The boys and I went out in the backyard before dinner when I heard a noise from the chicken coop that alerted me that something was wrong. Besides a frenzied bok-ba-gawking there was a low growl that I hadn't heard from them before. It reminded me of the noise our cats make when one of them goes to the vet and then comes home and the other one does that low growl when he sniffs the vet-office-stink on the other cat. If you have cats, you know that noise.
When I looked in the cage I saw that Maggie was running around madly with something in her mouth and she was clearly the source of the low growl. The bok-ba-gawking was coming from the other two who were chasing her like their lives depended on it. She was going so fast that I couldn't see what was in her mouth.
But then I saw the long dangly legs.
She had a frog.
A big dangly tree frog.
She stopped running every now and then just long enough to bash the frog into the wooden frame of the run, which sent the other chickens into a frenzy as they tried to steal it from her.
A few times they all grabbed a limb and proceeded to attempt to draw and quarter the thing in a very grisly scene.
When I ran in to grab the camera, Sookie must have taken the frog from Maggie because she had it when I got back, much to Maggie's dismay.
And the chase was on again. I don't know if the other two chickens got any parts, but there did appear to be slightly less of the frog hanging out of Sookie's mouth. Then she went to the corner and gulped the thing down.
I must say, I was floored. I didn't know that chickens were quite so carnivorous. It was like the velociraptor scene from Jurassic Park. After poking around on the Backyard Chicken Forum I found that chickens will eat frogs, snakes, mice, lizards and anything else they can beat to death and gulp down.
Mine apparently crossed over to the dark side with just a measly old frog.
I wonder if it tasted like chicken?
A frog? Oh, the humanity!! Just kidding. :) LOVED the taste comment. Glad those ladies had their fun for the day.
ReplyDeleteHilarious. Crossing over to the dark side -well, its all down hill from now on.
ReplyDeleteI've been feeding our chickens the huge Tomato Hornworm caterpillars that are decimating my tomato plants. When they see me with the white bucket, they come running.
ReplyDeleteA chill ran down my spine when I read your title. As much as I pity the poor frog, I'm relieved the chickens didn't turn cannibalistic!
ReplyDeleteI watched two female roadrunners fight over a tiny rabbit last winter, and it's not a pretty sight. I know it's nature, and it's natural, but I prefer they not do it right in front of me!
I was a bit taken aback when learned of their taste for blood too, they leave that bit out of all the barnyard tales!
ReplyDeleteOurs just had their first frog as well just last week. My boys apparently fed it to them & I hear tell THEY LOVED it. It freaked me out just a tad. LOL There was another poor hapless toad in our yard yesterday & I convinced my kids to let it alone. They want to feed every creepy-crawly thing to the chicks. LOL
ReplyDeletelet us hope that frogs taste like chicken...
ReplyDeleteor your eggs are going to taste like frog! :o) LOL
i'm trying to remember what frog legs taste like--when i was a kid, we lived in Battle Mountain, Nv for a while and when the neighbour kid saw that his new neighbours included a little girl (me), he went out froggin' and his mom helped him make fried frog legs for us. Eeck! Well...since i can't remember what they taste like, it's either because i couldn't dare eat poor Kermit's hammies, or because they tasted so bad i didn't want to remember. :o)
Granny - a rabbit? really? Oof. Nature is a fierce beast sometimes. It is hard to stomach, but animals are just doing what animals do. I suppose it's nothing compared to what the evening news reports on what us humans do...
ReplyDeleteWorkinprogress - Yup. Frog legs do taste like chicken. For some odd reason, I used to LOVE to order frog legs when I was a kid. They taste a bit like gator to me - like a chicken with a fishy vibe to it.
I see the boxes of "vegetarian eggs" at the supermarket. I have to assume that these chickens are kept inside because outside chickens are little carnivors when it comes down to it!!
Ha Ha Tastes like chicken!!! Poor froggy :( You know I'm a frog lover, LOL
ReplyDeleteI had no idea chickens ate all that stuff. Now when I read the egg carton and it says "vegetarian fed" I know what the chickens are NOT eating.
Too bad for the little frog...but it's awesome that your chickens are running around getting into trouble and just doing what every chicken living the good life should be doing! Free-roaming at its best, lol!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the laugh 'tastes like chicken'- you're too funny! I hope to have some chickens some day :)
ReplyDeleteI'm all circle of life and everything but I never thought about chickens as hunters!
ReplyDelete"Wonder if it tasted like chicken?"
ReplyDeleteStill smiling!
i found this video when i first started researching chickens....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuMsDv6_tDw
Dani - GAAAAHHHHH on that video! Chickens beating mice to death?!?!?!? WOWOW!! I guess a girl's gotta eat, but... egads, man. Nature at its finest!
ReplyDeleteLL - I love frogs too!! I was pretty shocked to see one consumed like that. But I also get sad when I see a snake eat a frog... but I suppose I get the whole food chain of life idea.