MOUSE!

[Chicks Galore3]

While i was cleaning the coop i found a mouse! I have my waterer on top of cinder blocks to keep in cleaner, and it was living in one of the holes, all cozy in the shavings. It was a BIG mouse. I'm not exaggerating because i am not afraid of mice. We found another on the other day (which is rare...we have cats) Its only two but one and one can have a ton....Will this turn into a problem? what should i do about it?

 

[Kevin565]

I'm surprised your chickens haven't tried to eat it. An occasional mouse may mess with eggs and feed but if you have plenty of cats around they should take care of them soon.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

A lot of times chickens will eat them. I am a little surprised yours let it live there. It can become a problem. I would make sure that you are storing all of their food and treats in rodent safe containers and discouraging them as much as possible. If you keep seeing them try setting re-settable snap traps but only in places where your chickens will not be. Its tricky to get the mice and not the birds.

My hen solved the problem on her own.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I know, i'm surprised to. ( i saw them eating a couple...XP)
It IS a bigger one, maybe its to big for them?

Snap traps- where would i get these?

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I had a mouse problem in my garage for awhile. I tried to do the humane trap thing first so that I didn't have to kill them but they all laughed at me and I got sick of it.

After a bit of trial and error I ended up buying these:

http://www.amazon.com/Kness-SNAP-E-Mouse-Control-Re-usuable/dp/B002YTQ9MI/ref=pd_bxgy_lg_img_y

and have found them to be really great. They are much easily to set and reset than the old school wooden springy ones. I reused the same two for numerous mice.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

ok, thanks! So the ones that kill them would be better?

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I had a hard time catching them with the non-killing traps and the stinky paper stuff so I just started killing them. You could always try it if it makes you feel sad. Maybe you will have more luck. I was afraid to use any kind of poison because my dogs and my chickens roam around pretty freely.

 

[nuchickontheblock]

If they are really big ones, they may be baby rats. I opened the coop people door one day to change the water and a baby rat was staring at me.

I almost fainted, but instead ran shrieking around the yard "RAT, THERE'S A RAT IN THERE!"

My DH has put out some poison in one of those black boxes by the foundation of the coop where there is a rodent hole and the chickens can't get to it. I have my food stored in metal predator/vermin proof containers, but there is feed free offer for the girls in the coop and often corn or other goodies scattered on the ground outside the coop -- so I know that attracts them. (plus squirrels, wild birds, etc. etc.)

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Dad is going to pick up some mouse traps today. I don't know the difference between a rat and a mouse....

 

[gpwelding1]

A lot of times chickens will eat them. I am a little surprised yours let it live there. It can become a problem. I would make sure that you are storing all of their food and treats in rodent safe containers and discouraging them as much as possible. If you keep seeing them try setting re-settable snap traps but only in places where your chickens will not be. Its tricky to get the mice and not the birds.

My hen solved the problem on her own.

you realy want to make sure there is no way your chickens can get to these traps!a snap trap can severly injure and possibly kill a chicken!