Mice and Squirrel Problems

[Contolini6]

Now that the weather is cooling down, we are starting to notice that not only are we feeding chickens and ducks, but we are also feeding the neighborhood mice and squirrels. We have two chickens and three ducks, and we have their food in metal drainpipe pieces attached to the fence, with a curved end at the bottom so the animals can stick their heads in to get at it. We also have covers for nighttime but the squirrels can take those off, no problem. We also have a metal bucket for storing the food that isn't currently being eaten. The ducks are messy and get food all over the ground when they eat, which doesn't help anything, so now all the neighborhood squirrels and mice are responding to the all-you-can-eat buffet. We're not sure what else to do as far as rodent control. We don't want to set out poison in case the birds eat it by accident, and besides then the little buggers will be crawling in their burrows to die and stinking up the whole place. But we can't very practically humanely (or lethally) trap them either-- there's the logistics of releasing untold numbers of rodents, or if we kill them, won't more just come to take their place?

What suggestions do you have/what have you done that has been effective, easy, and inexpensive as far as rodent control? Part of me is tempted to just ignore it, but I don't want the problem to spread to more pesky and dangerous pests like rats and raccoons. Besides it's a waste of money to be feeding all these extra animals haha. Advice?

 

[Hensndoes]

What suggestions do you have/what have you done that has been effective, easy, and inexpensive as far as rodent control?

^barn cats. Feral and want nothin to do with people. Once they realise this is home... new sheriff in town.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

We have cats to tend to mice, but with hundreds of oak trees on 20acres there isn't anyway to eliminate squirrels....tho, a pump BB gun or 22 will thin them out close to the bird house and yard....all the duck and chicken feed is kept in their pens behind 1/2" hardware cloth and regular cleaning of spillage will deter and draw most....but our cats are fat and sassy, even at the goat house....

In case you don't want to waste the squirrel meat, I have a great squirrel sauce piquante recipe. It's pretty good (grew up on the stuff).

 

[red horse ranch]

Fried squirrel is delicious!

 

[WhatAboutBob?]

Mice control? Chickens! LOL My 6 GLW's played "Mouse-ball" on Saturday. 4 to 5 months old pullets. Raced all around the coop taking turns carrying the poor deposed rodent until they decided to digest it!

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I was having a problem with chipmunks... Until my son started hitting them with the bb gun

 

[21hens-incharge]

Perhaps a treadle feeder will help.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/building-a-treadle-chicken-feeder.47900/

I trap and dispose of mice. Not only do they eat the feed they poo everywhere. They carry diseases, fleas and worms to our birds. I have no mercy for them.

Squirrels ....... Another flea carrying pest in the chicken run.

Need to fix wherever they are getting in.

 

[rjohns39]

Mice life expectancy in my pasture can be measured in nano seconds. Squirrels are only afraid of the turkeys. I would suggest 1/2" hardware cloth for the squirrels, 1/4" for mice.

 

[DIGGIN CHICKEN]

My cat hangs around the coop waiting for mice and such (he's always hungry)....no danger to the chickens since they almost walk over him and he doesn't bat an eye lid ... but he gets the job done .

either that or make up little blue uniforms for the mice and grey ones for the squirrels and charge a re-enactment fee to watch - cover food costs !

 

[CntryBoy777]

We have cats to tend to mice, but with hundreds of oak trees on 20acres there isn't anyway to eliminate squirrels....tho, a pump BB gun or 22 will thin them out close to the bird house and yard....all the duck and chicken feed is kept in their pens behind 1/2" hardware cloth and regular cleaning of spillage will deter and draw most....but our cats are fat and sassy, even at the goat house....