Mouse problem....

hmmmm.....

Night #1: no casualties

One word of caution, if you are using antifreeze in the pail, make sure your dogs and cats are not able to ingest it. Brook, I guess you already know it is toxic to pets since you are using it to kill the mice more quickly. Just thought if others are reading this, it might be good to warn them about the dangers of antifreeze poisoning to animals.

We found this works great but take away the chicken feed at night so they go looking for alternate food. We smeared that peanut butter all over the can to tempt them up. Also you need a ramp for them to get up and do it across from the pop can or they just run across your bar and back without falling in. We caught 21 mice in the first 3 nights! But if they can continue to freely eat at your chicken food which they've already found is safe then they will continue. This morning my eldest son came in from his chicken chores yelling about a rat. Our canine queen of destruction was licking a huge rat! Blech so yucky! We removed it from her but told her for the first time what a good job she did with destruction! That should seriously cut down on my feed bills because OMG it was HUGE! I thought we just had a mouse problem because we've caught them and see them all the time but this thing was massive and nasty!!!

Night #2: two casualties

I only put a 1/4 cup or so of antifreeze in the bottom of a 5 gal pail and it worked well because the mice were already dead by morning. The pail is set in the run at night and taken into my garage during the day... this way no stray cats/dogs/kids lol can get into it!

YES - in case you didn't know... antifreeze (ethylene glycol) is SWEET to the taste, and very poisonous! Animals will eat it up because it tastes good...

So always be careful using, storing, and disposing of antifreeze.

As for the feed issue... I keep my feed in closed bins and take the feeding dish out of the run at night. I think there is more than enough crumbs, scraps, leftovers etc they are surviving on.... I will try and make the can more tempting.... bacon fat?????

I use water in the bucket... much safer.... I have had turkey poults try to perch on my bucket mouse traps even if they are " hidden " and the traps have been accidentally knocked over ... I am way to afraid of antifreeze.....

I think I will set up my bucket trap again just to see. We have no signs of mice (for now) but it is fall and the nights are cooler. How is everyone else doing with their bucket traps?

XOX Monika

Grandma Art wrote:I use water in the bucket... much safer.... I have had turkey poults try to perch on my bucket mouse traps even if they are " hidden " and the traps have been accidentally knocked over ... I am way to afraid of antifreeze.....

Because I put the bucket in the protected run at night (with coop door closed of course) and in the garage during the day... it is safe.

I would never leave a bucket of antifreeze around... thats just asking for trouble! Also, there is just a small film of antifreeze in the bottom... just enough to kill the mice - not drown them. I doubt the amount in the bottom would even measure 1/4 cup.

I just like the thought of a quick death, and no jumping or swimming live mice for me to deal with. I am such a wimp, I will just let them go if they are not dead and DH isn't around to kill them for me! haha

Glad to hear it’s working Brook.

I used an antifreeze/water combo in my first pail, but switched to water because I didn’t want to deal with disposal of poisoned mouse corpses. I did a bonehead move with the first ones I caught and threw them out behind the barn. Later that day I realized my error and went to correct it, but the dead mice were already gone, likely eaten by some wild thing. Probably one of our resident foxes. I felt horrible and vowed only to use water from here on in.

I’m not fond of killing them either, but I don't know how else to get a handle on the little buggers...I used to catch and release until I realized all the mice I let go were probably safely back in their hidey holes before I even got back in the house. Now I catch to kill, and that's become a part-time job. We eventually plan to get 3 or more (fixed) barn cats to take over and help control the mouse population. But until then, it's all on me. And my mouser chickens.

I too like a quick death but unfortunately anti freeze is a painful way to die as it crystallizes the liver. With dogs around here I can't take any chances either. I do the old snap traps but am also looking for a couple of spayed/neutered cats to have around.

Cheers,
Carol

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