Mice in the coop

[chooniecat]

I STRONGLY agree with the snap traps and I use VICTOR because they NEVER fail me. and you can do it because its the MOST humane way. I put mine in small box(big enuf for trap to spring) totally closed up with little hole in side only big enuf for mouse to enter. only had 2 mice this whole winter and NONE this spring and NO evidence of any mice either. nobody ever believes me and I am still so proud of myself. I check the traps daily. live on 6 acres with appx. 300 acres cropland/35 acres woodland so there ARE mice around I am sure,just not in the vicinity of my property. you may need several traps and check couple times a day or more if you are actually seeing so many. my cat DID bring me a mole but they aren't barn monsters,if I am correct. I keep the mouse snap traps in barn/chicken shed. GOOD LUCK.

 

[DelcoChix]

Hello from Ohio!
Just two thoughts...1) Can verify that chickens both catch and consume rodents...just witnessed it yesterday. Had let the 'girls' out for a little free range time late afternoon while I worked in the backyard. My daughter and I heard some squeaking and saw one of our Golden Comets running around with a small mouse or a vole in her beak...she'd caught it in the leaf/compost pile in our fencerow...have to admit I felt pretty bad for the little rodent but did let nature run it's course (don't think I could have caught the hen anyways--she was way too pleased, and fast, to let us near her. Within a minute or two she finished it off and I turned away while she enjoyed 'dinner.' Reminded me of Jurassic Park...chicken style. Not 5 minutes later the other Comet was running around with a half hibernating, mid-size toad--this one I did catch and save (I like toads)--don't think she would have eaten it, don't think toads taste good like frogs do. Toady is still alive...still semi-asleep, not warm enough, but in a safe house now until it warms up--no pecking damage that I could see.
2) The 'live' mouse traps do work well--nothing works 100% of the time, including my three "barn" cats (using the term loosely). I don't use poison, and had the unfortunate experience of being on the phone in my barn when I heard a 'snap,' and saw the old-fashioned mousetrap with the spring and lever that I'd tried , bouncing all around my tackroom as the llittle mouse flip-flopped around, until it died a minute or so later (seemed like longer, wasn't really). Vowed then not to use those--don't mind them dying (disgustiing poop on my saddles,etc.), but quick and humane is a necessity. In the meantime, I have those plastic box traps that tip one way, load peanut butter (or whatever works) in the far end, set it and they go in tip it and the door shuts. Have to remember to check every day--I have found numerous ones dead in trap and they hadn't been in too long (well, I guess it must have been too long for them...), but have also 're-homed' a multitude in the back forty...right or wrong, they work for me and I don't even load them anymore with food--silly rodents must be curious 'cause they are in there at least every other week or so.

 

[FAFPAF]

Does anyone have any other ideas besides live traps? Don't mean to sound too cruel, but I save alot of animals, mice just aren't one of them!

I have used spring traps, but I'm worried about my kids/animals getting into them. Not to mention the past few times I did try them they kept licking them clean without them ever going off. Everytime I try any kind of plastic traps the mice have chewed out of them before I find them... My mice must take lessons from MacGiver.... They get out of everything...
I wish I could have cats, I love cats, but my son is severely allergic, and my husband hates them. Soooo... no cats....

I know I have mice, brave mice, that run right out across the barnyard infront of us, saw one just yesterday.... I did not realize that chickens would kill them, I need to have a talk with mine, they must be slacking off, because everytime I flip over a board or move a hay bale 5-6 go running....

Now they have found my house... one came running down the hall out of my daughters bedroom last night (needless to say I had a hard time talking her into sleeping in her bed last night, shes only 4)

I have thought about using Decon in the house where the animals can't get into it...
What else works that is safe for animals and kids????

 

[Attack Chicken]

Maybe try plaster of paris and peanut butter mixed... have water near by for them.