Barns/Grounds

rid of any that venture in. But pest management can be challenging and frustrating, and usually takes a com­bination of tactics.

Cleanliness is Job #1

Diligent cleanliness is the first line of defense. That means reducing the amount of food and nesting material available to these freeloaders. If the barn is clean, they won’t be so apt to move into the building in droves and multiply.

All animals have three requirements for life: food, water and shelter. If you can remove any one of these three essentials, you will force unwanted intruders to leave or at least make it harder for them to stay. Even though there may be places inside the barn where they can hide and take cover, if you keep everything clean and picked up, there will be fewer places to hide.

If the area around the barn is clean, they won’t have much cover when trying to get to the barn—and will be easier prey for cats, hawks, owls and other predators. Keep weeds and tall grass mowed down around the outside of the building, so rodents won’t have places to hide as they come in. Eliminate piles of debris, and don’t leave unused equipment parked next to the barn. Grass and weeds that grow up around these would provide a lot of cover for rodents. Use concrete, sheet metal or other foolproof materials to exclude rodents from places where they might crawl into buildings.

Mice are the most ever-present pests, and they are generally easier to control than rats. Dr. Thomas Barnes, wildlife extension specialist at the University of Kentucky, says rats can be extremely difficult to control. “They are very smart and hard to catch. Dealing with rats without rodenticides (poisons) is difficult.

“The first line of defense in controlling mice or rats is to look at places they might find food or nesting sites,” he says. Reducing these attractants can be challenging, however, in a setting where you have grain, straw, and other essentials of rodent life. Do whatever possible to reduce the amount of spilled or wasted feed, and clean up potential nesting areas. “Good maintenance is important, with no piles of material for them to hide or nest in,” he says.

“If you have cats and dogs, don’t leave their food out. Pick it up and put it away. Self-feeders for horses are not a good idea; rodents will eat from those. Take a close look at the tack room and feed room, and plug any holes and cracks. You can use insulating foam that will fill an odd-shaped hole,” says Barnes. Steel wool poked into a hole can also create an effective block.

Rodent Traps

If you are trying to trap rodents, set traps in the most advantageous locations. “Look for the oily spots where they’re going in and out of a hole or rubbing against wood. Place sticky glue traps along their travel areas. Today many people use glue traps instead of snap traps. The glue traps are easier to work with, though you have to deal with the animal once it’s been caught. Check all traps frequently,” says Barnes.

“If you can identify travel lanes and patterns where rodents are coming and going, this will help in trap placement. You don’t have to buy expensive commercial traps. You can buy the sticky chemical (polybutene) to spread on cardboard and make your own sticky traps,” he says.