Will mice eat eggs?

[rubeconn]

We had two or three little mice through the winter (it was our first winter with our girls) and I didn't worry too much at that time. Usually when I go out to gather eggs four or five would run out of the coop, but we too have been having a lot of broken eggs and several eggs with a very small hole in the end of the egg. I too was wondering what was happening - I even went to my local guru and asked him about the holes and he was stumped. But tonight I went in to gather eggs and I bet there were 30 to 40 mice that ran around, out of the coop and through my legs, etc. One or two ok, that many I draw the line and I wondered if they would eat eggs and came to BackYard Chickens. Low and behold here is the discussion. I too and concerned on how to get rid of them. I don't want to use poisons, I have a dog that loves to dig, chase and eat mice so I don't want him getting a poisoned mouse and I have cats. So if anyone has suggestions of how to rid themselves of mice please post it for all of us.

I posted this a few minutes ago and then went out to search for possible solutions. Peppermint oil and owls. Supposedly, rodents don't like the smell of peppermint - fortunately for me I do!. I grow it in my garden and I will be transplanting it around my coop and I will get some oil and put it in the coop - hopefully the girls won't mind the smell. I thought I would try this as I don't know how to get an owl to come visit me. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Duckie48]

I am suspecting mice are eating my Quail eggs. I am going to put a trap with a bait in the cage.
My Quail are in the aviary. I had success before by putting a mouse bait in a margarine container.
Put a small hole in the end and seal the lid with tape.
The birds can't get the bait.
I will have to hide it from the parrots so they don't eat the container.
I have done this in the chook coup before.
Chickens would have to eat a number of mice to be affected.
The mouse should have time to leave the coup before it dies.
Just a thought. Hope you find a way. And yes mice can and will eat eggs as well as babies.
They are also notorious for taking the legs off small birds. e.g. Finches and Canaries etc.

 

[pamsmithtulsa]

I know this post is old, but wanted to go ahead and make a comment in case anyone needs some advice still. We too have been losing eggs, I often find broken shells and remnants of shells. I thought for sure it was a snake, so I did some studies on how to trap snakes and was told to use a minnow trap. I bought one for about $17 at Bass Pro (buy the silver metal one with the sharp ends on the funnel, not the painted black one), put an egg in it for bait. We did this about two days ago and no snakes, but this morning I caught two mice! That is how I found this thread, as I was curious if they could be eating the eggs. Now I am convinced they are as the only bait was an egg and they went in after it. This is a safe and effective way to catch mice. They get in and they can't get out because of the funnel ends. Barn cats had a great time with the mice this morning

 

[Howlet]

Cats work. just find one thats a bit scared of full gron birds... my 11 inch tall cochin bantam chased my fat old tom over the fence XD

 

[pamsmithtulsa]

We have 6 barn cats, but we discourage them from coming around the chicken coop because there are many times of the year we have babies and the last thing we want is them eating he baby chicks. Otherwise, when the big chickens are free ranging they all co-exist just fine. The cats love the mice I have been catching in the minnow trap! I take the trap well away from the coop and call the cats over and release the catch. They love it!

 

[a birds world]

Find a mouse trap that doesn't kill or harm the mice, then you won't have to worry about it harming any of your poultry.