Mice & thatch

[88v8]

A Bibilical plague of mice, well, one of the minor prophets perhaps - nine in six days.
As I was lobbing the latest carcase into the field, I had an idea: Alas, had it been a sheep's head, no problem; a turtle, certainly, but Mrs Beeton had no answer.
It seems an awful waste... what can I do with them... kebabs?
Any thoughts welcome.

No one say moussaka...

Ivor

 

[Flyfisher]

Hens?

 

[LadyArowana]

Google seems to offer a solution where Mrs Beeton has failed http://www.free-gourmet-recipes.com/rats-recipes.html

 

[tobydog]

If Ivor's mice are anything like the one we have in our garden (thankfully), there would be nothing left after they were skinned and gutted. They're tiny.

Apparently cats eat the heads and top half of mice but always leave the bottom half (guts not nice) so don't be tempted to deep fry whole like whitebait.

Edible Dormice kept the Romans happy but then they were worth the effort. Bit too cute though!

 

[angrybird]

If Ivor's mice are anything like the one we have in our garden (thankfully), there would be nothing left after they were skinned and gutted. They're tiny.

Apparently cats eat the heads and top half of mice but always leave the bottom half (guts not nice) so don't be tempted to deep fry whole like whitebait.

Edible Dormice kept the Romans happy but then they were worth the effort. Bit too cute though!

my cat eats everything but the stomach! and if i'm not quick enough my fat staffie will gobble it up as if its fillet steak
I don't think i'm going to pop round to lady A's for dinner anytime soon,i'm not to sure I like the recipe books she follows :lol:

 

[angrybird]

Google seems to offer a solution where Mrs Beeton has failed http://www.free-gourmet-recipes.com/rats-recipes.html

http://rense.com/general27/ram.htm
rense or retch.com ?

 

[Feltwell]

It seems an awful waste... what can I do with them... kebabs?
Any thoughts welcome.

No one say moussaka...

Ivor

Bubble & Squeak?

Mus-tard relish?

ratón-touille?

 

[angrybird]

A Bibilical plague of mice, well, one of the minor prophets perhaps - nine in six days.
As I was lobbing the latest carcase into the field, I had an idea: Alas, had it been a sheep's head, no problem; a turtle, certainly, but Mrs Beeton had no answer.
It seems an awful waste... what can I do with them... kebabs?
Any thoughts welcome.

No one say moussaka...

Ivor

when my Grandad was a young boy he used to get a sixpence for a mole pelt. Ever thought of giving Mrs 88v8 a pair of mouse skin gloves for Christmas ? :lol:

 

[LadyArowana]

I don't think i'm going to pop round to lady A's for dinner anytime soon,i'm not to sure I like the recipe books she follows :lol:

:lol: but really you should have no worries on that score, I don't eat mammals and rarely cook them for guests either, usually something chicken or fish based.

 

[88v8]

when my Grandad was a young boy he used to get a sixpence for a mole pelt. Ever thought of giving Mrs 88v8 a pair of mouse skin gloves for Christmas ? :lol:

So, thankyou, now all I have to do is gather enough ingredients together. I think there's space in the freezer.
Another of our traps went off last night, but the varmint escaped. For now...

Funny you should mention gloves... many years ago before we had central heating I secretly made SWMBO a pair of fur-lined trousers for Xmas. My first and last effort at clothes making, all hand sewn (I think that's the correct phrase for when you keep sticking the needle in your finger :? ) until on Christmas eve I just had the zip fly to do... just.. I think I sat up until 0500h finishing it.... and then she hardly wore them as although they were the correct size 8, I hadn't allowed for all the other layers of clothes she had to wear to keep warm

Ivor

PS Yesterday, the wife walked into the sitting room where I was making an elm light patress, as one does, with a bucket containing a dozen or so very large snails she had just unearthed. While we talked, they staged an escape attempt. I feel another recipe coming on....

 

[robgil]

How are you killing them? I take it you are not throwing poison filled mice into a field?

The best thing to do is to take away their access and food supply , they will soon move on. Do you have chicken wire over the thatch?

 

[88v8]

Snap trap(s)+ cob nuts.
Wire, yes, and I'm proceeding around the eves putting in smaller mesh. Given how small a hole they can wriggle through, I am not hopeful of keeping them out. The garden is full of food, which they diligently transport into the attic, and sometimes into voids in the thatch above the bedroom, where we hear them gossiping at night.
The newer attic, thatched, their favourite hang-out, is above the bath & shower rooms and contains much wiring, installed by one of these qualified persons we are supposed to use because we're not competent; the wire is festooned about the attic floor, not clipped, and certainly not in the metal conduit and j-boxes I would consider essential in a thatched space. I know the installation is relatively recent, as some of it is in foreign wiring colours.
So far, the mice feel sufficiently well fed that they are not tempted to chew the wiring, hopefully it seems as bizarre to them as eating mice might seem to some of us. Eventually I shall get around to re-running the cable, in metal conduit, and no it won't be done by some 'professional' with bits of paper to show how competent he is, it will be done by me. Huh.

The snails on the other hand, are quite blameless in the matter of thatch and attics, yet their potential star turn in the gastronomic world causes us no qualms. Perhaps they lack a PR agent to advise them on the desirability of growing a nice fur coat and generally looking 'sweet'.

Ivor

 

[Zebra]

:lol: :lol:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

PS Yesterday, the wife walked into the sitting room where I was making an elm light patress, as one does, with a bucket containing a dozen or so very large snails she had just unearthed. While we talked, they staged an escape attempt. I feel another recipe coming on....

I sympathise. Mrs FW can talk for a long time too.... 8)