Idaho?

[Daloorashens]

Lol, I hear ya!! I would love that roo, but I don't know where to put him, I'm seriously trying to figure out a way to make another little pen, but the space is limited, so we'll see....

So what do you do to get your birds ready for winter?? Higher protein??

Man the smoke is BAD over here, sheesh, for once we need the wind and it isn't here, ironic, eh? Could it make the chickens sick??

 

[pawtraitart]

For winter, I add a bit more fat to their diet and yes, I up the protein if they are molting.

The smoke is bad here, too. It won't make the chickens sick but it sure is icky. We are due for some Fall showers to clean the air.

 

[blondiebee181]

Just found this thread, saying hi from Boise! And yes, the smoke has been awful....finally a short shower yesterday, but I had to cancel a work BBQ that I spent forever planning! Bah! Ruddy weather.

 

[pawtraitart]

Welcome!

 

[pawtraitart]

Anybody having trouble with mice now that Fall is here? We use a RAT ZAPPER! I love this thing. I'm really cutting back on the number of feed thieves.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RAT-ZAPPER-...359?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20cbbdaebf

 

[BeccaSmith]

Anybody having trouble with mice now that Fall is here? We use a RAT ZAPPER! I love this thing. I'm really cutting back on the number of feed thieves.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RAT-ZAPPER-...359?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20cbbdaebf

So glad you brought this up! We have been having a lot of trouble, but all year long! We have been using the Victor M2524 Electronic mouse trap and have gone through 2 of them now. I returned both of them and they both had the same problem. They worked great for the first few, and after the 4th mouse, the unit would fail to turn back on or work. We tried new batteries and everything. We had it in the coop and the girls would scratch all around it and get stuff in it so maybe that was the problem. Been looking for another product so I will try the one you have!

 

[pawtraitart]

You have to keep the metal plate clean for it to work properly. If you put the unit in a box with holes in it for the rodents to get into, there will be less shavings and dust to get into the unit. This trap won't reset. Once it kills a mouse is has to be turned off and then turned back on to re-activate. I've never had any problems with mine.

 

[BeccaSmith]

You have to keep the metal plate clean for it to work properly. If you put the unit in a box with holes in it for the rodents to get into, there will be less shavings and dust to get into the unit. This trap won't reset. Once it kills a mouse is has to be turned off and then turned back on to re-activate. I've never had any problems with mine.

Yes that is how the one I had worked as well. Turned it off, emptied it, and turned it back. But after about 4 mice, it wouldn't turn back on. It always looked like the plate was clean when we checked it and we had the same problem with two different units. I tried to order another replacement but Amazon.com said they were going to do some investigating before selling it again from their amazon.com store and that I could by it from a different seller on their website if I wanted to. Lately I've been trying to put our male cat in the coop who is more then happy to try and catch the mice in the coop for us but he is free to come and go through the same door the chickens use during the day for free ranging.

 

[pawtraitart]

It's a great concept! So easy.....as long as it works. I recommend the Ultra Rat Zapper. It takes the big batteries and they last a long time.

 

[Daloorashens]

Ahhh... that rain was sooo nice to clear the air finally!!

Interesting about the rat zapper.... my cat is doing a pretty good job right now, but he does consistently catch mice, as we have a big field behind us, haven't seen any in the coop, yet=) I'm sure we will have some at my mom's place, the cat there does a pretty good job, but there's always extras!! When I was younger I had a Leghorn hen that LOVED to eat mice, it didn't take her long to figure out that they lived under the straw bales, and when I moved them in the spring,I always let her out to come hunt the mice while I moved the bales, she especially liked the baby mice, gross, but it did help keep the populations down!

WELCOME!!! to blondie bee!!