Infestation - mice / pack rats

[hayley3]

I tried several times and even put a ramp on the bucket but still no takers.

Something I just thought about....when I bought one of those humane mouse traps, the instructions say to lay against the wall. I put my bucket out in the middle...I notice too on the videos they put the bucket in a corner. I will try to move it today to a corner.

 

[hayley3]

Millie, my Poodle/Terrier mix, who passed away in 2016 was a great mouser. She would lie under the coop for hours on end. You would occasionally hear a squeak, and alas another rodent had bitten the dust. I miss her a great deal. Fortunately, I now have two cats that are channeling their inner Millie and keeping the varmints at bay.

My yorkiepoo tries her best...I thought about putting her in the garage lol but she would chase the chickens so I can't. Millie was a beauty.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

Get a cat or four...

 

[hayley3]

Get a cat or four...

I had an outdoor stray but she could not keep up with the mice I had. I also don't like having cats outside as they kill the songbirds, rabbits, etc. which I like.

 

[aart]

The one I bought (but haven't drove to the next county to pick up), sits on top but my bucket has ridges on the outside, at the top, so drilled below that. I may have to find a different bucket.

You should be able to put the hole between the ridges....

http://fivegallonideas.com/bucket-mouse-trap/
Here is some pretty good step by step instructions and they do have the device closer to the top.
I will make one today myself this way and see if it works better

As shown here, pretty good tutorial.

I put my wire on top, because I didnt' want to put holes in the bucket.
Used a piece of PVC pipe for roller with styrofoam in centers and pieces of rubber on coat hanger wire to keep it centered. It worked great, caught a lot until I didn't.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

My chickens eat mice.

 

[Chicken Heel]

My chickens eat mice.

As do mine. Over the past few years, if the rodents made it past Millie and now my cats, Esmeralda and Tom, the chickens have always taken care of them. And reinforcements are on the way as Esmeralda is expecting.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

Aww! Congratulations to the new mother!

 

[hayley3]

You should be able to put the hole between the ridges....
As shown here, pretty good tutorial.

I put my wire on top, because I didnt' want to put holes in the bucket.
Used a piece of PVC pipe for roller with styrofoam in centers and pieces of rubber on coat hanger wire to keep it centered. It worked great, caught a lot until I didn't.
View attachment 2040830

View attachment 2040832

View attachment 2040833

Maybe you caught them all?

 

[50-45-1]

So, i put together a new mouse bucket trap today to see if the can higher will work better than my husbands design.
I have the bucket out in our garden shed, and since i know i have chipmunks and red squirels out there and this is a mouse trap, it might not work.
Wish me luck!
This is kind of fun!!!!