What repels mice?

[BennieAnTheJets]

Hi everyone!

Been searching the posts for a while and still would appreciate your input:

have a huge mouse problem and now snake(s) following - cannot use poison and hate to kill them in traps - have tried humane traps but the little suckers don't go in at a high enough rate - have relocated (across the creek) a bunch but need to be more aggressive to get rid of them - tired eliminating food and access, but - you know - birds spill things...

I found folks saying bay leaf, mint, maybe basil, rosemary and lavender would repel mice? Is that true? does it bother Guinea Fowl (the scent or eating some)??

If mint works, would any mint do? I got an invasive variety that is going nuts around here. I could harvest some and bring it into the coop.

I will try all my trap tricks again and would like to use a repellant at the same time.

Any insights you could share please?

 

[Spartan22]

Heard of the same thing about mints few years ago, on my 2nd year with chicken, mice started coming in our feed storage area in the winter so I used traps inside the door entrances (chicken doesn’t access) been catching mice non stop. I decided to also use mints from our gardens and just scattered them all over the coop and storage. It seems to eliminate them, so I continue bringing in fresh crushed mint leaves every week. Later on decided to plant mint plants all around the coop and run since it’s invasive nature will cover the area, besides I got other things to do than scatter mints. This work tremendously, on my 5th year with chickens but no mice. I still keep some traps but traps hasn’t caught any mice for yrs now.

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

super! Thank you so much!

I actually love the cute little critters and sympathize with them: they are just trying to find a nice home for their families and they are very social - but I can't have all the tunnels and the venomous snakes around here - not to mention the droppings and the stench from their pee - eeuh

 

[Spartan22]

super! Thank you so much!

I actually love the cute little critters and sympathize with them: they are just trying to find a nice home for their families and they are very social - but I can't have all the tunnels and the venomous snakes around here - not to mention the droppings and the stench from their pee - eeuh

Okay Cinderella, mice will not turn into couch drivers to take you to the palace, LOL. In my opinion they can find shelter somewhere else away from my home or my coops. I can smell their pee from a distance, and am highly allergic to them, besides they carry diseases that I don’t want my flock to get. My wife are scared of them too, so I don’t want her to quit gathering eggs or taking care of the chickens when I’m on my work trips.

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

They won't!?!
He he.
I guess I believe in what my T-shirt said in College: "Develop a boundless ethic that encompasses all living beings." or something like that.
Agree with you strongly, though, that they can find a nice home somewhere else please!

Thanks again for sharing your experience with the mints! It made my day.

My spouse is in the hospital just now and things are a bit rough - then I found a regurgitated mouse that looked like it had been through a snake this morning in our run and thought: 'man, I know I am late on doing more about the mice, but I didn't need this new worry today' - so you gave me hope that this, too, can be solved ok.

 

[perchie.girl]

Best way is to Keep the feed in a feed room and in Tin storage containers. Then keep that room clean. next is the feed in the feeders.... Thats the big one... Mice are too light to activate Treadle feeders so look those up.... they will come in for water ...

Also keep your place maintained... stacks of wood policed places where they can hide...

Ok Now here is the issue. All that and By now you have done the best. BUT you have an established colony of mice.... For every one you see Expect ten to be in tunnels or nests...

And you are right they carry disease and parasites... your chickens will eat as many as they can catch which is a good thing. and YEP I watched a hen duke it out over a mouse then swallow it whole.

There is a product that you can use that is Eco friendly and will kill mice and rats. Its made of corn product and the mice find it yummy...

http://myhousepests.com/rats/natural-rat-poison.html

Here is what a mouse infestation can become

Same goes for Rats

They do have a place in Ecological systems... Food for many predators, seed dispersal, and on. But when we humans mess with the Ecology they do get a chance to reproduce unchecked.

Sorry I couldnt give you the answer you wanted but I gave you the best Ecological answer I could as well as the reasons why.

deb (who wont use ant spray)

 

[lazy gardener]

I have no sympathy for mice, rats, or other vermin which threaten my flock, my home, or my gardens. They are disposed of in as quick and efficient manner as possible.

@BennieAnTheJets , my condolences that your wife is ill. Prayers for her recovery.

 

[goslingluv]

You cant really repel them eliminate their food source thats you best bet keep potential nesting spots clean cats help alittle

 

[sirrobyn0]

Ok, some of the folks in this thread are not going to want to hear this but mice are dangerous. You might think they are cute but they can be a serious health threat to both you and your chickens, as well as any pets you have. As far as I know there is nothing that is really effective at repelling mice for the long term. Honestly the best thing you can do for the safety of the chickens and for your own safety is to kill them. You may not like it, it might be gross, but you need to do it. Honestly I hate trapping mice and worse yet rats, but it must be done. Snap traps placed in locations the chickens can't get to is probably the best, although poison can be used if used carefully. Try to take away their food sources as much as possible. Keep ALL chicken feed treats ect in tin garbage cans. If you spill any food clean it up. Pickup the chickens feeder at night and put it into a tin can, replace it in the morning. If you have water inside to coop move it outside into the run if at all possible. Seal up the coop as best as possible and close the door to the run at night if you think they are coming in that way. I know it's tough, but your better off battling them now rather than when there is a very huge mouse problem. Good Luck, I know just how tough this can be.

 

[goslingluv]

I use locked bait boxes outside they work but you need more than one in various places and they are safe around kids and pets and are fairly discrete.