I peeked out at the hens this morning before work, and saw them swarming something on the ground. Whatever it was, they were going crazy over it. Then, I caught a glimpse of white/brown fluffiness in the middle of the ruckus. Aw crap. Figured something got one of the hens between hubby letting them out when he got home from work, and me getting up to go to work. Anyhow, I found a pair of shoes and tromped out to take away their "treat".
Happily, it wasn't a chicken. It was a headless rabbit. I'll spare you any photos. Something must have killed it last night. The hens did not appreciate me taking their prize, and one of them attempted to latch on to it as I gingerly pinched the rabbit by the toe and carried it out of the yard. At least it had been dead long enough that the fleas had all vacated the premises. In case you ever wondered, wild rabbits are COVERED in fleas. Anytime I shoot one, I let it sit for 10 or 15 min before I'll go pick it up. Nasty nasty things. EwEwEW.
So, to conclude, headless rabbit joins mice and small snakes on the list of things my chickens will happily devour. Ew.
5 comments:
Holy cow! They will eat anything! I'm surprised they would have anything to do with a dead animal. Very surprised!
All four of my grown children, like to retell a story to utter horror of my husband, which includes him chasing a hen, who is being pursued from other hens, while she carries a mouse in her beak! Needless to say, the actions that the hubby did, is what the kids get a kick out of telling and acting out. As I recall the hubby did get the mouse and he hates mice, and he wouldn't eat any eggs for a couple of weeks afterwards.
Um. The flea thing is totally grossing me out right now.
And I can watch Knee Surgery on discovery health while eating pasta and not have it faze me.
But the flea thing. Friggin' gross!
(My hens actually gang rushed a neighborhood cat the other day. It's amazing what they will do. Just picked up their skirts and gave him the what for. Hilarious.)
I would have never thought they'd eat a rabbit. Wow. Mice, of course.
My chickens will (and do) eat ANYTHING! One of their favorites is mice. I had a mouse fall into a pail of milk that I left in the barn overnight (goat berry dropped in it, icky) so the chickens had "milk soaked rodent". Fought over it like you wouldn't believe.
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