Scattering Grain

redandblackhens · **Joined:** Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:59 am **Posts:** 2

What do you think of this idea to stop mice and rats in the coop, I have a problem with mice at the moment

Scattering Grain

To help get a mouse problem under control, you might decide to take away the chicken's self-feeder for a period of time and simply scatter grain each morning. The problem with this of course is that chickens do much better if they have a regular, continuous supply of feed that they can access throughout the day. Feeders that are full of grain and stay in the chicken coop all day are really the only easy way to ensure they have a continuous supply available. Rather than scattering grain and taking away your feeder, it is much wiser to invest in a feeder that limits the amount of grain that is spilt which will then attract fewer mice. Read more.. http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articl ... 05998.html

Any other ideas are welcome

P.s big thanks to the managers who made this forum, truly amazing place [smilie=thanks.gif]

Chicka-Dee · **Joined:** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:12 am **Posts:** 1194

redandblackhens wrote:

Scattering Grain

To help get a mouse problem under control, you might decide to take away the chicken's self-feeder for a period of time and simply scatter grain each morning.

Hi redandblackhens

welcome to APF

I personally feel taking away the feeder & just scattering the grain is a bad idea. I tried this at the start & what I found is the more dominant &/or aggressive hens would chase the one who were lower in the pecking order away from the food. This then in turn made the less dominant lose weight because they didn't have the continual feed source to go back to and eat if they were being challenged for what they found while foraging. Which then led to lower egg production or smaller eggs weights.

So what we ended up doing is building a vermin proof cage. But a feeder that limits wastage is also a good idea.

Cheers
Chicka-Dee

Hens and Hobbits · **Posted:** Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:54 am

It's mice season AGAIN

They've come in droves since the bushfires of 2009.

Indigenous mice are small enough to even go through the small gauge mesh on the ground.

Regulated feeders are the best option, agree with Chicka-Dee, Alpha chooks will dominate and feast on the scattered grain, rodents will also eat what's left over, as how do you know exactly how much grain to scatter?

Feeders like the Grandpa's Feeders, though it initial outlay is expensive, are a good investment in the long run.

http://www.grandpasfeeders.com.au/

parvo · **Joined:** Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:39 pm **Posts:** 735

The "hybrid" option is to provide the ad-lib feeders in the morning & take them out late in the afternoon. Leaving no food in the pens overnight helps as they (rodents) are very active at night, but doesn't overcome the mouse problem during the day.

You still need to construct a mouse-proof enclosure, or as close as possible- footings underground, a metal kick plate around the bottom of the pens to a height of at least 600 mm, electric wires above this and no overhanging trees or branches from which rodents can jump, tight fitting doors with no gaps & sealing gaps between the roof & the aviary. All these can help.

Not enough care or thought is put into rodent-proofing enclosures in the design and construction stages in my opinion. The increased construction costs put many people off and make most people think "she'll be right".

By the way, you can get 6mm wire which is mouseproof. 12mm (1/2 inch) is not, the young mice can get through this quite easily

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Hens and Hobbits wrote:

It's mice season AGAIN

They've come in droves since the bushfires of 2009.

Lots of people lost their chooks and coops in the bushfires of '09

and there were many kind and generous people who have donated both new coops and chooks :-D

We are all very thankful to these people

The mice, foxes, rabbits and kangaroos have all multipled rapidly after the fires.

redandblackhens · **Joined:** Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:59 am **Posts:** 2

Thank you I will try a container and see if the mice become a problem

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