Rats?mice?other?

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

So something was in my coop last night. I have a 12x12 shed that i retrofitted the back half into a coop. Something was runny my around in the rafters as there was random debris, formerly from mice, strewn about the coop. At the beginning of the winter i had noticed quite a few mice and began to set traps and haven’t had anything in them for months. I haven’t seen any other evidence besides this. No droppings or anything. I have had birds get into those areas but i generally have to get them out myself since they cannot figure it out.

any thoughts or suggestions to keep tabs on this before something bad happens?

 

[Folly's place]

If any critter can be in there, rework your coop security, because something bad will definitely happen! Any opening larger than 1/2" diameter, anywhere, is too much. Rodents will also move into an insulated wall, and rats can chew through wood easily.
You can post photos of your coop here, if you want help from us, and a game camera would be interesting too. But first, fix your coop to eliminate visitors!
Mary

 

[Howard E]

Game camera is the best, but until then, if you are able to safely do so, brush off one of your trusses......where you suspect traffic.......brush it off clean, then sprinkle a light dusting of tracking powder on it. Use baby powder or even a light dusting of plain old white flour. Tracks will tell you who is using it.

 

[aart]

At the beginning of the winter i had noticed quite a few mice and began to set traps and haven’t had anything in them for months.

More mice are visiting, unless you blocked where they were getting in.
Seems to go in spurts here, will catch a few then nothing for months.
I always leave a few traps set.

 

[cmom]

I have several cameras then I know for sure what I'm dealing with.

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

Game camera is the best, but until then, if you are able to safely do so, brush off one of your trusses......where you suspect traffic.......brush it off clean, then sprinkle a light dusting of tracking powder on it. Use baby powder or even a light dusting of plain old white flour. Tracks will tell you who is using it.

Good thought! I noticed the hole right before winter but haven’t had the ability to get it closed up. I was hoping that the internal chicken cage with hardware cloth that i had made the real coop out of had been enough to keep anything that got in the shed itself out of the coop. But i guess there are some weaknesses in our fortress! I will have to look into game cameras that run on batteries as i don’t have electric out there

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

More mice are visiting, unless you blocked where they were getting in.
Seems to go in spurts here, will catch a few then nothing for months.
I always leave a few traps set.

Agreed! We have a dark box trap set at all times in the barn and the coop but i probably need to move them again. I have t in awhile and that seems to help!

 

[Silkielove102]

Is there like a maze trap for mice. IDK, im clueless. I've never had mice in my coop before.

 

[Silkielove102]

Wait, I have an IDEA! Try using one of those maze traps (Sorry i don't know the name). Maybe if that works, you can store their feed in a barrel type thing.

 

[aart]

Is there like a maze trap for mice. IDK, im clueless. I've never had mice in my coop before.

If you do ever have mice....get a good old fashioned snap trap with the small trigger.