Thoughts on Rodent Mace product

[Jayne_ofthechickens]

We are overrun with mice in the chicken house. We have feed tubes that are closed each night, three tame wild snakes on constant patrol and have closed every hole I can find only to have them chew another in 24 hours. I’m looking for a product that will deter the mice and not affect the chickens or snakes. Open for any suggestions at this point! I am attaching a pic of the ingredients of Rodent Mace for reference.

 

[Kiki]

We are overrun with mice in the chicken house. We have feed tubes that are closed each night, three tame wild snakes on constant patrol and have closed every hole I can find only to have them chew another in 24 hours. I’m looking for a product that will deter the mice and not affect the chickens or snakes. Open for any suggestions at this point! I am attaching a pic of the ingredients of Rodent Mace for reference.

I would not waste $1 on that product.

Have you thought about buying poison?

 

[Jayne_ofthechickens]

I would not waste $1 on that product.

Have you thought about buying poison?

I will definitely not use poison. My chickens occasionally eat the smaller mice, the snakes eat them and we have a barn cat that eats them, too. Further, the poison used to kill rodents is horribly inhumane. I’m looking for deterrent that is safe for all involved.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Poor sanitation and poor feeders lead to wild bird and rat/mice problems. The good news is that once you stop feeding the vermin they leave.

Do a forum search for Howard E., who in my opinion, is the best rodent expert on the forum. I copied and pasted one of his replies from several years back that has the meat of the solution for you. People tend to run one of two ways, willing to invest in an expensive feeder or willing to fight a battle with rodents and find another way. Only you can say which you have more of; time or money.

Here is Howard E.'s past post:
"To the OP (and others like them), if you will spend the time, everything you need to know about rats and how to get ride of them will be found in the links below......

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control-the-video-series.1337456/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control-101.1283827/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-proof-feeder-review.1180514/#post-18610285

This last one is a review of a rat proof chicken feeder built and sold by a BYC member, who is a staunch advocate for the plan of getting rid of rats by starving them out. Remove all sources of feed and they will be forced to move on or starve to death. If you are firmly against the use of poison bait blocks......for whatever reason.......then this is one of the best actions you can take. Bulk food in metal trash cans.....chicken feed in metal rat proof feeders. Can't get to the feed and birds do not spill and waste feed that the rats can survive on."

End of Howard's quoted post.


And the short version of Howard's post? Sanitation, exclusion, elimination.

Sanitation, bulk feed in metal cans or barrels with tight fitting lids, a treadle feeder, clean up the avenues of movement so the rodents have no cover to protect them from their natural predators. In my opinion and experience this is the quickest, surest, and cheapest way to solve a rodent problem.

Exclusion, plugging the holes and building a Fort Knox chicken coop and not leaving an opening for free range. Tough to do and expensive but it could work for rats.

Elimination, poison and traps. Problem is that rats are smart and will quickly learn to avoid both traps and poison bait. Were you to clean them out, the lack of sanitation would mean a new population of rodents would move right in. And there is risk and no end to the process, keeping fresh bait out. However, if you have done your sanitation using poison becomes effective as the rats are starving and will likely try the poison bait. Not needed though, they will leave in a few days as long as you are not feeding the rodents with a compost pile or other animal feed. Not all will leave, your area will have a natural carrying capacity for rodents, natural feed, but that natural ability to sustain rodents is quite small and the natural predators keep them in check and under cover as the rodents hustle to find this natural food.

Do a forum search on "rats chickens" and you will find most of the old wives tales exposed and read of long epic battles against the rodents. Sanitation, exclusion, or elimination all have associated costs but you are already paying for the feed and will recover the initial costs quickly with the first method.

Good luck and remember, it isn't just the stolen feed, disease and predators come with rodents.

 

[Jayne_ofthechickens]

Poor sanitation and poor feeders lead to wild bird and rat/mice problems. The good news is that once you stop feeding the vermin they leave.

Do a forum search for Howard E., who in my opinion, is the best rodent expert on the forum. I copied and pasted one of his replies from several years back that has the meat of the solution for you. People tend to run one of two ways, willing to invest in an expensive feeder or willing to fight a battle with rodents and find another way. Only you can say which you have more of; time or money.

