# Mice or rats in the coop



## grampsjim (May 18, 2015)

I guess the inevitable has happened. Mice have moved into the coop. We set traps and caught one but I know there are more because I moved a nest box and there was the beginnings of nests. I don't think it's rats but it could be. Any one have suggestions besides mouse or rat traps?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I safely used products like TomCat in my coops. It's an ag recommended rodenticide. I placed it in areas the chickens or Guineas couldn't get to or put it in stations.

If I had fallen behind it could get rather stinky but it kept them under control nicely when I used it.


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## grampsjim (May 18, 2015)

Can you get it locally or just online? We put the regular spring type trap on little shelves loaded with peanut butter and got one but no more.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Feed stores and co-ops carry it. It's a different formulation that you can buy in regular stores and is safer to use around livestock.


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## grampsjim (May 18, 2015)

Well, when I told my hubby, he knew what it was and our feed store carries it. He said that he's used it before. Thx!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Your welcome. If not for a conversation online years ago among other poultry breeders I probably would have been pulling my hair out trying to find a solution.


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## CharlieEcho (Nov 25, 2012)

*Tomcat;*

We use Tomcat in and around our barn. We use the bait stations to keep the poison out of reach of our chickens or dog. Depending on the season I check them every week. If the bait needs replaced because it's gotten old, that's a good thing. As the weather cools and the mice head for the barn we check it more often than in summer. There are place packs that you can buy or the chunks. Just keep it so your other pets can't get to it.

Keeping the areas around your coop, barn, sheds or whatever is important too. Specially in the case of rats. Mice seem to live anywhere and everywhere, but they still need food.

Good luck, rats give me the creeps.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

CE, do you notice that mice seem to prefer the chunks over the pellets? When I still had to use them heavily it always seemed the chunks were what the mice went after but ignored the pellets.


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## grampsjim (May 18, 2015)

Hubby used them in a storage shed. I kept Christmas stuff in rubbermaid type containers ,but they got in them anyway some how. They ruined everything. I had to just burn a lot of that stuff. So now that they've found real food they just moved to the coop which is close by. I'm having a garage sale soon and am cleaning that shed out good and then I'll put the tom cat there, too. He found some today at Orschleins Farm store.


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## CharlieEcho (Nov 25, 2012)

*Equally it appears;*

It would appear that the mice take the bait equally. I use the packets to pitch to places hard to get to. In the crawl space of the house, corners of the storage sheds etc. I try to place the packets where they will remain dry. I use them along the foundation caps in the basement as well.

The bait houses I use in places I can get to easily. If the bait appears weathered, for lack of a better term, I dump it into a trash bag for disposal, and replace with fresh bait.

Another thing we use is large nut canisters. We buy our mixed nuts at the same farm store where we get our bait/poison. These are large plastic jugs, about two quarts, with screw on lids. I use a hole saw to cut a 1" hole in the lid near the edge. I can put a couple of chunks of bait in the jugs, and see when the bait is gone. I place the jugs on their side, and it keeps the pets safe. I've placed these out in the garden near the back door and porch, as well as in my woodshop. These are not as hardy as the bait houses I use in the barn and tractor shed, but they do suffice.

The first signs of cold weather is when we see an influx of mice. They've had all summer to procreate and are then beginning to look for their winter homes. I don't know how they do it sometimes but I've gone around the house looking for their entry ways and trying to seal things up. They still find a way in. I guess that's their job. It takes a few weeks every fall to knock them back to being unnoticeable.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Hmmm, you've got me thinking now. We have what they call a scuttle up to our attic. It's totally open from the garage, over the breezeway and then over the house. It might be a good idea for me to be thinking about that for this winter to keep them out of the house. At least until the hubs can get drywall up there to keep them out.


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## grampsjim (May 18, 2015)

I usually don't have them in the house, but just recently, I saw "sign" that I might have one. I have a rather large cat who is a super mouser so they are either very brave critters or I missed some of their evidence with a time that the AC folks came out for a repair job and left a entry around some pipes. After we got that sealed up, we havent seen anymore sign until now. I've got traps out anyway. We've had them in the garage which is separate from our house and in the outbuildings.


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## zamora (May 26, 2015)

Drywall won't keep out determined rodents.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

zamora said:


> Drywall won't keep out determined rodents.


I know, he's going to have a cow when I either line it on the outside with metal or hardware cloth.


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## CharlieEcho (Nov 25, 2012)

*Front porch;*

Drought a few years ago caused our concrete front steps and sidewalk to settle a bit. The steps are hollow and accessible from the crawl space. I suspect mice are accessing the house along and under the edges of these steps. This space is difficult to seal. I've sealed most of the possible entry ways over the years. I try to seal the holes with, course steel wool, metallic pot scrubber, or hardware cloth, depending on the opening. I stuff the gap with one of the above and prefer electric insulating foam to seal the filler in place. This foam fills the gap without expanding.

