[wadz81]

This morning when we went to let the girls out we noticed someone had been digging! It looks like it's inside the run but there's a small gap there. I'm worried in case a mouse has got in but he seems to think it's the girls having a dig, can they?

[Sassy]

If it is inside the run it could be where the girls have dug a dust bath. Mine have done this on hard baked clay and I have been amazed at how deep and steep the sides of the 'bath' are! Do be sure it is not something trying to get in tho' it sounds unlikely.

[Roughlee Handled]

if it is a mouse size hole (small) then its a mouse, if its a chicken size hole (BIG) then its a chicken.  Unless you have 1inch by 1/2inch weld mesh (or smaller) dug into the ground you will have mice in your run.  Do not worry.  If your chickens see it they they will attack. If they catch it they will kill it. If they kill it they will eat.  Extra protein, better tasting eggs.

[wadz81]

The girls have a big pink dust bath filled with sand which they love, and the hole was smaller than a golf ball so don't know if someone was digging in and pushing the mud forward or the girls had found a worm and just gone mad!

[Roughlee Handled]

......the hole was smaller than a golf ball .......

MOUSE

[wadz81]

Oh BLEEP! He never took the food out last night so that's the first thing to do next bung all holes, is there anything else we can do other than leaving the cat out ( she's getting on and wouldn't be too chuffed! )

[Roughlee Handled]

I personally would not bother in filling the holes in.  Unfortunate fact if you have poultry you will have rodents. One of the controls is to take the feed away at night.  You could also put poison down.
I did it the muntjac way
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=9078.msg106553#msg106553
(the wooden tunnels) I did it for mice and left these in the run and out side the run.
I used heavy wood so the chooks could not move it.

[wadz81]

Thanks for that hopefully if our girls get to him first he won't stand a chance! Will get sorted tonight were will I get the poison from? Will d.i.y shops sell it or pet shops?

[Roughlee Handled]

DIY prob I would not bother with the blocks, go for the corn covered stuff.  Mine did not eat the blocks. 
Here is one I made last year with a light sussex cross.

[wadz81]

Had a visit again last night was watching it run across the garden whilst the cat was layed upside down in front of the fire! If the mouse dies in the middle of the garden from poison and the cat or chickens find it first will it harm them?

[Foxy]

Had a visit again last night was watching it run across the garden whilst the cat was layed upside down in front of the fire! If the mouse dies in the middle of the garden from poison and the cat or chickens find it first will it harm them?

what poison are you using? although the new ones (anti-coagulants) work quickly, your puss would have to munch through a fair few in one sitting to get anywhere near a lethal dose.
edit: make sure the poison is well out of reach though! I found one of my siamese nibbling on a sachet of Tomcat a few months ago!

[wadz81]

Going to buy some tonight so will read the packets very carefully! What's the best one to look for?

[Foxy]

depends on your situation, I like eradibait as it is host-specific to just mice and rats so will not harm any other animals if eaten. It is effective only as long as there is no other food lying around.
The other choice would be a second generation anticoagulant difacoum(sp) I would use the waxy blocks which fix inside a bait box to prevent anything removing the poison.

Here's a good link to some advice:

http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/StoryTemplate_Process.cfm?specie=Cats&story_no=379

[wadz81]

Thanks muchly have printed link to take with me and wrote the names down wish me luck! Hopefully the cat will be out on patrol as soon as the sun comes back out

[Roughlee Handled]

........ I like eradibait as it is host-specific to just mice and rats ...........

I like it I like it http://www.eradibait.com

I have always been worried about me chucks and the other wildlife.

Thanks Foxy