can mice climb the vertical coop walls (siding, OSB, 2x4)?

[GC-Raptor]

I've had mice jump out of a plastic 5 gallon pail. Mice can climb a vertical 2x4. They can squeeze through a hole as small as a Canadian dime. A mouse will beat you in a staring contest. GC

 

[cmom]

I had a problem with them and I don't have a cat so I took a 5 gallon bucket and filled it about 2/3rds of water and put sunflower seeds in to cover and float on the water and put a ramp up on the bucket. I wanted to make it easy for them to climb up. They jump down into what they think is an easy meal of sunflower seeds and oops.

 

[lazy gardener]

My mom used to say, "A mouse will back up to a hole and squeeze through his pucker hole to get through to the other side of the wall."

 

[CanadaEh]

thank you everybody for fast replies. 2 more questions:
1) would the same (as to harboring pests) apply to pink *rigid* insulation?
2) would you still insulate brooder boxes on coop wall that will be 3ft high from the main deep litter surface?

 

[cmom]

I had some styrofoam up and they ate holes in it. I took it out. Do you have some pictures?

 

[lazy gardener]

Unless you cover your styrofoam, your birds will eat it. IMO any insulation can harbor pests. Again, the coop needs to be OPEN, allow good ventilation, so money spent on insulation (unless it is a metal building) is not going to do much good. No need to insulate broody boxes in the coop. They should allow as much ventilation as possible.

 

[cmom]

The styrofoam was not eaten by the birds, it was the rats and mice. I have since taken out the styrofoam and have gotten rid of the rats and mice. Since I found evidence of them in the barn I put baits out where other critters couldn't get to the baits. I found several dead ones. If you don't get rid of them they will multiply fast.

 

[CanadaEh]

ok, no insulation than. I just though the would be of some benefit e.g. for northern wall on which roosts will be not to be that freezing cold, but it looks the pest problems associated outweigh the benefits. I understand the benefits of insulation for coops are in general low due to (proper) ventilation takes most of the heat out anyways.

 

[cmom]

I have a friend who lives in Alaska has her coop insulated, not heated, but rodent proof. They have a lot of mice there too. You can insulate but you would have to cover it with something that the rats and mice can't chew through or they will build nests and multiply.

 

[CanadaEh]

You can insulate but you would have to cover it with something that the rats and mice can't chew through or they will build nests and multiply.

if it inside wall cavity surrounded by 2x4 studs and OSB sheathing and is 1' away from the deep litter - are you talking like blocking it with 2x4 at the bottom or surrounding all insulated wall cavities with hardware cloth on all sides?