5 Gallon Bucket mouse trap

[Slongest]

That explains the color. I was wondering about that.

I use water and just dump the dead mice in the run. The chickens have a lot of fun playing keep-away and they get the free protein. You can't do that with antifreeze.

great idea i like that!

 

[Shellz]

great idea i like that!

How about alcohol? Heard it done prior to cooking lobster, as a nice way to go. If fed to chickens, would they get drunk? Lol! Just thinking out loud!

 

[aart]

I've been thinking about building one of these. Problem is water would freeze here now and didn't want to use antifreeze because of overall toxicity...but windshield washer fluid would work, not sure about toxcity with that. Plan on just disposing of the corpses in the garbage, but I have dogs around and wouldn't want to risk harm to them.

 

[Slongest]

i like the alcohol idea wont freeze and couldnt hurt too bad

 

[IAFarmGirl]

I've been thinking about building one of these. Problem is water would freeze here now and didn't want to use antifreeze because of overall toxicity...but windshield washer fluid would work, not sure about toxcity with that. Plan on just disposing of the corpses in the garbage, but I have dogs around and wouldn't want to risk harm to them.

Use RV antifreeze. It is non -toxic which is why you can use it in the water lines of a camper. It will not harm your pets and won't really harm the mice either (unless they drown) but they won't be able to jump out of the bucket.

 

[Shellz]

Ah, yes. Good idea!

 

[ChapmanChickens]

Just discovered rats for the first time last night, so I can't wait to try this!

 

[Peregrine]

I think some mice killed my chicks last night, so I'm going to make one, too! Some mice built nests in the insulation in my brooder. I put 3 new chicks out there last night, and this morning 2 had disappeared and the 3rd was half eaten. Gutted, like a raccoon would do to a full-size hen, so it must have been a small animal. The mice seem most likely, and from what I've just read, it seems possible, too. Tonight I'm still going to put my 4 new ones in a protective cage, just in case.

 

[bruceha2000]

MUCH more complicated than necessary.
- Cover the bucket with a sheet of newspaper and affix it in some fashion: large rubber band, string, whatever. Mice weigh almost nothing, it doesn't have to be a drum tight surface.
- Cut a hole in the center of the paper, I made mine about 2" x 2 1/2", no measuring, no "trap door". Mice go down holes all the time, inside a hole is a SAFE place to a mouse.
- Toss some feed in the bucket and a little on top.
- Put the bucket where you see evidence of mice with a cardboard box or block of wood about half the height of the bucket next to it if you like so they don't have to "work" too hard for their snacks. The first time I found mice in my feed container (LARGE steel stock pot) was when I forgot to put the lid on the night before. It captured 2 mice because it was almost empty, they couldn't jump quite that high and they couldn't climb the steel sides.
- Move the mouse somewhere else in the morning and store your feed in metal cans, 10 gallon cans with lids fit a 50# bag of feed or scratch.
I have put a mouse outside the far end of the barn 4 days running (as of today), about 200' from the house where I found they had been snacking cereal in a corn starch bag in a cabinet. What I don't know is if it is the same mouse or a different one every day. I tried spraying a little yellow paint as the mouse ran into the grass this morning though I have no idea if any got on it. But if I find a mouse in the bucket tomorrow morning with yellow on it's back, well, I guess I'm just providing snacks and a daily "joy ride" to a single mouse.

Bruce

 

[aart]

MUCH more complicated than necessary.
- Cover the bucket with a sheet of newspaper and affix it in some fashion: large rubber band, string, whatever. Mice weigh almost nothing, it doesn't have to be a drum tight surface.
- Cut a hole in the center of the paper, I made mine about 2" x 2 1/2", no measuring, no "trap door". Mice go down holes all the time, inside a hole is a SAFE place to a mouse.
- Toss some feed in the bucket and a little on top.
- Put the bucket where you see evidence of mice with a cardboard box or block of wood about half the height of the bucket next to it if you like so they don't have to "work" too hard for their snacks. The first time I found mice in my feed container (LARGE steel stock pot) was when I forgot to put the lid on the night before. It captured 2 mice because it was almost empty, they couldn't jump quite that high and they couldn't climb the steel sides.
- Move the mouse somewhere else in the morning and store your feed in metal cans, 10 gallon cans with lids fit a 50# bag of feed or scratch.
I have put a mouse outside the far end of the barn 4 days running (as of today), about 200' from the house where I found they had been snacking cereal in a corn starch bag in a cabinet. What I don't know is if it is the same mouse or a different one every day. I tried spraying a little yellow paint as the mouse ran into the grass this morning though I have no idea if any got on it. But if I find a mouse in the bucket tomorrow morning with yellow on it's back, well, I guess I'm just providing snacks and a daily "joy ride" to a single mouse.

Bruce

Well, it is if you're just going to let them go....why bother!