mouse droppings in food

[tlck9]

Hi all, when I took on my allotment, I had a small little field mouse, looks like it had a nest in the ground

Anyway, havent seen them for a while, and then they popped up in my Compost bins

Anyway, I have an automatic opener for my chucks, so I leave a couple of red chick cups on the fence and my omlet food container about 10cm from the floor again on the fencing

I'm sure for the second time I've found poop, mouse poop in the omlet feeder. I take my main feeder up but leave these so the ladies have food before I get up there

Any ideas on how to cure this problem, I'm not keen on killing them, but i'm not keen on my chucks getting infections passed from these little furry mices!

[RichmondHens]

Don't leave any food down. It not only encourages mice but rats as well. Unless you are not managing to get to your chickens until late in the morning they will be fine without food till you get there, they will peck around and find something. BTW what time do you get there?

[tlck9]

weekdays I usually get to them about 7.45 and my hubby goes up between 4-5 in the afternoon

At weekends we usually get there about 9am

I was just a bit worried about them not having any food, that said they were locked away from dusk through to when I got up there at 7.30 anyhow, so I dont suppose there is a difference

[tlck9]

okay I think the mouse has bitten the dust, or rather a chicken got hold of it, here is the picture link as I need to ID if the remaining tail is that of the offending mouse, or some other horrid thing that the chucks will have to be treated for

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_qjcpGCSa0-0/TM...8/chicken1.jpg

[Scarlet]

I'm not really sure - but I think it looks more like roundworm than a mouse. When was the last time you wormed?

[polo]

Gross. That does look like the remains of a mouse! Nice of them to leave the innards - the chickens we had when i was young would swallow them whole.

[tlck9]

Gross. That does look like the remains of a mouse! Nice of them to leave the innards - the chickens we had when i was young would swallow them whole.

about 8 weeks ago with fluenvet, probably time to do it again, just the tail bit does seem rather mousey, but not having seen the remains of a mouse before, I wasnt sure...well teaches it (if its a mouse) to poop in their food!

[polo]

It is difficult looking at a photo but it does look like what the cats leave me on the kitchen floor. Is the tail bit attached to the lumpy bit? That will help you determine worm or mousr......

[Scarlet]

It could be a mouse - it just looked a bit worm like. I would check other droppings to decide. Perhaps RH will be along tomorrow...

But I did take a photo of a chicken swallowing a mouse this summer - the others chased her until it was gone

[tlck9]

looks like it was the mouse

Well, no more droppings in the food, although I have removed all barr 2 cups from the run at night time, but no obviously signs. BHWT mentioned they thought it was the remains of a mouse, and since I've not seen any more and Im not over run by them, I fear the brave little mouse, is no more

I wouldnt take on something the size of my chucks!, brave or stupid you decide!!! LOL

[RichmondHens]

Hmmm - strange one - would lean towards it being part of a mouse rather than worm, especially if the "tail" is attached to the other bit, but TBH not sure.

[chris]

Looks like a mini face-hugger from alien.

I'd crack the eggs away from your face... y'know just be to be on the safe side

[Scarlet]

Looks like a mini face-hugger from alien.

I'd crack the eggs away from your face... y'know just be to be on the safe side

Yuk!! That has turned my stomach