Mice overtaking my coop

[swazzy]

Mice are overtaking my coop. I heard moth balls keep mice away. If I put some under the coop and hang some from the ceiling of the coop, will it bother my chickens? They wont beable to get to the moth balls, but will the smell bother them. Help, I need an answer right away.

 

[katbriar]

Sorry, moth balls won't keep mice away. We tried them in our trash container, but the mice still made themselves at home.

Your best options are to keep all your feed in mouse proof containers and do not leave feed out for your chickens. Only feed them what they'll eat within a short period of time. If the mice don't have a reason to visit your coop, they'll go somewhere else.

A bucket mouse trap is effective for dispatching large numbers of mice without poison.

 

[swazzy]

Thank you and now my stupid question, What is a bucket mouse trap?

 

[LACEYFARMS51]

i have a buddy that uses a bucket mouse trap he takes a five gallon bucket and a uses a peanut butter container and runs a rod through the middle and puts each end of the rod through the bucket so the peanut butter container spins then smear peanut butter on it and make a ramp that goes up to the bucket they will jump on the peanutbutter container and it will spin and they will fall in bucket

 

[katbriar]

Here's a pretty good and quick video on how to construct.

As he says you can use 5-gallon sized paint stirrers or other pieces of wood to make the ramps up to the rim. If you're feeling charitable, you can leave the bucket empty and relocate the mice in the morning. If you want to make sure they don't come back, put several inches of water in the bucket and they will drown themselves.

Peanut butter is a great bait, but make sure you only use a little, or that you spread it all the way around the diameter of the can. If you only use one heavy glob, the weight of it will turn the can on it's own until it hangs down and then it's not as available for the mice, and the can doesn't turn as easily when a mouse steps on it.

Good luck- let us know how it turns out!

 

[swazzy]

cool idea, I will give that a try

 

[retlaw]

They work great.
24 in two days was my best.

 

[swazzy]

Found out barn cats work the best. They leave my chickens alone and get all the mice. No mice in my coop.

 

[gawildlife]

Google the MSDS for mothballs, please. Main ingredient napthalene is a carcinogen.

 

[KrazyPluckr]

I own a Pest Management Company. It's important when using any pesticide that you follow the label directions. The label on all EPA registered products are actually legal documents. On the container is a legal statement: "It is against federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling." Mothballs are for moths, no other pests, mice aren't on the label. Don't think the Feds will come running after you but it can't be doing your chickens any good. The products formulation is of a fumigant which evaporates into the air to the molecular level. Get rid of it. I like the bucket idea but it could get funky quick if not maintained. Integrated Pest Management is the way to go, plenty on the web pertaining to IPM so I won't address it here.