For winter.....................I stapled on some plastic on the very large open spaces I had.............and left smaller open spaces for the much needed ventilation at the very top of the coop to avoid the condensation. I think there are enough small gaps here and there in our construction technique that other ventilation is also available. Plus I will open windows a bit in the daytime in the winter..........as long as it is not raining or sleeting etc.
Dry dry dry.........and no wind over roosts...........seems best
the usual good food and clean water. water provided more frequently for mine since I do not run electric to the coop so the water will freeze. Last year I was able to put out a bowl or two in the morning and then again in the late afternoon .
Run: I bagged leaves in the fall and this was so helpful when we had really cold stretches with snow, melt, mud, ice, melt etc............the run was a cold muddy icey mess so then I would open a bag of leaves so they would have something dryer and warmer under foot. I also put some long branch in the run so they could stand on wood -----even a big tree stump. I figured if they would perch on the dry yet cold wood.............this would help prevent frostbite on their feet.
Question: I have been using mechanical traps to try and reduce mice and other rodents. They seem to learn to avoid these though. I have changed locations and food lures etc.......even different kinds of traps............I still catch some...........usually the younger ones. My question is...........how bad would it be to use poison?
I really want to get rid of these critters!
If i toss some poision in the holes I see they have dug.....................it should kill them when they eat it....................right?
What if they come into the run and then I have a dead poisioned rodent...............this might harm the chickens...................I dont want to do that................
any advice on this....
I want the rodents gone and the chickens fine
I know there will always be this challenge as where there is food animals will come..............I try to make sure there is no food out in the run at night and the food in the coop is in a feeder that is hung by a rope..............in a suspended feeder.
I want to get rid of the bulk of the rodents..........NOW...............what would you do?
Dry dry dry.........and no wind over roosts...........seems best
the usual good food and clean water. water provided more frequently for mine since I do not run electric to the coop so the water will freeze. Last year I was able to put out a bowl or two in the morning and then again in the late afternoon .
Run: I bagged leaves in the fall and this was so helpful when we had really cold stretches with snow, melt, mud, ice, melt etc............the run was a cold muddy icey mess so then I would open a bag of leaves so they would have something dryer and warmer under foot. I also put some long branch in the run so they could stand on wood -----even a big tree stump. I figured if they would perch on the dry yet cold wood.............this would help prevent frostbite on their feet.
Question: I have been using mechanical traps to try and reduce mice and other rodents. They seem to learn to avoid these though. I have changed locations and food lures etc.......even different kinds of traps............I still catch some...........usually the younger ones. My question is...........how bad would it be to use poison?
I really want to get rid of these critters!
If i toss some poision in the holes I see they have dug.....................it should kill them when they eat it....................right?
What if they come into the run and then I have a dead poisioned rodent...............this might harm the chickens...................I dont want to do that................
any advice on this....
I want the rodents gone and the chickens fine
I know there will always be this challenge as where there is food animals will come..............I try to make sure there is no food out in the run at night and the food in the coop is in a feeder that is hung by a rope..............in a suspended feeder.
I want to get rid of the bulk of the rodents..........NOW...............what would you do?