Here is Howard E.'s past post:
"To the OP (and others like them), if you will spend the time, everything you need to know about rats and how to get ride of them will be found in the links below......

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control-the-video-series.1337456/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control-101.1283827/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-proof-feeder-review.1180514/#post-18610285

This last one is a review of a rat proof chicken feeder built and sold by a BYC member, who is a staunch advocate for the plan of getting rid of rats by starving them out. Remove all sources of feed and they will be forced to move on or starve to death. If you are firmly against the use of poison bait blocks......for whatever reason.......then this is one of the best actions you can take. Bulk food in metal trash cans.....chicken feed in metal rat proof feeders. Can't get to the feed and birds do not spill and waste feed that the rats can survive on."

End of Howard's quoted post.


And the short version of Howard's post? Sanitation, exclusion, elimination.

Sanitation, bulk feed in metal cans or barrels with tight fitting lids, a treadle feeder, clean up the avenues of movement so the rodents have no cover to protect them from their natural predators. In my opinion and experience this is the quickest, surest, and cheapest way to solve a rodent problem.

Exclusion, plugging the holes and building a Fort Knox chicken coop and not leaving an opening for free range. Tough to do and expensive but it could work for rats.

Elimination, poison and traps. Problem is that rats are smart and will quickly learn to avoid both traps and poison bait. Were you to clean them out, the lack of sanitation would mean a new population of rodents would move right in. And there is risk and no end to the process, keeping fresh bait out. However, if you have done your sanitation using poison becomes effective as the rats are starving and will likely try the poison bait. Not needed though, they will leave in a few days as long as you are not feeding the rodents with a compost pile or other animal feed. Not all will leave, your area will have a natural carrying capacity for rodents, natural feed, but that natural ability to sustain rodents is quite small and the natural predators keep them in check and under cover as the rodents hustle to find this natural food.

Do a forum search on "rats chickens" and you will find most of the old wives tales exposed and read of long epic battles against the rodents. Sanitation, exclusion, or elimination all have associated costs but you are already paying for the feed and will recover the initial costs quickly with the first method.

Good luck and remember, it isn't just the stolen feed, disease and predators come with rodents.

I’ve done all the “sanitation” suggestions and moved over 30 mice with catch and release traps. I won’t use poison as we have a barn cat and multiple wild predators that I will not put in jeopardy. It’s truly a mystery why the mice are so plentiful. I am spending the weekend plugging any new holes and redoing the floor of the coop. Hopefully we will get some relief from them.

 

[tbecker826]

I have mice moving in as well. I cover all feeders at night and the waterers are hanging so no one can get to them. Its frustrating. I have cats and dogs and no luck. I have tried all kinds of traps and they dont catch a thing. Im so worried they will over run my chicken area and hurt my chickens. Any suggestions is apprecaited.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

 

[SandyRiverChick]

 

[Al Gerhart]

I’ve done all the “sanitation” suggestions and moved over 30 mice with catch and release traps. I won’t use poison as we have a barn cat and multiple wild predators that I will not put in jeopardy. It’s truly a mystery why the mice are so plentiful. I am spending the weekend plugging any new holes and redoing the floor of the coop. Hopefully we will get some relief from them.

What sort of treadle feeder are you using? That almost always solves the rodent problems assuming it is a good design, is in good shape mechanically, and is installed correctly. Good to see you take the poison seriously and are protecting the natural predators.

 

[Al Gerhart]

I have mice moving in as well. I cover all feeders at night and the waterers are hanging so no one can get to them. Its frustrating. I have cats and dogs and no luck. I have tried all kinds of traps and they dont catch a thing. Im so worried they will over run my chicken area and hurt my chickens. Any suggestions is apprecaited.

The glaring issue that I see in your post is covering the feeders at night, not that it doesn't help some, but it really just shifts the rodents to eating during the day. Your experience with traps is common, rodents are very intelligent, catch a few and the rest wise up and seem to be able to spread the info to other rodents. Go back up and go through Howard E.'s posts, that will solve your rodent problem.