A good quality barn makes a great home for your horses, cattle, and other livestock. Unfortunately, a barn is also an attractive place for rodents like mice, rats, and squirrels to hole up. While this may not seem like a major issue, these animals can spread disease to your livestock, chew through wiring and insulation, contaminate supplies like feed and bedding, and cause other types of damage.
So, what can you do to keep your barn and animals safe from these unwelcome pests?
Keep the barn clean and organized.
Rodents seek out barns for two reasons: food and shelter. A clean, sanitary, and tidy barn offers little of either for your little scurrying foes. Keeping your barn clean by sweeping daily, clearing out debris, and disposing of trash, will create a less-than-ideal environment for rodents. You should also minimize clutter and keep your equipment and supplies organized in order to eliminate spots that are attractive for hiding and nesting.
Seal off access.
If rodents can’t find a way into your barn, they won’t become a problem. The best way to cut off their access is by identifying and sealing any openings in your barn roof, doors, windows, foundation, vents, pipes, and other areas. Seal any opening that is bigger than ¼ inch using caulk, mortar, steel wool, wire mesh, aluminum flashing, or metal or concrete for foundational cracks.
Make efforts to control the rodent population.
Rodents that are already an issue in your barn before you take the measures above can best be deterred by reducing their population. There are a few options you can choose from or combine to help control nearby rodent populations, including:
- Traps
- Rodenticides (be careful to choose products that will not harm your barn animals)
- Attract barn owls
- Get a barn cat
A sturdy, durable barn should do most of the work for you when it comes to keeping rodents, pests, and predators away from your animals. At Deer Creek Structures, our shedrow barns and aisle barns are designed to be a safe and secure place your horses and other livestock can call home. With our superior craftsmanship and dedication to quality, you won’t have to worry about any critters sneaking in who shouldn’t be there.
Call us today at 254-546-2276 to learn more about our in-stock units and customizable structures!