I have a BIG problem with mice in the coop! The mice are eating all the food, drinking their water, and even sleeping in the coop at night! I have put out poison (where the chickens couldn't get it) and it killed about three of them, but more just came along. They are making me go through so much food and corn scratch, about a bag every two weeks, and I only have 3 bantam chickens. I put up the food (I also have a secure food container) and the water at night, but I do leave out the scraps. I'm just looking for cheap, effective ways to get rid of the majority of them and to also keep them away. I can't get a barn cat and my dog's scent isn't deterring them. Anything will help! Thanks.
Let me tell you I know how stressed out you are because I just got over the same problem. Once winter started the mice started to move into my coop. Since there is limited amounts of food available for mice in the winter they will go to any food source. I was going through so much food and the mice were falling in the chickens water and drowning. I tried traps, poison, etc. I have a German Shepard and his scent wasn't deterring them. I found one thing that helped get rid of all the mice, urine. I was in my local feed store when I saw it. There was a bottle filled with bobcat urine. It said that it kept away mice, moles, etc. so I bought it. I went home and read the directions. I poured some all around the coop and the run. Let me tell you the next night there wasn't one mouse dropping anywhere and ever since there has been no sign of mice. I strongly suggest trying it because one it is humane and it works fast.
i have had very good luck with mice with a rat zapper. It uses batteries, you put peanut butter in the back, turn it on, and it electrocutes the mice when they enter. i caught 7 right in a row one night in our shed. i originally got it to kill rats, but rats are too smart for it. Were it me, i would bring my bantams in for the night, or a couple nights. Then set snap traps, glue traps, the rat zapper, everything just to get rid of them once and for all
I will second the rat zapper. Got one last summer, best trap I ever bought. Effective and super easy to use. When we had a mouse explosion a couple years ago I did use poison to get things under control, I was just extremely cautious in doing so. I kept the bait out as long as they were eating it, problem solved. Now I just keep the rat zapper out all the time and catch them as they come in.
