Chickens and Mint

[Cheyenne97]

My flock ate my 5 mint plants in my garden. They left everything else alone though

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They are in thetrun eating the food. I have tried, and tried I've put out a dozen traps, plus bucket traps all at the same time, And the little buggers just run right around the traps or jump over them. They will go half way up the board to the bucket then turn around and come back down. I can't use poison, too many other animals .

Remove what is attracting them=the food. It may be inconvenient, but take up all the food each night. Rodents will forgo the traps if the food containers are available.

I bring in my feed containers every night. If you toss out scratch only give what they will clean up before the chickens go to roost.

After you do all that, set your traps, see if you can catch the boogers.

 

[Stacyoung13]

Remove what is attracting them=the food. It may be inconvenient, but take up all the food each night. Rodents will forgo the traps if the food containers are available.

I bring in my feed containers every night. If you toss out scratch only give what they will clean up before the chickens go to roost.

After you do all that, set your traps, see if you can catch the boogers.

My feeders are pvc attached to the 4x4s. I would have to unscrew and cut straps to take down. But I am gonna try and cover them. I haven't seen them in the coops,

 

[GRB73]

My girls couldn't care less about eating mint but It wouldn't hurt them if they did.
They do like walking through it and sitting in it ! Maybe it repels mites??? Certainly does not repel mice. I have it planted all along the garage and we have plenty of mice in there!

 

[Folly's place]

Mint is a lovely plant, tastes great in many flavors, looks good, and doesn't need any other reason to be planted around there! It doesn't repel rodents, but ah well...
Mary

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My feeders are pvc attached to the 4x4s. I would have to unscrew and cut straps to take down. But I am gonna try and cover them. I haven't seen them in the coops,

Maybe find some way to cap off the feeders at night
Do your chickens have a lot of feed spillage or are they leaving food on the ground? That would definitely attract rodents.

 

[Stacyoung13]

Night one, I covered 4 of 5 feeders with plastic and sprayed peppermint extract (mixed with water) on plastic and ground around area. Last feeder I left uncovered and sprayed area around it. I still set out the traps. We saw 3-4 mice, but not a one went to any feeders. Not even the uncovered one. I'm going to do it again just to make sure .Leaving a different feeder uncovered. Will keep posted. But so far looks like it works.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Night one, I covered 4 of 5 feeders with plastic and sprayed peppermint extract (mixed with water) on plastic and ground around area. Last feeder I left uncovered and sprayed area around it. I still set out the traps. We saw 3-4 mice, but not a one went to any feeders. Not even the uncovered one. I'm going to do it again just to make sure .Leaving a different feeder uncovered. Will keep posted. But so far looks like it works.

Can you tell what the mice are eating then? Are the chickens leaving scratch or food spilled?

 

[Stacyoung13]

Can you tell what the mice are eating then? Are the chickens leaving scratch or food spilled?

They have been eating the chicken feed, hence the reason for covering and spraying and setting traps.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They have been eating the chicken feed, hence the reason for covering and spraying and setting traps.

I see
I was just curious, I know my birds can make a mess! I've got 1-2 that like to bill through the feed and leave it on the ground. That's when the feed cups get taken up so they have to clean it all up

Now...all my cups/feed containers are under cover, but in damp warm weather, feed on the ground can mold very quickly here - sometimes overnight, so I watch for that very closely and keep my shovel handy clean it up.