I got home from work and went out to collect eggs

[The Vail Benton's]

... in one of the coops, I noticed something strange - I don't remember what I saw that seemed "off", but whatever it was, it compelled me to lift a board that was lying on the ground. Under the board were several holes in the dirt. It took me a moment to process EXACTLY what I was seeing... and then A WHOLE BUNCH of little furry bodies began to scurry around. MICE! I uncovered a nest. One of them almost ran up my pant leg (kinda freaked me out cause it happened so fast) My hens went NUTS catching them and running around with their little furry prizes hanging from their beaks. I had no idea... but I sure am proud of my new mousers!

 

[FarmerDenise]

Aren't chickens grand?

 

[The Vail Benton's]

Yes FD, apparantly they are!

 

[big brown horse]

They can be vicious with the little mice too...body slamming them to death.

Today my girls helped me in the garden. It was their last day to help in there b/c I'm planting my peas tomorrow.

 

[The Vail Benton's]

They can be vicious with the little mice too...body slamming them to death.

Today my girls helped me in the garden. It was their last day to help in there b/c I'm planting my peas tomorrow.

Vicious is a bit of an understatement, don't you think?

 

[FarmerDenise]

You mean like when they do that "it's mine" pulling thing?

 

[Henrietta23]

I watched a bunch of pullets pull a mole/vole thing out of the ground once. I was stunned!

 

[lupinfarm]

My poor girls have super boring lives, there is a mouse that lives in the bunker in the summer but she never ventures into the coop (even though the feed bags are in there!) and the boy cats (Mr. Spots and SmokeyPokey) catch all the mice, rats, and weasels before they even reach the coop.

My housecat really does love a good mouse or vole slamming episode though, lol.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

how funny - we had 'attack of the killer hens' yesterday! we found a mouse stronghold when we were cleaning out the hen house and the gals really went for them!

the tiny screams were just horrible tho.....

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I haven't had this experience yet...

Makes me want to buy some feeder mice and toss them as a treat to the hens.

I might save one for my cat, tho, she likes mice.