The problem is the solution question. Mice for the chickens?

I'm participating in the PDM book discussion here on the forum. I was reading Mollison's words "the problem is the solution" and I thought of a problem that we have. We have some cute little mice that are sheltering in our home. But I prefer that they didn't live in my home so we have mouse traps (boy, they sure do love peanut butter).

So, in thinking about what to do about this problem, I thought: "could I feed the dead mice to the chickens?" What do you think? What else could I do with dead mice? How can I use mice in my house for good? That last question seems silly for me to type out but I think that I need to ask it -- if for nothing else than practice.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Good idea, and great principle of the solution being within the problem.

I tried that (leaving trapped mice in with my chickens) but they got to smelling pretty bad. Of course I have commercial lay pellets out all the time, so they never get too hungry. We have a group here in CA called "Project Purr" that catches, neuters, and then adopts out feral cats. They brought me three, two stayed, and they take out many mice and rats, only occasionally a bird. When I do catch a mouse or rat in a trap in the chicken coop, it serves as a treat for them.

Don Eggleston

if the chickens don't eat the mice they will certainly eat the fly larvae coming out of its body. Just leave it to rot in a conteiner in the chicken coop, make a few holes in the conteiner to allow the larvae to fall out of the conteiner and voila! happy chickens!

For my operation.. biochar. Dead critters work there.

.. boy do my chickens ever catch and eat mice! - more effeciently than the cats.. I considered raising mice as cat/chicken protein, but went to rabbits instead- which feeds me as well as providing better compost material..