Years ago (33) when we first moved here I'd gone around one of the sheds behind the siding with hardware cloth up about six inches. This was an old shed with cedar lapped siding. I recently had to replace the door and added a storm door. I still place the pitch packs in this shed along the wall sills since the concrete floor sweats. It's amazing how a mouse can crawl straight up a board.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I actually had mice remove steel wool in my old coop. I was floored to see it, little bits and pieces of it laying all around the hole. They also eventually ate through expanding foam.


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## grampsjim (May 18, 2015)

My back store door doesn't set in the frame tightly. With grand kids running in and out or someone leaving the metal doorvopen, I imagine that is where they can access our house. In the 25 years we've been living here, I've only had 1 , maybe 2 mice infestations. I'm not real cinvinced that I have one this time. I'm still trying to determine that.


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## CharlieEcho (Nov 25, 2012)

*Kids doors and foam;*

I think sometimes mice come in with the flowered pots. My wife brings several into the basement as soon as it gets too cold to chance leaving them out. I think they hide in the mulch. Or so I say.

If the kids come visiting the doors are constantly fanning or standing agap. Not so much anymore since they've grown. I recently replaced the threshold of our back porch and it's nice and tight where it had been rotted or weathered. We have an enclosed back porch added after the house was built.

I like to put the wire or coarse steal wool in the gaps then the foam. The foam keeps them from removing the steel wool or wire, and they usually stop trying to eat or dig through when they hit the metal.

Our neighbor down the road had steel wool stuffed all around the bottom piece of siding on their home. One year we found it all pulled out and lying on the ground around the house. We speculate, it was a skunk searching for mice. They'd had a skunk living in a culvert under their driveway. They hired a state trapper to catch the skunk. He charged $100 each time he reset the trap. Her cat cost her $200, before they caught the skunk.

The varmints and rodents only have one job. So they're pretty persistent. 



grampsjim said:


> My back store door doesn't set in the frame tightly. With grand kids running in and out or someone leaving the metal doorvopen, I imagine that is where they can access our house. In the 25 years we've been living here, I've only had 1 , maybe 2 mice infestations. I'm not real cinvinced that I have one this time. I'm still trying to determine that.





robin416 said:


> I actually had mice remove steel wool in my old coop. I was floored to see it, little bits and pieces of it laying all around the hole. They also eventually ate through expanding foam.


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## patsimanning (Aug 22, 2015)

That is interesting! We had a government trapper come out to get a bobcat and he didn't charge anything because he was paid by the government.
P.S. I am the same as "grampsjim". I am trying to fet my profile edited to reflect myself rather than my hubby who doesn't get on this site. So, pls bear with me.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

patsimanning said:


> That is interesting! We had a government trapper come out to get a bobcat and he didn't charge anything because he was paid by the government.
> P.S. I am the same as "grampsjim". I am trying to fet my profile edited to reflect myself rather than my hubby who doesn't get on this site. So, pls bear with me.


This site is pretty straight forward when it comes to making changes to profiles and adding or subtracting. There are a couple of ways to add photos when you feel the urge to share pics.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Well, I saw a couple of signs this morning it's time to break out the bait stations. Might as well get to it now.


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## patsimanning (Aug 22, 2015)

The problem I'm having most of is making an entry from my cell which is android as my tablet. I'm slowly figuring things out though. Right now I would rather have a different user name for posting than my own name. But the site wants me to change my password which I don't need to do. I'm also learning how to get pix from my cell to my tablet. I have done it once but I need to do it again. I'm thinking it takes a little time for tge transfer. (Device to device transfer rather than a USB port which my tablet doesn't have).


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You can only change your user name by creating a new account. I've found most forums are that way.

Yes, using anything but a laptop or tower does make it more challenging to get things working the way you want. There is one other here that is using a tablet, she might be able to lend a hand. I think it was Chickenmommy.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I use Tomcat. They have two different types. The darker green work better for me than the light green. I use bait stations and monitor the bait eating. I get buckets from amazon. 

I also lock up all feed at night. I have 8 separate flock feeders. I've rigged up a system where I've bought those big buckets from Home Depot, put some small holes in the bottom and hang them upside down over the feeders. Each one is on a hand made pulley that I can operate from outside the pens. I thin that the most important thing anyone can do is lock up the feed. I'll post a picture of it soon.


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## perchiegirl (Aug 22, 2015)

for what its worth mice wont mess with steel wool.... But Rats will take it and make bedding out of it.

