Big Mouse Problem...

[The Tinman]

Pepermint will help keep them away. You can get peppermint oil and put it on a cotton ball or something. Put that in a tea infuser or something to keep the chickens from eating it. Next spring you can plant some. The chickens will love it and will help keep it under control cause mint will grow everywhere if it is not contained.

 

[Alabama ee]

Some chickens eat mice. Our Ee's will make short work of them. I had Buff Orphington's and they wouldn't. However, EE's will eat grown ones.

 

[dandelionheart]

If the smell of cats might discourage mice, maybe just put a bunch of cat hair from their brush in the nest boxes and around... ??? Wouldn't cost you anything to try and see...

 

[dgeter]

Hmm cat hair and peppermint sound like great ideas. I'll try both and see..

 

[woolychicken]

I have to agree that cats are the anwers.i have 2 fixed ,declawed males that LOVE the barn they eat,sleep with the chickens they are also inside cats that come and go as they please.
this summer is bought 50 chicks and was a little worried about them having chickie delight. but instead they just hung out with them and kept all mice away. now the(chicks) are 12 week old and it is not uncommon to see the cats laying by a chicken. plus it is nice not to see a mouse run across the feed barrles. MY ADVICE IS LET THE CATS IN THE BARN ! THEY WILL HAVE A BLAST!!

 

[gingerpeach22]

Mouse traps with raisins in them work very well - just put under edge or behind something. They are killed immediately. I use them all year round.

 

[rancher hicks]

If cats aren't possible then I vote with mouse traps. I use peanut butter for bait. Put it on some bread. Destroy any you find in the nest boxes. Drop them in a bucket of water. Mice carry salmonella and that can be passed on to your chickens. Vermin like this was the problem with the recent natiional outbreak in the news. KILL THEM! KEEP THEM AWAY FROM YOUR BIRDS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

Wishing you the best
Rancher

 

[buggie]

I work in the pest control industry. The best bait to use for mice is a piece of string tied to the trigger of the trap and trimmed so that is short enough so that it doesn't extend beyond the trap. Also any holes in the coop that are bigger that a dime need to be sealed or your problem will be on going. Good luck!

 

[breezy]

Quote:
My buff orps are death on mice. They have killed and eaten 3 this past week that I know about. They are pretty dang bloody about it too. They rip them apart as they fight for them. GRUESOME stuff .....I am so thankful chickens dont get any bigger than they do or we would all be endangered

 

[oliviad51]

I vote cats and traps. Set traps everywhere. I used to have a huge mouse problem. They would be in the food, in the coop..you name it. Then I got a cat and he leaves me mice at my doorstep all the time! I haven't had a mouse problem since!