ELECTRIC FENCE FOR MICE

husqvarna257 · Apr 15, 2023

Last year we had a drought season and gardens and fruit trees got hit hard. I planted green beans and sow peas only to find them decimated in one night Good tomato's had holes in them. I have fence all around the garden and a solar electric fence. I kept it clear of weeds and it tested at 6000 V. Come to find out it was mice! I am looking for a way to keep them out and we have dogs and a cat so poison is not an option. I have looked at electric poultry netting but it has large spacing mice could climb in. I saw that chicken wire could be used so long as it was not grounded. I read about putting peanut butter on the fence for rodents. I would have tis fence inside of the outer fence so I could block out rabbit racoons or whatever.
Anyone try something like this?
pic of last years one night mouse'acre

Mad Professor · Apr 15, 2023

Bucket traps work good, but you've got to remember to dump them every couple days if the weather is warm.

Are you sure it's just mice? I have worse problem with voles.

Dried blood fertilizer keeps most animals off. Washes of with rains , and not great for things almost ready to eat (greens, beans, etc....)

husqvarna257 · Apr 16, 2023

Yea last year was a plague of mice, never saw any voles. Never tried dried blood , I tired concentrated peppermint oil. Garden smelled great but the mice ignores it and ate plants and tomato's.

husqvarna257 · Apr 16, 2023

believe it or not almost all the mice in the pic were chicken food

esshup · Apr 17, 2023

You can make your own "poison" that is safe for dogs and cats. Mix equal parts biscuit mix and baking soda. It kills them because they can't pass gas and they die.

Another buddy mixed Plaster of Paris with corn starch. The mice ate both, the plaster of paris set up in their intestine. They died. I did the baking soda thing and had 4 dead mice in the garage this winter. Just keep it dry. (out of the rain or sprinklers)

husqvarna257 · May 4, 2023

The biscuit mix and baking soda sounds good but keeping it dry would be hard. I put up plastic mesh fence and electric poultry netting. Rather then baiting them in with peanut butter and a 5 gallon trap I put out vitamin bottles with Irish spring in them. Time will tell.