Chicken eats rat

[dshort1969]

Welcome to BYC!

As long as the rats never got into poison they will be fine. My chickens catch rats and mice all the time and we still eat the eggs.

Thanks

 

[dshort1969]

We had a full grown, full size Rooster, who would kill any rats or mice in the area and feed them to his girls. We never stopped eating the eggs, and never had any problems. We were glad the Rooster was such a good protector and provider.
Welcome from New Orleans.

Thanks

 

[ThinMintTheChicken]

Our chickens eat shrews and mice all the time! One time there was a huge mouse nest in the coop, long story short they did not last long lol. Another time, one of our ducks swallowed a mouse whole!

 

[Ginmary]

As I have also written, if I have to die of a heart attack, please Lord don't let it be in the chicken run. (although it would save on funeral costs )

 

[3KillerBs]

The little velociraptors really do eat anything that doesn't eat them first.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I think if I died in the chicken yard, my bantam rooster, T-Boy would crow his head off until someone called the police and the hens would be hidden behind the trees.
The chicks, on the other hand would be cursing me from A to Z in chicken bawks. They are chumping at the bit to go out into the big girls' yard. With 15 I need a day when Hayden is home to help me. They are really bad and don't listen at all, sometimes even to Midge (Momma hen)

 

[sourland]

Protein source.

 

[Acre4Me]

Chickens are omnivores. They do love the game “keep away” and seem to run with the most festive spirit and fast pace when they have something yummy like a mouse or baby bird in their beaks. Chopped up leftover poultry, beef, pork (that is not heavy on the salt) and my flock inhales it within seconds.

Another BYCer noted that the neighbors new teacup sized puppy (so quite small) didn’t fare very well when it somehow came over to their yard and ventured into the chicken run bc it was small enough to walk through the chain link fence.

 

[Battlepants]

Sometimes the chickens like to remind us that they are simply modern day dinosaurs in a rather violent way.

As long as you and your neighbors aren't putting out rat poison, that's just free feed (and entertainment) for your chickens.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have noticed that I have moles everywhere in the yard except the chicken run and that when I move the fence they dig into the mole tunnels first.