Everyone loves to see birds in their yard and many people enjoy raising chickens and collecting fresh eggs. These joys come with a great risk:

Feeding of birds and chickens will most definitely bring ground feeders (squirrels, mice, rats, chipmunks)

Although you may say it is ok to feed all these other wildlife species, your feelings will change once they invade your home.

Rats and mice are in seek of food, shelter and water and have the inert ability to adapt to and live with man. These rodents will find entry points into you home and establish nesting sites, while feeding outdoors. Soon they will find your bird feed storage areas and become further established in the house.

Nesting in your walls and attics, defecating in insulation, spreading disease and pose danger of electrical fires by chewing wires.

If these joys in your life cannot be avoided, precautions must be made to reduce rodent populations:

• Store all feed in well-sealed metal containers.
• Only feed amounts that can be consumed in one feeding.
• Use smaller Niger seeds that rodents have difficulty eating.
• Frequently clean up shells and falling seeds.
• Seal up entry points into the home.
• Keep the yard free and clear of rodent harborage areas.
• Eliminate wood/debris piles and keep a well-manicured lawn.

It is our recommendation that homeowners do not feed birds, but we know people enjoy it.

We offer rodent control treatments to help keep the population down. Some extra measures need to take place when dealing with these situations and we will most likely ask that feeding activity cease while control process is in effect.