Lived in a house once that had rats the size of bedroom slippers... not a fun experience because I used bait... and had to live in a house with Decomp smell in it till they all dessicated.

deb


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## CharlieEcho (Nov 25, 2012)

*Cleanliness is;*

Yes there are two different types of Tomcat. I have some of the dark green stored in the bucket. The Dark Green is for rodents that have developed a resistance to the Light Green. Not a comforting thought. So far, and knock on wood, we haven't had to use the Dark Green poison, though the Dark Green will work on all rodents.

Tomcat has a formula I believe that dehydrates the rodents and you will not have the odor once they have succumbed. We have never had a problem with odor of dead rodents either in the barn, sheds or the house. When we do find the dead rodent they are usually as dry as desert roadkill.

Keeping things cleaned up is important. We have all our feed stored in barrels or metal bins. If there is feed left in the feeders at night I dump it back into the barrel. Being a tightwad, I try to put out only as much feed as they usually eat. Fruit is now dropping from our trees and I try to pick it up daily, that is what I can. The feeders are suspended off the ground.



perchiegirl said:


> for what its worth mice wont mess with steel wool.... But Rats will take it and make bedding out of it.
> 
> Lived in a house once that had rats the size of bedroom slippers... not a fun experience because I used bait... and had to live in a house with Decomp smell in it till they all dessicated.
> 
> deb





seminolewind said:


> I use Tomcat. They have two different types. The darker green work better for me than the light green. I use bait stations and monitor the bait eating. I get buckets from amazon.
> 
> I also lock up all feed at night. I have 8 separate flock feeders. I've rigged up a system where I've bought those big buckets from Home Depot, put some small holes in the bottom and hang them upside down over the feeders. Each one is on a hand made pulley that I can operate from outside the pens. I thin that the most important thing anyone can do is lock up the feed. I'll post a picture of it soon.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

There was one that had red chunks and was quite effective. I thought that was Tom Cat but might have been the other one that I don't remember the name of any more.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Gramps just built a new mouse trap. I'll let y'all know how it works . It may be sideways so use your imagination.


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## perchiegirl (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> Gramps just built a new mouse trap. I'll let y'all know how it works . It may be sideways so use your imagination.


seen em before they work really well

deb


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I could never get mine to work.


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## perchiegirl (Aug 22, 2015)

there is a variation I have heard of.... Same size bucket one of those Deep ones. Fill it about six inches deep with water and float some scratch on top.... They see the food and hop in for a meal and drown.

The depth of the bucket is too tall to jump out of without being able to push off on something... the water is too deep for them to do that.

deb


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Last night we saw a new visitor. It was a HUGE wild hog! I sure hope he doesn't decide to go right through the wiee on my coop! I'm really thinking about closing the wooden door on the coop.


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## CharlieEcho (Nov 25, 2012)

*Similar;*



perchiegirl said:


> there is a variation I have heard of.... Same size bucket one of those Deep ones. Fill it about six inches deep with water and float some scratch on top.... They see the food and hop in for a meal and drown.
> 
> The depth of the bucket is too tall to jump out of without being able to push off on something... the water is too deep for them to do that.
> 
> deb


I have seen variations of those. I don't like having to clean up the bodies. But, I'll do what I have to. They picked the corn around our house this week, so the run will be on. Cooling down again too.

I'm varying the feeding so there is little left over in the evening. Therefore little left for the mice and other freeloaders. I have apples the birds are eating, acorns dried from last year to grind. Crabapples will be falling for a couple of months. Bugs are getting scarce. I suppose the swallows will be leaving in a week or so, and the sparrows are moving back into the barn. When the swallows leave, we'll start closing things up at night. A little story.

My sister in law worked for a lady that wanted to use only "live" traps for the mice. She did not want to kill the mice. The lady had purchased and placed numerous trap. This lady lived in a large town/small city, originally having lived in France.

Trouble is she placed the traps upside down. So the mice just came and went as they pleased. They also proliferated. So she purchased more traps. Enter my sister in law, a country girl who has lived next to the fields for years. My SIL explained that the traps were placed improperly and corrected the problem. The lady never inspected the traps. These were live traps. Since she never inspected them, the mice starved, or died of thirst. The lady called my SIL upset that the mice were dead. My SIL explained that she was sorry the mice had died and that she didn't think they could work together any longer. I don't know what you do with live mice unless you have pet snakes.

My sister uses plastic snap traps and throws away the trap and the mouse. She lives in town too.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

That's too funny! I don't care if they're caught dead or alive. (They'll be dead before I turn them loose!) We cleaned 2 out buildings out yesterday and they had been very prolific there. We've got spring traps, Tom Cat, the 5 gallon bucket trap, and I guess we'll try anything else we hear about. They're a nuisance! My fear is something as big as a hog could tear my pen up.


