Does this look like rodent feces to you?

[RaesChicks]

I saw this tear in my shavings bag and couldn’t remember if I’d torn it at some point. I started inspecting the coop which I’m in daily. The longest I go without scooping or replacing the shavings is every other day. I found this dropping on the top support at the back of my coop. It’s too high for my chickens to get to and it doesn’t look like a lizard to me since it’s missing the white part. I inspected the nesting area and didn’t find droppings, and I just replaced the bedding the day before yesterday. I posted about mole tunnels yesterday and covered my run door for the first time last night. I do have squirrels in all the trees around the coop too and they are not scared of my girls. Need advice. Do I need to sanitize my coop? What steps should I take if it is a rodent? Should my eggs I’ve already collected be safe to eat?

 

[RaesChicks]

Bottle cap for size reference.

 

[townchicks]

Looks like mouse dropping to me.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yep, that's a little mouse turd

 

[RaesChicks]

Yep, that's a little mouse turd

Any recommendations for removal or deterrent?

 

[Tonyroo]

Don't worry about eating the eggs it's fine. Just try to deter any rodents from coming in the coop.

I know I have burrowing mice in my yard, caught a glimpse of one jumping into the coop and ran out. So I decided to drop some rodent poison down there holes. No more mice.

 

[RaesChicks]

I do have tunnels I thought were moles, it’s possible they are rodents. I really try to keep a close watch on my coop but I keep the run and coop open during the time they are free ranging and my coop door to the run doesn’t close. I covered it last night and of course find all this in the morning.

 

[aart]

Doesn't look like a mouse turd, maybe rat, maybe something else.
Put out a snap trap and see what you catch.

 

[RaesChicks]

Doesn't look like a mouse turd, maybe rat, maybe something else.
Put out a snap trap and see what you catch.

I got snap traps for mice and rats is there a reason that’s preferable to glue traps?

 

[aart]

I got snap traps for mice and rats is there a reason that’s preferable to glue traps?

Snap traps kills them, glue traps often do not.