3 Ways to Keep Rodents Out of Your Pole Barn

The pole barns have several benefits for a farm. They’re perfect places to store your equipment, feed, vehicles, and livestock. They can also be very attractive to rodents.

Mice and other rodents can be a nuisance in the home, but they could be devastating to a farming operation. They can chew through wires, build nests inside equipment or livestock barns, and even gnaw through the structure of your pole buildings. Their droppings can contaminate animal feed and hay, putting both humans and livestock at risk for disease. By knowing the signs of a rodent infestation and taking appropriate precautions, you can protect your livestock and valuable machinery.

Look for Signs of Infestation

Regularly inspect all machinery and feed and search every nook and cranny of your pole buildings. While doing this during the day is useful, you may see more activity by taking a powerful flashlight and conducting your inspection at night, when rodents like to forage for food.

If you notice damage to support beams, cords, wiring, or insulation, you may have a rodent problem. Droppings on floors and in feed bags that seem to have been chewed through is an obvious sign. Check walkways, window sills, and door thresholds for little footprints in the dirt. Mice and rats tend to travel along the same routes over and over again, so you may be able to spot their trails through the dust. If you see mice or rats out during the day, assume you have an established population.

Address Any Active Infestation

It’s important to act right away to protect your livestock, equipment, pole building, and your health. Set traps in places the rodents frequent. Look for their droppings or “beds,” piles of food, lint, or other material, and check the traps each day. You can also use repellents like fabric softener or even a cat or two, as long as this wouldn’t endanger your other livestock. If the infestation is bad enough, you may need to move out everything that’s stored in the building and replace any insulation. Keeping the building clean not only deters rodents but also helps keep germs at bay.

Keep Rodents Out

When your pole building is free from rodents, take steps to keep them out. First, seal any openings in the walls, foundation, and roof with concrete, sheet metal, or hardware cloth. Copper and steel wool are good temporary solutions. Cover vents with wire mesh or vent guards, and also cover drains. If a drain isn’t used, seal it off completely. Once you’re done inside the building, seal any vulnerabilities you see on the outside, and trim back tree limbs and other vegetation.

Make sure any rodents that make their way into the building do not have access to food and water, and keep the space neat and clean to keep it inhospitable to mice looking for a comfortable place to make a home. Since rodents can chew right through plastic, keep all feed in rat-proof containers like metal cans. Tightly seal garbage cans when not in use, and, as water can also attract rodents, make sure to fix any leaky pipes, faucets, or hoses. It can also be a good idea to install a base trim (sometimes called a rat guard) to seal off the bottom edge of the walls.

Following the steps above will help keep your building free from rodents and the problems they create for your operation. Subscribe to our blog today for more advice on protecting your pole barns and the valuables within them.