Mouse poop in feed

[rottnwarrior]

Don't worry about it. Mice are a part of life. Country mice are better because they are less likely to be contaminated by junk. I have no problem holding a mouse I catch by the tail and putting tongs in front of it, when it grabs on I pinch it's head and pull to snap its neck, then put a little cut in it and throw it in to the chickens. If it were a mouse from the city... Nope. Don't know what it's been eating. Here I know it's been eating grass, grain, and chicken feed lol. Life in the country is different. But better. I'm a country boy and my wife is from manhattan. We live here not there lol. So while she is still getting used to it after a few years, shed rather be here than there. You're here looking for answers, that shows you're set on doing more than making a dent! I'm picturing you standing by the coop with war paint yelling "BRING IT ON!"

 

[Granny Hatchet]

u are too funny! but ya, thats me. and how u handle a mouse.... no wonder ur wife wants to stay, YUCK! wonder if u guys live close? in madison IN.

 

[Janet Pesaturo]

If you're already infested, you've got to do what you've got to do, but maybe once you make a dent in the population, it will help to take preventive measures. We've eliminated all quiet little nooks and crannies, and we rake/turn the litter daily. Mice don't like to nest anywhere that's disturbed on a daily basis. It's not enough to leave the litter turning to the chickens, because they don't scratch deeply enough or in all portions of the litter every day. Since I began that practice several years ago, we rarely see mice. And when we do, it's a singleton just scouting around for nesting possibilities. No more actual nests. If you don't prevent them from setting up house, you'll always be fighting them.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

my coop is 8 by 12, my run is 8 by 8 and then turns in l shape for another 8 by20. i must have made a mistake with floor coop, it is a walk in so its not off the ground and i allso put plywood floor in there for easy clean. so the gap between wood and ground is mouse heaven. they chewed holes in the wood and i would guess they nest under it. the places they made holes i fixed and they just make new one some where else. i tried to remove plywood and have dirt floor but i cant find the screws i put there

 

[rottnwarrior]

Ok well it sounds like your chickens have a great place to be! Just gotta deal with those mice. I still say don't change anything right now. If you can, get those live traps and put feed in them and put the feeders away at night. The mice will go in the traps for the feed and then you can get rid of them how you choose. Giving them to kids to throw in a pond is great but it's up to you.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

thanks, i did find the traps now i just need some one willing to dump them. haha

 

[Granny Hatchet]

mouse traps are not going to help me! did a deep cleaning in coop today including hosing down the wooden floor and i have never been so freaked in my life!as the water was running under the floor it was like a si-fi movie, there was running and screaming jumping in the air and then their was the mice. ha. i would try to take a guess of 50-75 that i seen. my kitten was catching them and taking them to the free range chickens to eat then come back for more. i had a 50 gallon tub turned upside down outside the coop and i took a stick to turn it up, it all happened so fast, there was about 6 under there, the kitten came running and as she got under the tub the stick broke, the tub went down and the kitten was trapped in there with the mice. i heard bam, bam,bam and after i stopped peeing i lifted it up and nothing was left but one satisfied cat. i put my hose under the house and they were swimming out of the holes. ive had 3 heart attacks and just had to wear a 24 hr holter moniter. this was the only stress test i needed.

 

[write2caroline]

Wow what a great cat! Mine bring me headless squirrels. ( I think my cats secretly are placing the heads on the fence somewhere to warn off other squirrels). I have seen my chickens find small snakes in the grass and geckos. They eat them up!!! I read the last post to my mom! She loved it!
Caroline

 

[humphrey farms]

My chickens kill mice & chipmunks that go anywhere near their feeders during the day. Our cats do the rest. it's funny watching the chickens chase & eat the mice.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

on my home page there is a picture of my cat with some of his prizes, he has also brought me a coon once. wonder if there is certain kinds of chickens that like mice better than others ? thank you for the complement ( to your mom)