Just been into the garage to pour a beer when I notice a mouse making its escape under the garage door.
Checked my new 25Kg sack of grain that I stupidly hadn't transferred into a better container yet and there's a small hole in the bottom with a couple of slugs hanging around, nothing actually in the sack (that I've found yet).
As far as I know slugs don't have teeth so I'm guessing the mice have been at the grain...not sure how long it's been going on but long enough for the slugs to get to the party.
So having no previous experience of this kind of situation my question is...is my grain still safe to use?
Was planning on a brew later this week, have the starter ready to go and everything...
Mice!
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UKTony
Re: Mice!
Safe - should be, boiling will get rid of any infection and too be honest mice are not that bad IMHO.
This time of year the rodents will be moving inwards and any sources of food will attract them. We live next to a field and had some 'visitors' to the kitchen a few weeks ago - hurts but bait was the only answer as in the past they have damaged water pipes, they had been attracted by the Chili (they love the seeds) plants we had moved out of the green house. The sound generating rodent repealants do seem to work, we have one in the garage and it keeps all but the deaf ones out during winter.
One mice have found a source of food they will return to the location/smell so moving the grain is first priority then making sure you do all transfers out in the open away from the storage location. Bait will attract them so avoid if possible and from a humane perspective ditching spent grain, in controlled amounts, well away from the dwelling might keep them away but more food = more mice looking for food.
This time of year the rodents will be moving inwards and any sources of food will attract them. We live next to a field and had some 'visitors' to the kitchen a few weeks ago - hurts but bait was the only answer as in the past they have damaged water pipes, they had been attracted by the Chili (they love the seeds) plants we had moved out of the green house. The sound generating rodent repealants do seem to work, we have one in the garage and it keeps all but the deaf ones out during winter.
One mice have found a source of food they will return to the location/smell so moving the grain is first priority then making sure you do all transfers out in the open away from the storage location. Bait will attract them so avoid if possible and from a humane perspective ditching spent grain, in controlled amounts, well away from the dwelling might keep them away but more food = more mice looking for food.
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Dr. Dextrin
Re: Mice!
It's the time of year, but also it's never a good idea to store grain anywhere that mice can access unless it's in a strong container. Those black plastic dustbins work well, although with recycling bins everywhere these days they're not as easy to find as they were. Plenty on eBay, though.