overrun with mice in chicken pens

[elliemay06]

Does anybody have any ideas on how to get rid of the mice tht have set up home in my run area?? They are getting to be a problem. I am afraid to use anything thta could kill the hens...If they eat aa mouse that has been poisoned , wil they die?

 

[doubleatraining]

Yes most things that eat poisoned mice are injured/killed from the poisoned mice. My advice....get a cat. You can usually find some feral fixed/inoculated cats on craigslist. With minimal care you can feed them and they will take care of the mouse problem. The other bonus is you will be giving another animal a chance at a good life.

 

[elliemay06]

Already have 7 cats. they get a few of them but, they are not allowed in the chicken runs as they will also go after my chickens.....

 

[Fred's Hens]

trap, trap, trap. These can be set up safely, in a way the chickens, or any pet, cannot get at them.

 

[Animalian]

cayenne pepper in the birds feed. Birds can't sense it, it won't hurt them. But the mice will feel the burn and go looking for food somewhere else.

putting smooth sheets of metal (partially buried) about 1ft + aroung the base of the wire (on the outside) will stop most mice getting in. Works for my aviary. They can't climb it, jump it, or dig beneath it

 

[jasonm11]

Quote:
quit poisoning the mice. let the chickens eat them. If you really want to get rid of them put a coulpe rat snakes out there. They will eat teh eggs though.

 

[D3invertebrates]

Get bigger chickens lol! I know mine would love to eat any mice that come around, Ive actually seen them eat a few. I wouldnt recommend putting any rat snakes in with them though lol, I killed a 6 foot rat snake that got in my quail cages and ate so many it couldnt get back out, had a few chicken get killed not long before that also that I think may have been killed by the same snake

 

[wpalmisano]

I incorporate about 10-12 dollars a month into my budget for rodent control. traps are safer unless your chickens are let out to forage. What I do is take a 5 gallon pail with a lid, and cut a hole just big enough for a mouse or small rat. I then put the poison in that, keeping non target animals from getting poisoned. There is always the chance that a fox or a cat may eat a poisoned rodent, but I think that's pretty minimal. Also, a mouse can not ingest enough poison in its tiny stomach to kill a turkey, a full grown fox or a big cat or raccoon.

 

[Judy]

There is one poison, bromadiolone, that is relatively safe. I buy it in the brand Just One Bite. I've used it without any sign of harm to chickens, dog or cat from eating the poisoned mice, and my chickens definitely eat mice, I've seen them run them down and kill and eat them. With a heavy infestation you may need more than one approach. Some are much more trap smart than others.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=606272#p606272

 

[La Mike]

Fill the mouse holes with water and watch your chickens have a ball.