Mice in the Coop

[CrealCritter]

I have a larger area adjacent to the chicken coop, that I use to store stuff relates to raising chickens. All my bags of feed are kept in plastic garbage can with a tight fitting lid. But I still have a mouse problem...

What do you do to control mice in the Coop?

I don't want to use poison... Do you just trap the mice and throw out to the chickens? I know they will eat mice.

Thanks

 

[CrealCritter]

Hmm I'll see if my husband does, I don't seem to have any. I adore the owls. I haven't seen than in a while, but I'm assuming they're still hanging around. They used to just sit there and look at us, not scared of people at all.

In North Carolina I had a owl that would stand in the door way of my wood shop and watch me work. I named him or her Wilber, and sometimes he or she would come to me when I called his or her name - not very often though. He or she was a big barred owl - it was a really cool experience to have a big owl watching and talking to you.

 

[CrealCritter]

I have owl boxes on my to-do list of wood working projects this winter. I would like to attract them if I could.

Plans seem really simple

 

[Mini Horses]

Also I think a rat snake might like eggs also.

YES -- in fact, they prefer them to mice! Lazy snakes. I've killed 3 in past 2 yrs. All adults about 4.5-5 ft long. Last one took 2 from setting hen 2 days before hatch Was going back for more when it met my machete.

Unfortunately, saw another about a week ago....in a field. Now I'm out doing snake watch in the coop & barn. They will eat chicks, too. They will eat several eggs a day!!!!!!!!!!

I hate snakes. I've used moth balls under floors where cats & chickens can't get to them. Helps. with snakes & mice. They are everywhere and VERY prolific having young every 30 days or so & several at a time...then THEY mature in a month or so and have more and more and more.

 

[baymule]

As long as he doesn't eat the eggs or any baby chicks!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Hmm I'll see if my husband does, I don't seem to have any. I adore the owls. I haven't seen than in a while, but I'm assuming they're still hanging around. They used to just sit there and look at us, not scared of people at all.

 

[baymule]

We get rat snakes when we get a lot of mice. I also put out poison in the building i keep feed in. I don't like mice and rats.

 

[Beekissed]

A good way to eliminate mice problems is to feed in meals and only what your chickens can clean up before nightfall. Feeding in troughs with wire stretched across the top can help also...this eliminates shoveling of feed out onto the coop floor when they are eating.

I feed fermented feed in troughs, feeding a single meal a day, so nothing is left for mice by roosting time...trough looks like the chickens have licked it clean.

Come spring, if you hatch chicks at all, you'll likely regret living in harmony with the black snake....I had over 20 chicks taken by black snakes last spring. Unless you have a pretty good bead on who and how many are laying, you'll not likely notice if eggs come up missing...most folks just assume someone has stopped laying, especially at this time of year when chickens are molting.

A nice bucket trap could help you....there are various DIY versions of this you can make with other things.

 

[NH Homesteader]

You guys are making me really appreciate where I live. We have very few snakes and the ones we do have aren't an issue. Yuck!

 

[baymule]

I like that rolling log mouse trap Bee!