Last week after seeing all the mice in the shop, Vince set out about a dozen sticky traps. I cautiously entered the shop the next morning, expecting to find mice in every trap but .. no mice. I was working in the yard so I opened a couple of the big roll up doors so I could easily get in and out to get the things I needed.
That evening, Vince went to check the traps and he came back to me and said “Did you move some of the traps?” No . . I wouldn’t touch those things with a 10 foot pole! He said “They’re all moved from where I left them and half of them are missing! You don’t think Cat did it?” I didn’t think so but you never know! I figured if he’d messed with them, they’d still be stuck to him and I’d seen him just minutes before . . mouse trap free.
Then we started finding traps here and there in the yard. Vince looked at me . . like either he didn’t believe I hadn’t moved the traps or like maybe I was losing my mind and had spent my day re-arranging his traps and didn’t remember doing it. I said “NO! I did not touch them and I’ve been out here most of the day and I don’t think they were in the yard when I was out there.
Traps
Then, I went to put the chickens up for the night and there was a trap inside the coop and a trap in the run. Not only are they fig thieves but they’re mouse trap thieves apparently too. My guess is . . they were trying to eat the peanut butter in the middle of the traps and got their grimy little feet stuck to the traps, just stuck enough that it took a few minutes to get them unstuck.
I wish I had seen that. Can you imagine watching 5 or 6 chickens running around with a sticky trap stuck to their feet?
I told Vince . . maybe they’re just trying to protect the mice! Vince said one word . . . GUMBO
claire says
please dont use glue traps. they are torture for the mice. they dont kill the mice, they just get stuck and freak out and tear their own feet off trying to get off the glue. use the traditional traps that break their necks, it’s kinder.
Sandy Gail says
Where we used to live there were lots of mice. We put out some sticky traps in a flower bed near the back door. No mice in traps, but a SNAKE was stuck to them!!!!
We haven’t seen a snake all summer here in the foothills of the Ozarks in Oklahoma. That is VERY rare. I think our two giant dogs must be taking care of the snakes. Usually, we have lots of huge black snakes and some copperheads.
Sure hope your mouse population thins out.
Sandy Gail says
P.S. That’s a great play on words in your title!!!! May all the mice go on vacation sans chickens.
Jen says
Have Vince google “5 gallon mouse trap” that’s what we use in the machine sheds.
Joyce says
I got my laugh for the morning visualizing chickens shaking sticky traps off their feet.
Diane in CA says
Chickens eat peanut butter?
Lee says
I like Vince’s idea….GUMBO! Just don’t use mice, eww ;p
Dianne S. says
The mice that came in the house after the pasture was mowed ATE part of our sticky traps!! I would have loved to see those chickens with sticky traps!!
Quilterbee says
I would think those sticky traps would do damage to your chickens feet. I hope they are okay.
Jennifer in Indy says
Love that mental picture of the chickens walking around with traps stuck to their feet. Hahaha!
Diana G says
Okay now that I have stopped laughing and composed myself .. that is such a funny image of the chickens doing a sticky dance !LOL
Betty Hornbuckle says
Years ago, my daughter had mice in her basement and she used the sticky traps. She went downstairs to do the laundry one day and discovered her panties running around the basement! A mouse had gotten into the sticky trap and got caught in her panties too.