How to control the mice population within the barn?

[Lynnmck]

Hi Everyone! I have a clean old large barn that I used to house 10 layers in a few years back. I built a room within the barn, insulated it, put a south window in etc for my hens and kept them in there with a outside run attached.
I loved having them and the eggs, but had to sell them eventually because I just could not get control of the mice that got in there. Whenever I went into to clean and feed ( at least 2xdaily) I could see the mice scatter there were so many. We had a feral cat that lived out there. I tried a lot of things to rid myself of them but nothing worked.
I am going to try this year and wonder if any of you could help me out with this problem?
Appreciate it !!! Thanks in advance!
Lynn

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We have always resorted to poison, but it can be tricky not poisoning everything else. You need to set up some traps, there are lots of options, and keep at them, as well as trying to make food less accessible. I only put out as much feed as my birds clean up by night fall, so I'm not feeding rodents all night.

 

[donrae]

More cats. Or perhaps a rat terrier. If you don't want to own one, see if you can find someone local with a good prey drive who will come have the dog make a few runs through the barn for you.

Bucket traps with water are pretty effective.

Limiting availability of feed helps.

I've used poison for rats and never had an issue with the other animals eating the carcass. I use the bait stations where only the rats or mice can get to the bait. My animals don't seem interested in eating anything they didn't kill themselves.

Any time you find a nest of pinkies, throw them to the flock.

 

[aart]

What have you tried?
How were you feeding and storing feed before?

Bucket traps can be awesome.
I'd just start setting traps...a lot of them...and check them every day.
Get rid of hiding places/nesting areas within and outside of barn.

 

[Lynnmck]

I have tried the water bucket trap and lost a chicken in it I can't use poison as I have lots of squirrels and don't want to lose them to that. A rat terrier is out of the question. The feral tom won't let any other cats in his area, which is this barn. I was using the live animal traps and was catching 4 or more a day in them but it never seemed to lower the population. Any other ideas??
thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They have traps that will catch multiple mice, they even have ones that will electrocute them.

 

[CrazyTalk]

Limiting availability of feed helps.

Nothing you do will matter if you don't fix the feed issues. Trapping/killing/etc will lower the numbers a bit, but the second you stop they'll all be back.

 

[aart]

I have tried the water bucket trap and lost a chicken in it I can't use poison as I have lots of squirrels and don't want to lose them to that. A rat terrier is out of the question. The feral tom won't let any other cats in his area, which is this barn. I was using the live animal traps and was catching 4 or more a day in them but it never seemed to lower the population. Any other ideas??
thanks!

Well, you don't have chickens now right?
Why were you using live traps....you weren't relocating them, were you?

I would put multiple traps around, snap traps, bucket traps....like 10 or 20 of them..and go around and empty, reset and rebait them everyday.

Poison is really the way to go....but if you're not open to that, you'll just have to keep trapping.
Maybe get rid of the feral cat and get a few other barn cats.

 

[Lynnmck]

Yes I was relocating them. I don't kill anything. I go with the "live and let live".
I will try restricting the feed to daylight hours this time and see if that helps along with more live traps
Thank you !!

 

[Lynnmck]

Oh, I always kept all my feed in sealed tight plastic bins