sloanbychoice
Crowing
So, I’ve got myself one H E double hockey sticks of an infestation. Primarily mice.
Our coop is an old dirt floor barn, that we used OSB and 2x4s to wall up nice and convert into a Taj Majal of a coop.
I’ve never floored it, because we never had a problem, and because it’s a pretty large barn.
We’ve always had a few mice in phases; Victor traps have always taken care of it.
But this winter, they really set in.
Also, a pack rat has made himself welcome and has married now, and I assume there have to be some youngsters.
The mice are tunneling badly from outside right up through the floor into the coop.
I’ve heard stories of what can happen to chickens’ feet when mice are allowed to invade. Also, they are vile and diseased, so obviously I need to get this taken care of.
Sorry this is so long.
Normally, I wait until bed time, and we set traps up, no bait needed, in their paths. We set around a dozen or so, and they are usually all tripped when we go back out.
One night, we went out three times in the course of two hours, and had managed to kill almost 20. That’s how bad it’s gotten.
First, obviously, we’re going to floor the coop. But I guess I’ll have to line the entire floor with hardware first?? Otherwise, won’t they just chew through the plywood?
What’s the best way to do this?
Second, how in the world can I mass murder all these nasty things, without putting my flock at risk?
I mean, setting traps in mass every single night is getting really old.
Our coop is an old dirt floor barn, that we used OSB and 2x4s to wall up nice and convert into a Taj Majal of a coop.
I’ve never floored it, because we never had a problem, and because it’s a pretty large barn.
We’ve always had a few mice in phases; Victor traps have always taken care of it.
But this winter, they really set in.
Also, a pack rat has made himself welcome and has married now, and I assume there have to be some youngsters.
The mice are tunneling badly from outside right up through the floor into the coop.
I’ve heard stories of what can happen to chickens’ feet when mice are allowed to invade. Also, they are vile and diseased, so obviously I need to get this taken care of.
Sorry this is so long.
Normally, I wait until bed time, and we set traps up, no bait needed, in their paths. We set around a dozen or so, and they are usually all tripped when we go back out.
One night, we went out three times in the course of two hours, and had managed to kill almost 20. That’s how bad it’s gotten.
First, obviously, we’re going to floor the coop. But I guess I’ll have to line the entire floor with hardware first?? Otherwise, won’t they just chew through the plywood?
What’s the best way to do this?
Second, how in the world can I mass murder all these nasty things, without putting my flock at risk?
I mean, setting traps in mass every single night is getting really old.