Hen eating frogs!!

[Verinda]

Oh! A mouse! How horrible!!

Hmm I saw a mouse in our house a couple of days ago...perhaps I should invite the hens in...might be better than a mousetrap!

[arpoet]

Beware of the side effects of hens eating frogs.... the eggs may leap back up inside once laid........

[chris]

Mine have eaten a field mouse too. And frogs, flies, anything that moved apart from slugs.

They eat snails ( including the shell ) whole mind..


Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum mobile app

[SoulBroNo1]

Am I only the one that read this as frogs that eat hens? Now that would be something special!

[Verinda]

Goodness, I knew hens weren't vegetarian but didn't know they were quite so carnivorous!!

Yes, I don't think I worded the title quite right!

[kathyd]

Is there any way you could protect an area around the pond for a while? I use debris netting for things like that - temporary enclosures and stuff. Not very pretty, but it does the job and is easy to move afterwards. I hook it over tree branches and logs and garden chairs and anything else that's conveniently lying around, but I'm sure you could make a much neater version if you put your mind to it . My hens seem to have a passion for slow worms, which really upsets me, but I have no idea where they're living so I can't do anything to protect them .

[Verinda]

I'd be upset about slow worms too. I can't decide if it's worth putting up netting because the frogs will just hop through it. And unless the hens can swim it would be impossible for them to get the frogs when they're in the pond. But the hens are definitely hanging round the edge of the pond waiting for a frog to climb out. Oh dear, I might have to keep the hens in their run till the frogs have gone. It is a large run thankfully.

[Two_Sheds]

Oh! A mouse! How horrible!

I finally found the source of our garage mice: they were nesting in a gap in the roof void. I dug the pinkies out with a bamboo cane, but couldn't bring myself to kill them, so I thought "recycling" and chucked them up on the garage roof. After a few tentative passes to check them out, a herring gull landed and scoffed the lot.

They eat snails ( including the shell )

It's so funny to see them playing Snail Rugby. One hen grabs the snail on her beak, and all the others chase her round the yard

hens ...didn't know they were quite so carnivorous

They're basically mini T-Rexes, modern dinosaurs: they'll eat anything. Then we eat what comes out of their bottoms (cloaca). Who's more disgusting, them or us?

Is there any way you could protect an area around the pond for a while?

Frogs only use the pond for breeding: the rest of the year they spend in long grass and leaf litter, so she's still going to have the problem of hens hunting the frogs. Unless she can fence off the hens (perhaps have them in a chicken tractor?)

[Aberdeenplotter]

I've also seen a hen eat a mouse. Swallowed it whole. Amazed me at the time much like seeing a large gull eating a dead pigeon in Venice. Totally gross

[Verinda]

Whole????? Argh! I think I'd rather not see that!!!

Two Sheds, I haven't quite figured out how to add quotes yet, but yes you're right about the frogs, I can't really protect them.

This morning I gave in when I saw the hens standing at the gate asking for freedom so I let them out, but the frog pond happens to be right beside the hen run so I'm going to have to keep an eye on what's going on with my mini T Rex frog eating dinosaur monster hens

[kathyd]

I suspect I'm going to have the same problem soon Verinda - I found frogspawn in our pond yesterday. Weird really, because I've seen toads in the garden but no frogs, yet we have frogspawn in the pond but no toadspawn! Hopefully there'll be so many froglets that at least some escape and survive...

[Verinda]

Oh I've been dwelling on what to do when the baby frogs are leaving the pond, they would make the most delicious bite sized snacks for the hens, but baby frogs are so cute, I don't want to see them leaving pond just to be snapped up. My hens may have to stay in their run for a couple of weeks just to give the babes a chance.

There are no toads in Ireland so I don't have a toad problem, well there are natterjack toads but they're rare and not round here. But isn't toadspawn in long strings? Maybe not that obvious, it might be in your pond hidden under leaves. I love toads, they have such beautiful golden eyes, how lovely to have them in your garden...hopefully they taste nasty and the hens don't eat them!

[Two_Sheds]

I haven't quite figured out how to add quotes yet

Click on "Reply With Quote" under this message. You must leave the text in square brackets at the beginning & end, but you can delete the remaining text you don't want. Then click on "Post Quick Reply"

or

"Go Advanced" to play with text size & colour, then click on "Submit Reply"


It's easier than I've made it seem

[Verinda]

It's easier than I've made it seem

Ahhh! I get it now!! Thank you

Except your quote isn't in a box like it should be...

[Two_Sheds]

because you deleted the square brackets