Keeping Mice Out of Chicken Feed

tiresntracks · May 26, 2016

Mice have decided to move into the chicken coop. I haven't had a problem with them until just recently. I have a feeder made out of a 15" diameter feed pan with a 5 gallon bucket inside of it. When the mice started getting into it, I took a 24" diameter pan with 6" sides, put 2 bricks in the center of it, and filled it with water just over the tops of the bricks. I set the 15" feeder on top of the bricks. The mice seem to have no problem swimming to the feeder. I have used a coffee can 3/4 full of water as a mouse trap in the past and it worked great. I drowned dozens of mice in it. Why will they drown in a coffee can, but can swim to my feeder? What can I do to keep them out? I'm going to poison them, if nothing else works, but I'm afraid the chickens will get poisoned by the dying mice.

tiresntracks · May 26, 2016

I think I figured it out, as soon as I posted this. I guess it helped to put it in writing. The bricks and the feed pan aren't perfectly smooth like a coffee can, so the mice can climb them. I bet if I set the feeder on a coffee can in the water, and don't fill the water up to the bottom of the feeder, it will work.

Den N Ms · May 26, 2016

Tiresntracks,Make them there own swimming pool,I made one and talk about work good.Just put it to where the chickens can't eat off the peanut butter bait. I used 2 wood lathes with 2 nails in the end to keep them on the bucket. Make one and they can invite all their friends to the Pool Party!
Pool Party

tiresntracks · May 26, 2016

That's a good idea. I may try that. Thanks.

37chief · May 26, 2016

I have the same problem. I hang the feeder up at night. I haven't seen a mouse jump 5 ft yet. I do forget sometimes, which doesn't help. I also made a mouse motel. they check in, but don't check out. I do set out bait blocks, but they don't seam to do much. Stan

Brown Swiss · May 27, 2016

He said can leave it dry or put water in, it needs a little water in cause I have seen them little suckers jump out of a bucket like that.

Charlie M · May 27, 2016

Snap traps with peanut butter work great on mice. Hope and prey that rats don't find your chicken coop. They are a whole different deal to get rid of.

DGinVT · May 27, 2016

I use the 5 gallon bucket routine in my shop and in the barn. It works well!!

BarnyardEngineering · May 27, 2016

Mice don't eat the bait blocks. Too big to chew on. You need the tomcat bait pellets for mice.

Wheatfarmer · May 27, 2016

I have been using the blocks because they store the pellets. But I think I will try and smash the pellets and see if that works. Had a neighbor die of Hantavirus. Like it when they go die someplace else. Saw something once with a buck of water and a rolling log across it. Still hate having to dump it all the time.

JMS/.MN · May 27, 2016

Try hanging the feeder?

HALGETIT · May 27, 2016

I've got appenzeller chickens that stalk and kill and eat the mice.

NoNewParts · May 27, 2016

The 5 gallon bucket traps work well on all kinds of vermin.
Don't overfill the bucket. Just enough where they can't get a pushoff from the bottom.
I have fancy made ones, but simple works well too.
bucket with a board to climb against it, 6" of water, handful of sunflower seeds thrown in (they float a long time)...done

tiresntracks · May 27, 2016

Sometimes my chickens will kill mice and sometimes they will stand there and watch them run by. It would be nice if they would just kill them all.

tiresntracks · May 27, 2016

That would probably help. I wonder if they will climb the cable that I hang it from?

JMS/.MN · May 27, 2016

Somehow, attach sticky pads to the cable. Run the cable thru the sticky pad, add duct tape to hold it to the wire!

Bonnan · May 27, 2016

This hasn't worked for me. Coon, possum or something wrecked the whole thing before any mice got to it.

Keeping Mice Out of Chicken Feed

tiresntracks

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tiresntracks

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Den N Ms

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tiresntracks

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37chief

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Brown Swiss

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Charlie M

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DGinVT

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BarnyardEngineering

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Wheatfarmer

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JMS/.MN

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HALGETIT

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NoNewParts

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tiresntracks

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tiresntracks

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JMS/.MN

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Bonnan

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