Valkyrie Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Eeuw . Don't think I'd like to see that closeup either . Always amazes me that they can eat something that big . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electricbarbarella Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 gross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted May 24, 2009 Author Share Posted May 24, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Oh dear! I'm with your DD on this one Was it one of those really cute little field mice? Poor little thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted May 24, 2009 Author Share Posted May 24, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 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* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooties Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 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....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfrock Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