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## perchiegirl (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> That's too funny! I don't care if they're caught dead or alive. (They'll be dead before I turn them loose!) We cleaned 2 out buildings out yesterday and they had been very prolific there. We've got spring traps, Tom Cat, the 5 gallon bucket trap, and I guess we'll try anything else we hear about. They're a nuisance! My fear is something as big as a hog could tear my pen up.


Hogs are the least of your worries... though you could do hog panels as exterior fortification....

But the biggest worry with Rat and mouse infestation is Hanta virus.

http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/

scary stuff.

So when cleaning out the barn and handling the detritus.... wear a mask.

deb


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## Alaskan (Aug 22, 2015)

Hanta virus is super scary...


Hogs though, if it wanted to get in and root about in the chicken feed.. Those suckers are big enough to easily tear up fence.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Not only Hanta virus. Rats carry parasites and worms. That's why I like the bait stations. I have 3. You know when there's rats when the bait keeps disappearing. I also lock up all the food and feeders at night. More incentive to eat the bait. I don't think rats and mice is something you can eliminate one by one.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

OkieDokie, thanks for the info! We had masks on most of the time but did occasionally forget them. I told gramps about Sx and symptoms just is case either one of us has any of them, we won't mess around. I haven't seen rat sign yet just mouse. We have about 6 more weeks before frost so maybe we can get the stations out everywhere. We have our feed in the large metal trash cans except our hanging feeder. We will have to figure out something to put it in.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I have several feeders that have a 5 gallon bucket put over them at night.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Good! I'll try that too!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Did anyone ever see that thing some years ago on PBS where this farm was infested with mice? It was like a carpet of mice as far as you could see. Started with a grain silo. It was nasty.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I didn't see that. I would've had to move! I put all the feed except what was on the ground which was quickly eaten.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Well, gramps caught an opossum in his live trapndown by our coop last night. He is now over the rainbow. ...


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Gramps decided that he would call the Sevin hotline for info on it's use around our feathered critters. They told him that it wouldn't kill mites and not to use it around them. I told him that some of my fellow chicken folks used it on their roosts. So what else can I use?


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## perchiegirl (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> Gramps decided that he would call the Sevin hotline for info on it's use around our feathered critters. They told him that it wouldn't kill mites and not to use it around them. I told him that some of my fellow chicken folks used it on their roosts. So what else can I use?


flea and tick spray for one something that has pyrethiens in it.

Ivermectin for another. Ivermectin will kill worms in the body as well as any chewing sucking insects... Fleas, Ticks, Mites...

There is another people use on Birds AND coops. but I dont know what it is...

But use that spray to spray all the bedding as well as perches and roosts and nest boxes. Because Mites hide during the day in nooks and crannies in the wood and bedding.

Matter of fact If you can get rid of all the bedding sprayed first of course and put in fresh after you have cleaned the coop.

Oh and you will have to do it all over again in about a week or what ever the hatch rate is.

deb


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## Alaskan (Aug 22, 2015)

Yep, what deb said! 

Only thing to add.... Since I was researching last night.

Lots of people think wood ash is really good against parasites... Not to wipe them out, but to help reduce numbers.


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## perchiegirl (Aug 22, 2015)

Alaskan said:


> Yep, what deb said!
> 
> Only thing to add.... Since I was researching last night.
> 
> Lots of people think wood ash is really good against parasites... Not to wipe them out, but to help reduce numbers.


I did more research on Wood Ash regarding its effectivity... But then I realized.... Duh... Wood ash is where you get lye from...

Of course Lye is concentrated.... But the ingredient is in Wood ash.

deb


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Thx! I just talked to the hubs and he stopped by the feed store on his way back from getting the oil changed in his pickup and they gave him something that is supposed to kill the nasties..
I've been spraying their legs with something that I got that is supposed to protect them from mites then covering them with vaseline and it helps but I'd like to be rid of them completely


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Ok gramps came home with something called "V.Tex GardStar" The primary ingredient is permethrin 25%. But its powder form so we'll have to wait until morning when we let the girls out and clean and powder everything. I'll find a spray of something to spray the nests before I put fresh bedding down. Then the next project I guess is to get them wormed for winter.
We have wood ash in places that they love when they find it.


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## Alaskan (Aug 22, 2015)

Supposedly... You put a bunch of the powder in a bag... Pick up chicken, stick chicken in bag with only their head sticking out..... Shake about to get powder everywhere under the chicken feathers....release traumatized chicken that will from now on run away when it sees you coming.


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## Alaskan (Aug 22, 2015)

Repeat the above in 2 weeks.


Some say that doing the medication with a combo of wood ash is a good idea.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Lol!! I have trouble catching them now without the roo getting riled or the oldest hen I have tearing into me!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Maybe I could put the dust in the wood ash ,cover their heads and let them dust bathe; )


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