Mice in chicken coop

[LC]

Quote:
Thats a big one. Good kill

 

[DizzySkunk]

We have an 8' x 12' coop, live in the country (of course) and have mice, rats, possums, and hawks. We've caught seven mice in a day! We don't use any poison, but we have tested just about every mouse trap on the market. The only ones that have worked for us are the little black spring-loaded traps with a yellow trigger pad. These are the most sensitive ones we could find and rarely is the peanut butter licked off without being triggered. We place the traps where the chicken can get to them and we have about 15 set in the coop. Easy to check when gathering eggs. The cats love the dead mice. We keep our feed in a plain metal garbage can with lid. There is also the 5 gallon bucket trap method... putting (securing) paper across the top (can use a non-tear large postal envelope), cut an X in the center and put peanut butter on the X.... The mice fall in the bucket while trying to get the peanut butter... may need to place this where the mice can get to the top of the bucket and the chickens can't. (Some people put water in the bucket so the mice will drown... I can't seem to do this.) I haven't found any way to keep the critters from getting in the coop though. Rats and mice seem to be excellant diggers... even through rock (which is what the coop floor is). We may take out all the rock this summer and place cinder blocks around the edge, then fill with the rocks again. May even go so far as to placing small hole chicken fencing under it all.

 

[Smoky73]

The best traps I have used are the small mice cubes(plastic) from Wal-mart, I bait with Calf Manna or peanut butter, but the trap will only hold 3 mice and have to be washed or they get suspicious.

I also have used this one that is plastic with a viewing clear top that flips the mouse into the holding tray. If you wind it too far, it breaks or doesnt work as well. Thats the case with mine now

BUT the BEST OF ALL THE TRAP is made by Little Giant, and its called Ketch-All. Its a metal trap, hold 30 mice, made of metal and no springs or anything to worry about breaking. There are two entries with a ramp that only allows mice in, not out. You are not supposed to have to bait it, but I open the lid and throw in scratch and chicken feed and for a week, I must have caught about 50 mice. I could either drown them, let them die on their own or call the cats to supper, which is the choice I do but 15 at a time is a bit much for even them. Your supposed to position it along the wall, but I have the best luck keeping it under the covered cat litter box I use for a nesting box, or, keeping it right under the feed bowl or waterer. Kinda like this idea as it raises the waterer up to keep wood shavings out of it so serves two purposes really.

 

[Llysse]

That IS a good idea.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Wow... I'm really glad I don't have a need to catch multiple mice per night!

 

[eggchel]

Smoky73,


Is this the same as the Little Giant trap that you use?



thanks

chel

 

[Smoky73]

eggchel,

Is what the same? I didnt see a pic or anything sorry.

Sorry, I just looked it up- its called Sure-Catch
and I LOVE it.

http://www.miller-littlegiant.com/p...uctTypeID=Live_Animal_Traps&productItemID=SC1

 

[SandraChick]

wish they had something like that for rats!

Bucket trap gets tested this weekend....works for mice too....

*5 gal Bucket with water deep enough for rodents to drown, but not to climb out.

*put a piece of wood so they can cross to the center of the bucket top (although, I'm thinking to just cover it in 2x4 Wire so the cats/chickens/ducks/dogs can't get in

*Take grease drippings (preferably bacon) and ONCE COOL ENOUGH pour into water....it will congeal and create a layer of temping bait!

Supposedly...this works wonders.....we'll see!

Sandra

 

[panner123]

A cat is the answer. But it can't be just any cat. I have two cats I can put in the coop with the chickens, but only one I will trust with chicks. That cat won't even let my wife around the chicks, she sleeps right next to them. When you first put the cat in with the chickens you have to be right there. It makes it a lot easier if you have a big roo, or even a mean hen.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

I raise rats (I know, I can hear it now...BOO HISS!!!), but I also have Pythons and Boa's so, the rats are food. However, I know how smart the little beggars are..rats can and will outsmart you. And they will grow accustomed to traps, and learn to avoid them. It is best to not put a trap in the same place continually-move it around a bit.

Someone mentioned earlier that they had hoped that they killed the 'breeding pair'...maybe, but doubtful. Rats have litters of roughly 14, but commonly 24 babies every 20 or so days. They are sexually mature at about 5 weeks old. And you can be sure that Momma Rat is already pregnant again before she has weaned her last litter. Rats do not hesitate to inbreed, nor are they selective...so, you don't really have to do the math here. If you've seen a rat, you should expect that there's a dozen more you haven't seen.

The best thing is to remove the food source, which in this case isn't really possible. The second best thing is a cat. Most any cat will mouse, if for nothing other than fun. Even if your cat does not mouse, if you have your cat hang around the coop- maybe feed the cat outside of the coop- it's smell will be there and the mice and rats DO avoid the smell of cat.
This may sound a little crazy, but you may be able to place your cats bed or really anything the cat lays on a lot in the coop near where you suspect the mice are gaining entry and see if the smell from the item deters the rats at all. Just a thought there.

If traps are your choice, I can recommend chocolate for bait, it is toxic to rats and mice, but they love it. Probably also bad for chickens, though. However, they do 'hoard' food, so allowing them to take chocolate back to their nest will kill any other rats (i.e. the babies) that eat from the stash.

Mice love dog and cat food. Too much protien will kill them.

Steel wool works to fill gaps until the mice chew holes next to the filled holes..

The only other thing I can think of is to possibly provide a food source away from the coop. Might not be feasible, but it could work...a handful of dog food dumped a ways away might get them going in the opposite direction??

What I DO know for sure is that if you have mice/rats, the snakes won't be far behind. And they'll stick around as long as the rodents are plentiful.