Moles in my yard.

[curiositykt]

Despite having two cats and 6 chickens that regularly patrol my yard, I have a serious mole problem going on. The ground is so spongy that I routinely sink in 3 to 4 inches with every step I take across my yard to the coop. There are also fairly sizable holes and areas where it has sunken in half a foot or so. And, to top it all off, I believe they may be burrowing into my inground pool piping system!

I don't want to poison the moles (it would poison the chickens and the cats) so the only other option I'm seeing is sonic devices. Does anyone have any experience using these if you have chickens (and or cats)? Does it drive the chickens nuts? Are there other options?

I know it's moles as periodically one of the cats actually catches one and brings it up for show and tell, but not at a rate that is doing anything to curb the problem.

 

[azygous]

I've had very good success using engine starter fluid. I take a can of starter fluid, which is heavy on the ether ingredient, and a roll of paper towels. I fold up a paper towel tightly, saturating it heavily, and stick it into a hole, then quickly seal the hole with dirt.

I repeat this with every hole as quickly as I can work until every hole has a saturated folded up paper towel sealed into each hole. It's very important to be sure all holes are treated and sealed and to work as quickly as possible.

Engine starter fluid will quickly sedate the moles so they can't run around doing any work to seal off their tunnels from the fumes, and they should all be good and dead in under an hour. The poison is under ground with the dead moles. No danger to the chickens after the fluid dries, and the dead moles will fertilize your grass.

 

[curiositykt]

That is brilliant! The only problem, in this case, is that I have no idea where all the holes are, the yard is quite large and they seem to be everywhere at once. Maybe when the grass dies a bit more in the coming winter, it will be easier to see where they are!

 

[azygous]

I wouldn't wait too long as the moles will be sealing up the network and hibernating. This is an obsessive exercise. I would mow the grass down very short to expose all the holes, then enlist some workers. Working with the starter fluid in open air isn't dangerous, but caution any helpers not to breath in the fumes or you could have a yard full of supine and prone sleeping humans littering your lawn.

 

[curiositykt]

Further research suggests I may have a vole problem rather than a mole problem.. Though this solution might work for both.

 

[chickens really]

Trapping them is easy. Buy mole traps.

 

[azygous]

Voles are even easier.