[yacks]

My delightful cat has bought in several nice in the last few days ... I have not actually seen any signs in chicken run or housing however need to make sure ... I have used traps in past when they came in through the kitchen wall ...  I would like advice on what to use to make sure they in safely x

[yacks]

Predictive text not funny ... Mice not nice ... Go not in x

[Sassy]

I have used mousetraps in the past but only if I can place them where other animals are safe. 

[ANHBUC]

Would not use a bait box as pets/wildlife could eat the mouse that has been poisoned.  I have read that this has caused owl populations to plummet.  I would do as Sassy says or let your hens deal with them.

[splash101]

i use traps in the garage with a bit of chocolate spread on. I've used a variety of different baits on the traps but they managed to get the food off.

I use the plastic ones as well as the old wooden ones but we seem to have better results with the plastic ones (even though i laughed at my hubby when he bought them, thinking they would be inadequate.)

I have a couple of the sealed bait boxes in the garden but i dont know if they've been used. the chickens cant get into them, they just scratch them out the way.

I think with poison, the mouse eats it and retreats back to its nest and dies there.

[ANHBUC]

Sorry splash101 but that doesn't seem to be the case and it is not worth the risk of poisoning other animals that might eat the vermin.

Quote from co-operative.coop
How to help barn owls
1. Try to avoid using poisons and pesticides. These in effect wind up poisoning your local owl food supply.
Some owls eat mice, some eat rats, some eat insects...and dying animals will always be easier to catch than healthy prey.

More information on rodent control here.
www.barnowltrust.org.uk/content_images/pdf/Rodent_Control_21.pdf

[joyfull]

I wouldn't worry about the mice (just make sure your feed containers are vermin proof - I use old metal dustbins), chickens love to eat mice so they will dispatch any that go into their run. 

[Dopey113]

You can get electronic traps, they go in to it for the bate (peanut butter) cost about £20 but they will kill 20 or so before the battery needs replacing, and its a quick clean kill as well, no suffering and prolonged death by poison

[yacks]

Thank you for your advice ... My food is kept in dustbin with sealable lid ... Husband took decision and got traps as worried about cats ... Got two sorts of traps one plastic and the other is normal wood ones ... Now gotta find where my cat has been getting them from ... Was told to use peanut butter put in side a piece of stocking so mouse has to tug at bait ... Thank you again x

[grinling]

 I use peanut butter.

[8doubles]

An old chip fryer basket with a mouse sized hole cut in the edge keeps other animals out of the traps.

[yacks]

Thanks for chip basket idea was wondering how was gonna stop cat as she likes peanut butter ... X

[splash101]

Oops, looks like my plastic trap might have been too effective.....caught a slug in it!. Hubby can clear that one out.

[yacks]

Lol not nice slug slime lol ... We got nothing ... Wondering if she getting them from the fields where we live x

[8doubles]

Oops, looks like my plastic trap might have been too effective.....caught a slug in it!. Hubby can clear that one out.

Had that happen a few times when i used pond pellets as bait and once with chocolate.

Makes a mess but shows the trap is set nice and light !