Mice Mice Mice!

[Miyashi]

I'm treating all the birds over the next few days. Gamma has been acting strange because he's protecting his "family" He sits where he can see the babies on the floor and the girls on the perch. He was killing the mice as they came out of the wall. Today, we tore the walls down and the birds were all outside, as we tore the walls down, the mice came running out....our birds killed at least 20 mice today. That had some great fun with that.
>_<

 

[Dutchess]

I know there is a post somewhere here about getting rid of a lot of mice, but I don't know where exacty so I'll add-lib...
Take a 5 gallon bucket and fill it 3/4's full with water.
Take an empty soda can and put a hole in the bottom and run a piece of string through it, top to bottom.
Tie the string ends to each side of the 5 gallon bucket (make a hole at each side, or heavy duty tape), so that the can is "suspended" over the water.
Make a "ramp" (a piece of wood or limb) that the mice climb up, up to the edge of the bucket so they can access the string/can.
Cover the water in the 5 gallon bucket with Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS) to cover/coat the top of the water so it looks like there are only BOSS in the bucket (they float).
The mice will climb the "ramp" and jump on to the can to try to get to the seeds, the can spins and the mouse/mice fall into the bucket and drowns.
Honestly, if you have a lot of mice, this is the only way to get all of them without worrying about your chickens getting hurt from a trap or mistakingly eating poison.
Good luck with your mouse problem, and I'm glad your Dad finally knows you weren't exaggerating!!!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I have had success with the ketch-all repeating mousetrap, available on amazon.com and my feed store.

I have to drown them in a 5 gal. bucket after I catch them.

 

[wyoDreamer]

For the bucket trap, which works fantastic, you only need enough water in the bottom so that the mice cannot touch bottom. I use about 3 inches. For mine, I put the soup can on a metal rod/wooden dowel that sits in holes on either the side of the bucket, right near the top. I have also seen it done with the dowel about 1/4 of the way down the bucket and a hole cut into the side of the bucket on one side, just above the dowel . This way you can put a lid on the bucket to keep dogs/whatever away from the peanut butter.

Make sure to include a board or something to ramp up to the dowel so they can enter the trap. Spread peanut butter on the soupcan. I use a solid line of peanut butter around the center, my husband uses three dollups spaced around the can, just make sure the can can rotate. It works great either way.

My neighbors were having a problem with mice chewing on the rubber hoses in their VW Bug. I told them how to make a bucket trap and within a month they had caught over two dozen mice in their garage. They haven't had chewing problems since.

Edited to add:
Make sure to remove dead mice at least weekly. It can get pretty stinky if you don't clean it out. If you are carefull, you can change the water without needing to add peanut butter.

 

[Miyashi]

The bucket idea sounds great!
I need buy a katch all today and it's been out there for about an hour and already...I've caught 4 mice. Not too shabby. I'm sure it helps that I put some peanut butter in there...but whatever.
If that doesn't work, I'll try the bucket or maybe I'll try the bucket anyway to expedite things.
I don't like hurting critters...but they are messing with my birds house....priorities...
I wish boyfriend was here...he's much better at things like this than I am.

And yes, I'm very happy that my Dad knows I'm not being a drama queen anymore as well!

 

[ralleia]

I usually use Victor professional snap traps for all my rodent problems, but lately I've gotten shy about setting them after a few of them slipped and nearly got my fingers.

I ordered some mini T-Rex traps (you can set them without getting your fingers anywhere close!) and plan to use them for the next time the mice get too bad.

Set the traps perpendicular to the wall with the snap facing the wall. Mice like to run along the walls.

I usually bait the UNDERSIDE of the trigger--makes it more difficult to steal the bait. I used to use oatmeal mixed with peanut butter and a dab of bacon grease. Now I just use a dab of homemade bird suet because it contains about the same stuff and works the same.