't wait to see the munching because I was about to have my own lunch - kind of off-putting really.

DD was rather cross with me because I didn't stop her - I did say that eating mice was normal chicken behaviour and it all happened so quickly anyway, but I got the sulks for a short while.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Eeuw . Don't think I'd like to see that closeup either . Always amazes me that they can eat something that big .

[Electricbarbarella]

gross.

[Valkyrie]

No more mice today, thank goodness. Good job she isn't laying at the moment - can't bear the thought of essence of mouse in my eggs.

[Barkisland]

Oh dear! I'm with your DD on this one Was it one of those really cute little field mice? Poor little thing...

[Valkyrie]

Yep, little field/woodmouse. Definitely not a house mouse or a vole. Thankfully it wasn't a rat! We used to get mice before the hens, but perhaps this year they won't be munching through my peas! I take in the girls food so the mice can't eat that - they just go for my produce instead! I have seen a python eating a mouse - and although it was quick - it was nowhere near as fast as the chicken.

[dancing cloud]

My Loki-cat's stopped bringing his kills/catches since Daisy top-chook took them off him and ate them . I know the first two were dead before she got them, but I was never convinced about the third and I definitely didn't stick around for a close-up view of the tug-of-war between Daisy and Joy with the poor thing!

[Barkisland]

Yep, little field/woodmouse. Definitely not a house mouse or a vole. Thankfully it wasn't a rat! We used to get mice before the hens, but perhaps this year they won't be munching through my peas! I take in the girls food so the mice can't eat that - they just go for my produce instead! I have seen a python eating a mouse - and although it was quick - it was nowhere near as fast as the chicken.

 

*shudders*

[tooties]

I caught my cat with a freshly dead squirrel the other day..... thankfully managed to take it off him before the chickens caught sight of it.... I hadn't thought they might pinch the cats latest kill!!

 

Not sure if they would have been interested in something as big as a squirrel tho....?

[redfrock]

I have caught my girls playing tag with the field mice . they chase each other around with one of them holding it in her beak by its tail . It is awful to watch and even harder to catch them and stop it. At first I thought it was hilarious to see them playing tag until I realised what they were using. I also found they killed a starling. Not sure how they managed that but they really are quite barbaric creatures when you think about it.