I got mice problems.

[Prisserbabe]

Hi,
I was in my coop's run at night and I saw a little mouse run across the ground and hide. Crap!

--- So what should I do? Are mice a threat to the girls or not? Thank you for your help

 

[Dublin21]

Mice usually don't attack chickens unless the horde expands considerably. But for the most part, they should be scared enough to just hide out and breed (unfortunately). I would be careful on laying down traps because you don't want the chickens to run over them. Maybe consult an exterminator or set traps around the perimeter fences.

 

[Beth K.]

I think mice would just mooch off you by eating the feed.

 

[Elite Silkies]

Mice will make your coops smell horrible! They poop in the feed and just nasty! I have a cat that sleeps in my coops every night. When she has cleared out one coop, she lets us know she is ready to switch coops. She is a good cat!!

I have a youngster growing up that I am getting ready. I'll be able to leave him in another coop. If you start them young, they will not bother the birds at all.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I used to have the WORST time with mice. They were in my feed bins, hanging out in the coop, eating my eggs, the chickens were eating any they could catch and I was constantly finding nests and plopping pinkies out on the ground

the first thing I did was stop leaving feed out over night. I feed on the ground, but simply removing the feed and placing it in a rodent proof container would do. I also didn't like the idea of snap traps or poison either, so I tried the bucket trap. It worked amazingly! You fill a 5 gallon bucket half full with water, then cover the surface of the water with sunflower seeds (so it looks like a bucket full of seeds). Provide the vermin with an access ramp. They run up the ramp, see the seeds and jump in the bucket to eat them. Then they can get out and drown. Obviously you'll have to dispose of the mice you catch, but there's no worry with secondary poisoning, stinking, hidden mouse bodies, or snap traps to set up everya night and remove every morning. You should remove the bucket in the mornings (if you decide to use it) when you let the birds out, chickens like sunflower seeds too. Good luck!

 

[Elite Silkies]

Quote:
That's a neat idea!!

 

[madamvonsassypants]

We recently noticed an increase in mice activity around our coop and run as well. We saw a mouse scurrying around a water bowl one night, and now have noticed holes in and around the ground of the run, even one directly underneath the ladies' food dispenser! This definitely explains why our cats have been hanging out around the laurel hedge that borders most of the run, but also means we couldn't poison the mice for fear of the cats getting a poisoned mouse. The bucket idea is intriguing, though.

Are there any other options? We're renting so we can't pour concrete. Traps-- again with the worry of either cats or chickens getting into them. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks.

 

[trooper]

I keep all my feed in metal containers.My feeder hangs from a chain in the middle of my coop.I use traps and sticky pads to catch the ones that do come in.The mice won't hurt the chickens as long as you don't get overrun by them.Chickens will actualy catch mice and eat them.They play with them at first.I try to keep all of my area clean of dropped feed,but sometimes it can't be helped.Once you get control of it they are fairly easy to keep rid of.Good luck.

:cd

 

[peterlund]

Mice.... I got squirrel issues. I think the ratio is 2 parts feed to squirrels one
part to chickens... But my Boston Terrier love to chase them squirrels, so I figure it is a just sacrifice....

 

[GreenGoddess]

As much as I hate the fact that I have a ton of mice in and around my house (I live in the country), I love the free food!! I have two cats that are awesome mousers (They normally leave them in the bathroom for me when I wake up!) and I also set snap traps in areas the cats can't get into.. Right now with the weather getting colder, there is an abundance of mice and I will usually catch one an hour (give or take) plus whatever the cats catch.. I put them all in a plastic baggie and just before the chickens go to roost, I throw them into the pen and watch them play mousie football... I use a pair of needle nose pliers to get them out of the bag so I do not have to worry abut contractracting diseases myself.. Happy chickens!!!

Terri