Feed the Birds: Not the Mice
Mice are going to grow only if the food is growing with their family, so keep this in mind when filling your bird feeders. If you have a series of feeders that spill bird food, and are constantly being attacked by squirrels, you are going to be feeding mice as well.
A great way to ensure you are only feeding the birds, is be sure you have good quality bird feeders. It is better to have one long metal feeder, like a Droll Yankee Feeder, which restricts squirrels from using the feeder.
A base food capture plate, and a squirrel dome top, will be a good way to stop the squirrels from attacking the top of your bird feeder, and keep the food from dropping to the ground.
When the bird food is in the feeder, and is eaten almost entirely by the birds, you should have a very thin mouse population, and they will go elsewhere.
Is that the point? Of course it is!
Another great idea is to ensure that you keep your excess bird food outside of your home and garage, not in plastic containers or plastic garbage containers, but old-fashioned metal tins with tight fitting lids.
All metal containers and bird food should be stored away from your home, and in the yard near your feeders. If you have a metal container, it will confound the mice, and squirrels, but, your food will be safe and sound. As well, if you keep bird food in areas where it is warm, you may allow some of your bird food to develop worms, and then you get moths.
Ewww…..
Just another reason to keep your bird food outside, in cooler areas of your yard, and away from your kitchen and home.
You do not have to stop feeding the birds, but, it is a good idea to use good feeders, and keep the food in the bird’s beaks, not in the nests of your local mice.
Let them find another bird feeder to eat from, and be sure to read more about Mice. Learning about how they think, and what works to stop them from entering your home is a great way to stop mice. That really is the best mouse trap around!
If you have the tricks of keeping them out, you are ahead of the game!