Rodents can cause serious harm to your chickens through both physical damage and by spreading disease. Here are some simple tips to keep mice in nature and out of your chicken coop.

1) Remove food sources at night. Remove excess food and snacks at night after your chickens have roosted. Make sure your food stores are in air tight, chew-proof containers such as metal trash cans or hard plastic totes.

2) Keep an outdoor cat. Barn cats and outdoor cats are natural predators for mice. Your outdoor cat will require their own facilities and veterinary care.

3) Use natural deterrents such as mint, catnip, and lavender. These plants are safe to grow near your coop and incorporate into your coop bedding.

4) Regularly clean your chicken facilities including your coop, run, and nesting boxes. Decaying bedding and litter with excess droppings creates an alluring environment for vermin. A clean coop will help maintain your chicken’s health as well as deter unwanted pests.

5) Don’t feed directly on the ground instead use a livestock bowl or food container. There are many designs to choose from. Feeding directly on the ground can cause a variety of issues including making it more difficult to clean up remaining food especially in the winter. Instead use a livestock bowl or other container when distributing feed and treats.

6) Collect eggs daily. Falling temperatures increase the chances of burst eggs as well as reduced food sources for predators making them more brazen. Collect your eggs daily to decrease the chances of other creatures like mice or rats coming to collect them for you.

7) Raise water containers to your chicken’s chest height. Water sources that are low to the ground can attract mice and rats that drink from them at night. Make sure your water containers are at the proper height or if you are using a livestock bowl for a water source, remove the water bowl at night when your chickens roost and refill it when you let them out in the morning.

Wishing you and your family a happy Thanksgiving!

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