Mice and rats are nuisance animals that typically can be found anywhere that poultry are grown. These rodents can spread disease and cause structural damage to your facilities, resulting in economic losses. Rodents are known to carry up to 45 different diseases including leptospirosis, Salmonellosis, fowl pox and erysipelas.
Preventative measures, along with traps and rodenticides, can lessen the likelihood of rodents becoming a problem. If rodents are in and around your poultry operation, use a safe and aggressive rodenticide and trapping program to eliminate them.
While there are several different types of rodents that can cause problems on farms, the two most common are House mice (Mus musculus) and Norway or Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus).
To learn more about rodent control, download the full fact sheet "Rodent Control on Small Poultry Farms."