Deter rodents humanely

[Mamahen100]

Hey there. Can anyone advise me on possibly a homemade concoction to create a barrier from mice reaching the chicken area? Keep in mind that these are indoor chickens. I was thinking along the lines of perhaps using cinnamon or cayenne pepper, etc. . .

 

[Acre4Me]

Mmmm…….indoor chickens means in-your-house?

If so, you do not want to go light handed here. You don’t want mice in your home, walls, pantry etc. and if you are asking, maybe you already have a problem.

Everything food related goes into containers -metal is recommended. Water is placed where chickens can access, but rodents cannot…so, not on the ground as first rule.

Poisons: best overall solution to a rodent problem. Research them, as all do not work the same and all are not detrimental to pets. There are a few general categories as to how they work and it is best to learn for yourself so you can make an educated decision for your specific situation.

Deterrents: mint I think is one deterrent. Not sure about cinnamon.

Important note: rodents are disease vectors, and are not in any danger of becoming a threatened species. They are considered pests, so deal with them so your problem is resolved or you do not encourage a rodent problem to develop.

We live rural, we use outdoor bait stations and monitor them. We change out the poison 2-3 x a year or more often with activity. In certain locations, glue traps work best. We will always have rodents around us, but we don’t want them in the house or barn, to the best of our ability.

Good luck.

 

[Mamahen100]

Mmmm…….indoor chickens means in-your-house?

If so, you do not want to go light handed here. You don’t want mice in your home, walls, pantry etc. and if you are asking, maybe you already have a problem.

Everything food related goes into containers -metal is recommended. Water is placed where chickens can access, but rodents cannot…so, not on the ground as first rule.

Poisons: best overall solution to a rodent problem. Research them, as all do not work the same and all are not detrimental to pets. There are a few general categories as to how they work and it is best to learn for yourself so you can make an educated decision for your specific situation.

Deterrents: mint I think is one deterrent. Not sure about cinnamon.

Important note: rodents are disease vectors, and are not in any danger of becoming a threatened species. They are considered pests, so deal with them so your problem is resolved or you do not encourage a rodent problem to develop.

We live rural, we use outdoor bait stations and monitor them. We change out the poison 2-3 x a year or more often with activity. In certain locations, glue traps work best. We will always have rodents around us, but we don’t want them in the house or barn, to the best of our ability.

Good luck.

Ok, so if u were me, what exactly would u do? First floor right above the basement, relatively small apartment room, 4 chickens and last but not least, no glue traps. How would u set up their space? Thanks.

 

[Alicethewhiterabbit]

Outside I use wire cloth and the ratinator trap. Inside I have adopted cats. No rodent comes inside because I have 2 exceptional hunters who I found outside (one in a parking lot as a 3/4 month old and the other 8 years ago as a little bit kitten) . These two are black cats who know how to search and make sure there are no intruders.

(I will also foster/ temporarily house feral cats until they are well enough to be released back to their colonies…- these colonies are not near me but in my area.)

If you don’t have a cat you have to go outside and find out how these rodents are getting in and seal the entry point and use the deterrents you mentioned.

 

[Mamahen100]

Outside I use wire cloth and the ratinator trap. Inside I have adopted cats. No rodent comes inside because I have 2 exceptional hunters who I found outside (one in a parking lot as a 3/4 month old and the other 8 years ago as a little bit kitten) . These two are black cats who know how to search and make sure there are no intruders.

(I will also foster/ temporarily house feral cats until they are well enough to be released back to their colonies…- these colonies are not near me but in my area.)

If you don’t have a cat you have to go outside and find out how these rodents are getting in and seal the entry point and use the deterrents you mentioned.

Oh wow, hehehe. Ok. Yeah, so like I mentioned, I'm right above the basement of this old turn of the century building where they're probably holes, crevices and mouse caves in every wall. Let me tell u something about these city mice . . . No matter how many times or how well u patch up entry points they manage to eventually come right back. Sometimes, black cats and glue traps sound tempting, hehe. But, it ain't in me to resort to those means yet.

 

[Mountain Roost]

When trapping weasels, fur trappers will put their snap rat traps in an enclosed wooden box with a hole for the 'rodent'. This would make snap traps safe around pets. The snap traps with the metal pedal last longer as the plastic pedal break because the trap is so powerful. You said city 'mice' but if you really have city rats you need the big trap. For actual mice the smaller traps are easy to set and you don't risk a broken finger. I screw 4 or 5 small traps to a 2x6 and it makes a nice kill.

 

[Mountain Roost]

But, it ain't in me to resort to those means yet.

Are you waiting for one to crawl across your bed while you are sleeping?

 

[Mamahen100]

When trapping weasels, fur trappers will put their snap rat traps in an enclosed wooden box with a hole for the 'rodent'. This would make snap traps safe around pets. The snap traps with the metal pedal last longer as the plastic pedal break because the trap is so powerful. You said city 'mice' but if you really have city rats you need the big trap. For actual mice the smaller traps are easy to set and you don't risk a broken finger. I screw 4 or 5 small traps to a 2x6 and it makes a nice kill.

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So, this is ur recommendation for a humane trap/solution? U're missing my whole point.

 

[Mountain Roost]

Humane is keeping diseases out of your house.

 

[Mamahen100]

Are you waiting for one to crawl across your bed while you are sleeping?

Depends how cuddly he is and how lonely I might be feeling that night.