Chicken boarders

[Guest]

Poet wrote:

 

Ian, I know you're reading this, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease try a humane one first!!!!

 

And from me pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese, pretty pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese

 

When your DH does agree to using a humane trap and when you

catch your mouse, you can't keep it in the trap for more than an hour

or it will starve, suffocate or something nasty. You will have to keep it in

a box with holes in ujntil you can release it.

 

Tessa

 

that's a big problem then, he could only check the trap every morning.

 

 

maybe something like this?

 

http://www.trap-man.com/multi-live-catch-repeating-mouse-trap.htm

 

it's got air holes and the mouse can eat the corn in there until he can be released and DH could transport the mouse in it.

[Fabergé]

I'd lend you my cats if you were nearer!

They are mousers par excellance!

 

They also usually bring them in so that we can also enjoy chasing them around They are really gorgeous, but I'd rather not have them in the house!

 

In the summer we get treated to slow worms & lizards too (although they are slower than mice & therefore easier for us to catch)

 

Hope you get it sorted.

[Madchook]

pmsl Poet, this has me in stitches

 

There are loads of mice and rats in the city. I wouldn't worry about what you are doing with your chooks, the mouse was probably there anyway, but happy to discover the leftovers And yep, mice and rats love layers pellets/mash.

You would love my garden, rats, mice, shrews, voles.... you name it. And we have a mouse in the house that won't be caught (As I discovered last week when dh was snoring so much I came down to sleep on the sofa and got kept up with scurrying on laminate floors instead ). I don't bother with humane traps either, but I would if I thought it was a harvest mouse or something less pestulent

[Lovemychooks]

You can always send it down here, I don't mind Mice. In fact I saw one running away from the run when I shut the girls away tonight.....left him a bit of food out too

[Guest]

pmsl Poet, .... but I would if I thought it was a harvest mouse or something less pestulent

 

what does "pmsl" mean?

 

it's a wood mouse or a field mouse, defo not a house mouse or a harvest mouse- it's cute but disconcerting!

[Guest]

this is why i'm freaking out, it kept dashing out from that pile of rocks near the burner/chimnea so they've got to be moved for a start!

 

Then it was running along the edge of the run (and IN the run), then along the conservatory door, I could see it as it's all glass! The run is now head height by the way, not the one in the photo but still in the same place.

 

I think I've calmed down now and even considered giving Mr/Mrs fieldmouse a name but I think it will have to pack its bags!

 

 

 

 

[Tessa the Duchess]

Poet wrote:

 

what does "pmsl" mean?

 

Well the polite version is Peeing myself laughing

 

Tessa

[Guest]

re PMSL, OIC!

[Guest]

They are really gorgeous, but I'd rather not have them in the house!

 

 

 

the crux of me problem, you nailed it there! Don't really want them mixing with me girlies either.

 

Say, for example, hypotehtically and theoretically and all that, if we left it alone- would it cause a problem for the girls- healthwise I mean and all that jazz?

[Egluntyne]

If it got in the run they would despatch it with haste.

 

There is no real need to worry. mice and chickens have co-existed on farms for thousands of years.

 

Apart from a bit of grain spoilage there won't be huge problems.

 

If a mouse has caused this much worry....I hope you never see a rat.

[Guest]

I keep finkin' of Mr Bojangles in 'The Green Mile'

Edited December 4, 2007 by Guest

[Richard]

Field mice are lovely and should be encouraged. If I had one that I knew of I would be putting out food for it.

 

I'm not so keen on house mice if they are in my house, but only because they eat food and stuff.

 

don't be nasty to it; it is a timid creature that will do you no harm at all (rather like me really). It certainly won't run up your trousers or anything else - if it is tearing around it is only 'cos it is frightened.

 

We used to have them in our old garden and they used to run along the fence - they were lovely. Count yourself lucky that you have them - and treasure them.

[Egluntyne]

I keep finkin' of Mr Bojangles in 'The Green Mile'

 

eh?

 

I agree with Richard.

 

The mouse will do you no harm.

 

It is the house mice that you don't want to encourage.

[Guest]

Field mice are lovely and should be encouraged. If I had one that I knew of I would be putting out food for it.

 

.

 

 

it's okay, the girls are doing that for me!

