I am having a problem with mice. Storage of feed is in plastic trash cans - no problem there. When I feed chickens on ground, mice enjoy the free meals. Can't place traps or poison for fear of chickens finding it. Chickens have free reign over land. Heard that moth balls will keep mice away, but don't know effect on chickens. Anything will help.

Try making a cage out of chicken wire or other wire that is big enough for mice to get into, but too small for the chickens to poke their heads in. Set your mousetrap inside this with some bait like peanut butter on it. You can also set traps under boards leaning against walls where the hens can't get in. If necessary, you could hinge these boards so they won't be knocked down accidentally. Hope this helps.

Is it just scratch your chickens feed 'on the ground', or is it regular feed? Unless your mice are exceptionally bold (or insomniacs), they are nocturnal, so could you not just lift the feeders to an inaccessible place at night and bring them down again in the morning? If it's just scratch, wouldn't it be enough to just make sure that you don't put down more scratch than your hens can consume in one day? No leftovers for the mice (or worse, rats!). Sounds like a good 'mouser'-cat could have a 'field'-day at your place (forgive the pun). Good luck.

The chickens get lay pellets. I feed them before I go to work at 5am. A good mouser-cat would end up being a nice snack for my dobermans. (forgive the pun).