Eeek a Mouse!

[Hashette]

It appears the girls have an unexpected guest - living in the coop with them!

Last week when I cleaned them out, I thought it must be my imagination that some of the pooh underneath the perches looked like mouse droppings. I didn't think any more of it.

This week, it's obvious. Not only are there mouse droppings under the perches, but I found that the newspaper I use to line the coop has been shredded underneath a wooden platform that leads to the nest boxes. There's no way the girls could get their beaks down there.

To be honest I'd be amazed if a mouse could live with the girls and not become breakfast - I've seen Lady Tottington running down the garden with frogs legs hanging out of her beak before now.

This is really odd - but is it something I should worry about? All their food apart from what's in the hopper is in a galvanised bin, and the coop's on legs, so I'm pretty sure it's just the one mouse rather than an infestation. I've just never heard of anything like this before

[SarzWix]

I had one set up home in a bag of netting in my allotment shed I was very, very mean, and went round bashing the shed very hard with a broom handle to make it 'boom' and shudder. Eventually, the mouse did a runner out of the door, and hasn't been seen again...

[rustylady]

I've got one in my shed. No trouble really, it's just eating one of the windfall apples that I left in there

[Bramble-Poultry]

you really dont want mice in with the birds if you can help it. Not only do they carry the chance of disease (such as acting as a courier service for avian flu or mycoplasmosis) but their movements at night eating the food and water can lead to the birds getting a disturbed nights sleep.

Disturbed nights can lead to stress, which lowers the immune system and that then opens the doors to all sorts of problems.

i would kindly evict them. if you cant get around to baiting or trapping them, use a humane trap that catches them and transport them a minimum of 1.5 miles from your home and release. any closer and you will have your "homing mouse" back.

[Hashette]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Right then, tomorrow I'll set the humane trap we've got, bait it with cheese, and put it under the wooden thing inside the coop where only the mouse can get to it.

Please nobody tell the girls there's cheese down there or there will be hell to pay!

[Hazel at the Hill]

. Right then, tomorrow I'll set the humane trap we've got, bait it with cheese, and put it under the wooden thing inside the coop where only the mouse can get to it.

If your mouse is anything like the ones that my cats bring in to play, the humane trap would be better baited with chocolate or peanut butter.

[Hashette]

I would bait it with my home made Christmas cake, but seeing my girls who eat anything turned their beaks up at it as a Christmas treat, I think I'll take your advice.

Ungrateful little sods.......

[Hazel at the Hill]

....but seeing my girls who eat anything turned their beaks up at it as a Christmas treat, I think I'll take your advice.

Ungrateful little sods.......

You're not alone, Hashette - I spent forever messing about on Christmas Eve making Jamie Oliver's turkey stock, and as there was slightly too much for the jug poured a little in the cat's bowl - he turned his nose up too.

(Stock was wonderful. btw - memo to self to make it next year earlier in Dec & freeze as JO suggests.)