 

Richard, I try very hard not to be nasty to anything or anyone in this life. I'm not sure about encouraging mousey but I'm slowly getting used to the idea of Mr Bojangles being around- baby steps Richard, baby steps!

[The Dogmother]

I love all the wildlife in my garden.... well except for the slugs. Mice can stay so long as they stay outdoors.

[Guest]

I keep finkin' of Mr Bojangles in 'The Green Mile'

 

eh?

 

.

 

watch the film 'The Green Mile' I dare you not to fall in love with Mr Bojangles (the mouse)

[Guest]

hmmm, might call him Algernon

 

anyone seen 'Flowers for Algernon'?

 

I fink I watch too many filums!

[Fabergé]

 

I fink I watch too many filums!

 

I guess you've not seen 'Stuart Little'? (childrens film) Probably not your kind of thing if you don't like mice

We do use a line out that film though - 'no eating family members'

[Guest]

Poet, I had two mice in the chicken run last year. Like you, I was a bit 'girly' about them and especially nervous at night. But I could watch them running around the run during the mornings eventually. One was caught by a hen but I don't know for sure what happened to the other one. They won't do your girls any harm though, you just don't want a growing family do you?

 

Prior to this, summer 2006, I kept our food in a strong plastic dustbin. The bottom got cracked and mice made their way in. I was fortunately alerted by seeing droppings on the food sack, otherwise I would have opened a sack of mice! I now have a metal bin!!

[Guest]

thank you everyone for the advice, tips and reassurance. It was just seeing it RIGHT by the back door AND in with the girls that just freaked me out. I know they're out there, I've just never had one knocking on the door, so to speak.

 

will keep a careful eye on the bins and any sign of chewage or droppings, we'll get metal ones.

 

I think Algernon lives under the rock pile. Think I WILL get DH to move the rocks but other than that, if he stays out of the house, I think Algernon can stay- he's on a trial run so he'd better watch himself!

[lozkate]

I suspect a rather unhealthy dose of murophobia here.

 

In essence a mouse is mostly harmless to everything. I agree that you don't really want them tramping through the pantry in heavy mouse boots keeping the houshold up and leaving brown rice everywhere (I'm very suspicious of that Tilda rice they sell!!) BUT they are not that bad. In modern houses there should be little in it for them to be there.

 

The garden shed however is their domain. To try to exclude them is folly. The main reason that they are despised is the damage they do trying to get to the stuff we should really be keeping out of their sight (and smell).

 

I feel absolutely sure that there's a whole host of wildlife that, if the average town folk saw it in their garden, they would be astonished and tell there friends, snap photos and bragg about down the pub.

 

I did hear of a chap who saw a Jay in his garden and was up for posting a notice in the local chippy to see if anyone had lost a parrot!

 

Leave it alone unless it comes in your house which is not likely with a rich source of food outside with less risk attached and much less energy expended to get it.

 

They only run up your trouser leg if theyre cornered and if you've ever tried to deliberately corner a mouse you'll know how unlikely that is.

 

Half of me hopes you're not there to see the chooks eat it and half of me is already anticipating the post!!

 

Have fun

 

Loz

 

Edit: Fabulous thread Poet - Thanks. LOL after a bad day.

[Guest]

cheers Loz, I hope I'm not there but you'll soon hear about it if I am!!!!!

 

In all the excitement of Algernon's arrival I forgot my most important nooz for today, will post it poste haste!

[jomaxsmith]

In all the excitement of Algernon's arrival I forgot my most important nooz for today, will post it poste haste!

 

I was just about to pull myself from the clammy grip of the interweb to go for a shower but now I have to wait to read your news! Hope it's worth it - my hair really needs a wash

 

Jo

[Guest]

In all the excitement of Algernon's arrival I forgot my most important nooz for today, will post it poste haste!

 

I was just about to pull myself from the clammy grip of the interweb to go for a shower but now I have to wait to read your news! Hope it's worth it - my hair really needs a wash

 

Jo

 

I just washed mine under the mixer tap in the kitchen, sitting here with a towel on my head! I hope it was worth the wait

[Guest]

The most positive thing about mice that I was told is that mice and rats don't live near each other. Then I really appreciated having mice!

 

Moving the rocks is a good idea. I remember now that I emptied all the hiding-places out of the chicken run to discourage them. I think they moved onto the patio, nearer the house.