Bad Way to Start The Day!

[so lucky]

I've been having mouse problems in the chicken yard, so I have been setting traps every evening after the chickens are locked in their coop. In the AM, I trip the traps that haven't been tripped before I let the chickens out, about 7 AM. This morning, I found a dead mouse, and a trapped cardinal! The poor thing had gotten caught just behind its beak, and the wire had cut into his tender little face. He was still alive, and started squawking when I picked the trap up. I tried releasing the trap, thinking he would be OK, but it was soon apparent that he would not be ok, and the trap would not come right off. So I had to put the poor thing out of his misery with a big rock, then work the trap off his face. I feel sick about it. It is bad enough having to trap the cute little marauding mice. But I'm pretty sure this is the daddy to the new batch of cardinals in my big viburnum next to the driveway. And now have to figure out a way to protect the birds from the mouse traps, as well as the chickens. Maybe a little wire cage over each trap?

 

[canesisters]

Oh no.. so very sorry that you had to start out like that. That just bites.
Could you slip the traps into a piece of pipe - long enough that birds won't be temped to venture in and big enough that the wire will still flip?? That's the problem with traps. When I was doing battle with rats in my barn, I caught the horse several times before giving up on traps and pouring decon down the holes. So far, I haven't had to bother with those darn traps again.

Maybe you could set up some feeder near the cardinal nest to make it easier for the mom to gather food? What do they eat anyway?? Seeds or bugs?

 

[NwMtGardener]

That's too bad, i'm sure you felt terrible...mice usually run along a wall, maybe a piece of board at a 45 degree angle from the wall to the ground would cover the trap so other birds wouldnt see it? Or tear some chunks out of a cardboard box and put it upside down over the trap? I bet it was just a fluke thing...

 

[Ridgerunner]

That is rough. Ive used snap traps but generally try other things first. You can see my mouse trap above. Put a couple of inches of water in it so the mouse cant reach the bottom to jump out and it dies pretty quickly. I sprinkle chicken feed on the triggers. Im tempted to switch to peanut butter to see how that works.

This is set up where the chickens cannot get to it. If a songbird eats the bait, it can fly out.

For larger stuff, I use live traps. That way I can decide if I want to release it or permanently eliminate it. Ive caught doves and neighbors cats before.

 

[baymule]

Aww, I am so sorry. I know how bad you feel about that. A cat killed a parent mockingbird once that had a nest in my crepe myrtle tree. The other parent was going nuts trying to feed the babies. I bought meal worms and put them in a pan they couldn't crawl out of on the sidewalk. It didn't take long for the parent bird to catch on and start feeding the babies with the much easier to catch mealworms!

 

[vfem]

I'm so sorry, I'd be devastated! I feed so many wild birds I'd be afraid of what I would accidently track. My issue is only moles/voles right now. I got nothing to catch them, but I'll be staying away from snap traps now.



You didn't know, its going to be ok.

 

[journey11]

Oh, that is sad, So Lucky. Sorry you had to wake to find that. Who would have thought the birds would bother it? Maybe try setting them with chocolate. Mice love chocolate.

 

[lesa]

Oh, that stinks! I am surprised birds would even look at a trap like that... strange. I once found a dead cardinal in my backyard. Just laying there, not eaten or anything. Mother nature is a cruel mistress. I like my Adirondack mouse trap, using water and peanut butter. If you want the directions, I would be happy to share.