[daisy1990]

I have discovered hundreds of mice droppings in the shed where I store my chicken food, rabbit food and bedding.  All the food is in metal bins with lids so hopefully not encouraging them in.  Anything I can do to mouse proof my shed? It was meant to be my garden sanctuary (complete with table, chair and radio) but I am now loath to go in!

[joyfull]

the chickens will eat the mice if they can get to them - they love mice 

[8doubles]

Mouse proofing a shed means cladding the whole thing in armour as they are good climbers and will chew their way through other materials.
Trap them before they start to chew your belongings to pieces.

[daisy1990]

sent my husband down to set the traps (two) not the humane type so now I dont want to go down at all as I will see dead mice- YUK!  I know it has to be done, but I dont know how else to discourage them.  The shed is next to the enclosure where the hens are (so they wont catch them I'm afraid).  The meadow where I keep the hens (at the bottom of my garden) is next to open country so I knew it was a matter of time, but this is the first sign of mice I have seen (other than a live one in with the rabbits in their hutch one day which frightened me to death!)  I am not scared of them as such just hate that unexpected shock when they leap around!

[joyfull]

to entice the mice to your traps use peanut butter or chocolate spread - they love peanut butter almost as much as I do 

[Aunt Sally]

I bought a jar of peanut butter to bait my traps on the allotment.

It never made it there 

[joyfull]

Only the final scrapings from the jar make it to my traps as well 

[8doubles]

I have found that if you use soft baits like peanut butter or choc spread on the traps with small bait plates the mice can eat it off without springing the trap.If you buy a plastic wrapped mini-bar of chocolate you can melt it in the wrapper snip the corner off and squeeze it onto the bait plate like toothpaste.The set chocolate is more difficult to remove without setting the trap off.
Soft baits are ok on traps with large bait plates (little nipper) as the mouse has to climb on the plate to reach it.
Hope this helps.

[joyfull]

mine are the large plastic versions of the little nipper traps and they work a treat 

[daisy1990]

thanks all of you.  The traps we have come ready baited (bought in WILCO) that said we haven't caught a single mouse and from the amount of droppings in a 24 hour period there are lots in there!

[Pertelotte]

Have you considered a cat?

I use a Griselda - a large, greedy tortoiseshell with anger management issues.

It's amazing how quickly the mouse droppings will drop off once one of those is installed on the premises.

Of course this is not taking into account that anything not taken by puss will be swept up by the chooks.

If this doesn't work/not feasible, try shifting the "furniture" about a bit. If disturbed the mice might move of their own accord. Or will be more easily caught by your girls.

Good luck.

[daisy1990]

AS we have four rabbits two pigs, three hens, six quail and four dogs I'm not thinking of adding a cat!  Good idea about moving furniture around will try that!  Still no luck with the WILCO traps, but more droppings! Will buy different traps at the weekend and try the peanut butter/ chocolate bait, at least the darlings will die happy!

[alancane]

I bought a jar of peanut butter to bait my traps on the allotment.

It never made it there 

I love peanut butter too! Delicious!

[John]

Have you considered a cat?

I use a Griselda - a large, greedy tortoiseshell with anger management issues.

Our blessed moggies keep catching mice in the bracken which they then bring into the house to play with... then the mouse escapes under the settee and after a few minutes waiting they just go off and get another one.

AS we have four rabbits two pigs, three hens, six quail and four dogs I'm not thinking of adding a cat!  Good idea about moving furniture around will try that!  Still no luck with the WILCO traps, but more droppings! Will buy different traps at the weekend and try the peanut butter/ chocolate bait, at least the darlings will die happy!

Are any of the dogs terriers? I know they make good ratters so would have thought they could catch a mouse. Incidentally, have you spilled any food as that could attract them?

I did read that tom cat spray will make rodents abandon the area - mind you, it has that effect on humans as well so maybe not much use.

[mumofstig]

it has that effect on humans as well so maybe not much use.

   Sooo true though!