How to Keep Pests Out of Your Metal Barn

One of the biggest issues many barn owners face is keeping their barns pest and rodent-free. Mice, rats, squirrels, birds, and insects can all cause damage, introduce disease, and simply be a nuisance. Keep your metal barn free of pests and keep your livestock and equipment safe with our tips and advice. Keeping Your Barn Pest-Free The first step to dealing with pests in your barn is knowing what kind of pest you’re dealing with. Strategies for dealing with mice or rats will be very different from dealing with insects, for example. It’s important for you to know what you’re up against to choose the best way to protect your property.

Rodent Problems

Barns with livestock need feed, and where there’s feed there will be rodents. Mice, rats, chipmunks, squirrels, and even larger animals like raccoons and possums can find your feed stores or even take feed right out of troughs or buckets. Rodents can be problematic in barns for many reasons, including spreading diseases and building nests. Dealing with rodent problems in your barn or stable can be tricky. Here are a few of the best ways to keep rodents away from your equipment and animals: Find and Remove Bedding – Mice, rats, and other small rodents often create nests or beds in the barns where they live. Look for rodent droppings or out-of-place materials such as lint, sawdust, or paper to find beds, and then clear away any found nests and disinfect the area. Use Traps or Bait – Mouse or rat traps can be effective for controlling small rodent infestations, but large rodents may be able to avoid or break out of small traps.

Poisonous bait can be a good alternative, but you must be very careful when using it around livestock. You can also use live traps if you wish not to harm the animals you catch. Adopt a Barn Cat – Though they come with more responsibility than traps, barn cats can be a great way of deterring rodents and animals from invading your barn. You should always spay or neuter your barn cat to avoid any unwanted breeding, and be sure to care for them like any other pet with regular veterinary checkups and vaccinations. Seal Up Your Barn – Rodents have a special talent for finding gaps and small entrances. If you want to keep them out of your barn you’ll need to find and seal openings that could allow animals to access the interior of your barn without your knowledge. Metal barns are particularly good at preventing rodents, since the seals between panels are much tighter than in wooden structures.

Insect Issues

Along with rodents, insects can also cause numerous issues in barns. Flies are a common nuisance in most barns, but you can also have problems with ants, termites, mosquitoes and more. Controlling insects in your barn can be very difficult, but there are a few ways to handle them in your barn or stable: Eliminate Breeding Zones – Barns often provide lots of insect-friendly environments like standing water, manure piles, and exposed or decaying feed, sawdust or straw. If you can reduce or eliminate these breeding areas in your barn, you can prevent insects from spawning in them and inhabiting your barn. You should also take care to keep stalls and paddocks as clean as possible to further prevent breeding.

Use Traps and Bait – Much like with rodent populations, insects are often vulnerable to traps and bait. However, you will need to use traps appropriate to the kind of insect you are fighting. Fly tape and fly bags, for instance, won’t work against mosquitoes. Try Repellents – Chemical-based repellents can help discourage insects from entering and living in your barn. Many repellents come in a variety of forms including pellets, balls and sprays. Again, however, they can be toxic to other animals and children so ensure care when using them. Bring in Natural Insect Predators – It is possible to breed or encourage “beneficial” insects that will eat and destroy insect populations without harming people or animals. Fly predators, spiders, and other large insects can capture and eat flying insects and help reduce populations in your barn. If you are open to it, you can also place birdhouses around the outside of your barn or raise chickens inside to catch more bugs.

Set Up Fans – Another way to discourage flying insects in your barn is to install ceiling or box fans in various locations to help circulate air. Flying insects dislike turbulent and circulating air and will tend to avoid areas where it is present. Why Metal Barns are Best for Pest Prevention If you want to offer the best protection for your animals, equipment, and other investments, you need a metal barn. Metal barns are much less vulnerable to rodents and other pests since it is harder for them to get inside, and they aren’t vulnerable to damage from insects like termites either. They are easier to disinfect and keep damage-free, and they are much more durable overall than barns made of wood. At Bargain Barns USA, you can get the best deals on metal barns and buildings for all of your needs. Call 405-872-0338 today to learn more about our metal barns and buildings, or visit us on Facebook to see pictures, reviews, and all the latest news from our team.