Manic Mice

[perfect peepers]

Today I was getting my girls some oyster shells and saw a tiny mouse looking at me! I poked around and saw that it had made a home in my goat feed bag, taken some corn, and broken into my girls mealworms!!! I really don"t want to kill it and poison is just a bad idea... I heard that snap-traps can hurt or severely chickens so I don't know what to do. As far as I can tell there is only one but I don't question others living there.Any advice on how to get rid of it without hurting it?

 

[BillHoo]

The mouse is dirty, it crawls through filth and disease.
It's feet then walk through the food of your chickens and possibly your pantry.
It poops and pees in your food without a care.
The lives of your chickens and yourself are at risk when exposed to disease.
Kill the mouse in summer!
Kill the mouse in winter!
Always kill the mouse.

 

[CAjerseychick]

We just got a indoor/ outdoor 3rd cat-- that does the trick. All you have to do is put them in the compost after the cats are done. Its Nature taking its course...

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I agree with the cat. Just having their scent keeps mice numbers down. There is the option of live trapping but then you are just making it someone else's problem.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

We only have one cat the is strictly outdoors. She has taken care of the mouse problem and a lot of birds too. However, it does depend on the cat some are just not driven to hunt like others.

Our cat started coming in the coop at night and for about a month I kicked her out and locked in the birds so last night I figured if she was going to kill a chicken she would of done it by now. This morning when I let the girls out she cam yawning out of a nest box. So I think she may have found a permanent spot. I suppose this spring we will have broody mommas caring for kittens lol

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Definitely no on poison. Your chickens may be eating mice -- I know mine do -- and you don't want them to get a poisoned one.

I tried the catch and release traps for a little while because I felt sad for them and it did not help at all so I finally broke down and started with spring traps that I put around the outside of my coop where the chickens couldnt get them and also in my garage where the food is stored.

These ones are great. Super easy to reset and last a long time. Really helped.

http://www.amazon.com/Snap-E-Mouse-Trap-by-Kness/dp/B0002ZINDY/ref=pd_bxgy_petsupplies_img_y


Bird Lady - I am interested in having an outdoor cat but I am not experienced with cats at all. If I got one from the pound and brought it home how do you get it to stick around? Where do outside cats sleep? I know nothing.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

@ ChickensRDinos

As with most animals tcats stay where they are being fed and cared for. We found ours in a tree at my parents house in town and hauled it home - she has never left (except when she hitched a ride to town under the pick-up) Housing is pretty simple, ours has a small dog house but prefers to curl up in the hay bales or chicken coop. A lot of people will tell you not to feed your cat or it won't hunt. This is not true as they kill for sport more than anything. It is kind of cruel to watch them "play with thier food" but it is all part of life. Unfed cats stray looking for food, hang at the door looking for food (annoying) and also become sick more easily.

***As with any animal, personality has a lot to do with it. Some cats are "lovers" and will be on the step waiting for a snuggle. While others will want to be watching you from a far. IMO, female cats tend to be better hunters (like lions i suppose).

*** If you are looking for a "farm cat" you may be better off getting a kitten/cat from the classifieds and getting it spayed/nuetered yourself. I say this only because to some people making an animal live outdoors is cruel; therefore, some animal rescues will not allow their aimals to go to "outdoor only" homes. Also, DON'T get a cat that has been declawed, they cannot defend themselves or climb to get away.

Hope this helps!

 

[CAjerseychick]

X2 def feed your cat-- having mine just playing in the tree in the chicken yard keeps the jays and doves and sparrow outa the chicken feeders, and from that vantage point they like to hunt mice also-- They hunt from instinct not hunger.. If you dont feed they will wander.... Love on them when you are doing chores outside.. Farm cats are invaluable!

 

[CAjerseychick]

Just wanted to say, went outside to round up the cats for the night (mainly the pair of new kittens we got after Halloween)-- and the little kittens -- maybe 6months old now-- were playing with their very first Kill! A good sized mouse Yay! It didnt take them too long to figure out what they needed to do-- they tend to stick to the chicken yard for this reason I think Yay!!
BTW-- if you see one mouse, there are many more (just think how big the litters are alone....).....

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Ok, silly question...but...how do you keep the cat and kittens mentioned in the above posts from going after your chickens????