Gross

[Nyboy]

After work yesterday I let the hens out while doing some yard work. They where having a good time, when I heard some squawking and looked over. 2 hens where having a tug of war with a small snake. Before I could do anything one ran off and quickly ate it. I get grossed out now thinking of her eggs, and because all lay in the same box I am going to be buying eggs for a while. Have you ever been grossed out by something your chickens ate?

 

[desertlady]

Yes! All the time, they love eating lizards!, mice, snakes and even eat my baby chicks

 

[bj taylor]

when I look at the chickens I see how Hollywood came up with some of their monsters. especially Jurassic park. they're little veloci raptors eating anything that doesn't eat them

 

[Ridgerunner]

They eat things I wouldnt eat but grossed out by it, not at all. Chickens are omnivores. Theyll eat anything they can, meat or vegetable. Heck, they even eat rocks.

I believe in letting chickens be chickens. They are basically velociraptors. In their world, it is Do lunch or Be lunch. If it doesnt eat them, theyll eat it. Mine enjoy a good snake or mouse, but I think frogs are at the top of their preference chart.

I get a laugh when I see chicken feed advertised as natural vegetarian. There is nothing natural about chickens being vegetarian. They most certainly are not. When I look at the list of ingredients on the label I like to see animal products as one of the ingredients. Its more natural.

 

[bobm]

Many folks proclaim that their chickens eat grass and BUGS .... is that GROSS or what ? Chickens are omnivores so they eat anything that dosn't eat them first. Perfectly normal !

 

[MeggsyGardenGirl]

I don't get grossed out at all because that's what chickens eat. They are omnivores, just like we humans, although some humans actively choose to be vegetarian or vegan. Chickens love to chase mice and gobble them up. Good for them. My chickens generally get whatever proteins I can give them including freshwater fish bits, old eggs and chicken meat (always, always cooked), and lobster leftovers. But, a word or warning on the lobster - though the chickens love to eat lobster, the cooked shells will turn the yolks a bright shade of red - "red as a lobster!" That's a little freaky, but the calcium from the shells is good for them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Meggsy, your comment on lobster shell caused me to do some searching on the internet. I knew the part of the shell that is translucent and flexible is more chitin that anything else. Even the soft flexible parts do have some calcium in it. The harder the shell, the more calcium. They will get some benefit from the calcium in lobster shell, even the most flexible parts.

Chitin is pretty much protein. They will get some protein benefit from digesting it but apparently not a whole lot. Its just not that digestible. But in one study, they found that chitin reduces chickens triglycerides. Its amazing what you can find on the internet.

It sounds like you feed lobster shell to your chickens. I thought you might find that interesting.

Nyboy, to make sure I was clear. Stop eating their eggs because they ate a snake? Not me. Thats extra protein. Those should be really good eggs.

 

[curly_kate]

Chickens are velociraptors! It was really weird the first time I saw them go after a mouse that I'd run out of the coop, but now I think it's kind of cool.

 

[secuono]

That snake will make her eggs even more tasty!
Mine don't eat mice, too big, they just beat it up, break the legs and leave it for something else to eat it....So the LGD pup eats them....

 

[bj taylor]

meggsy, you are lucky to have lobster as an issue.