Mice in the Manure

Our "sick" day old chick didn't make it. We are now on our way to Baxter Barn to buy new chicks. For every sick chick you have to get exponentially more. I'd be shocked if we left Baxter with any less than 50. 

This morning, Meri was dumping a wheelbarrow full of horse manure to the compost pile. She lifted the tarp (poop is only compost while it stays dry and warm. Otherwise it is just a poop pile) and saw a mouse run into a hole in the compost. We have mice living in our compost pile. Meri's response? Stomp the manure pile to destroy the mouse house. She proceeds to come inside and complain about allergies. 

Update: my good friend has informed me we have "field/deer mice". The CDC says 14:100 field mice have some horrible disease transmissible to humans. When a human gets it, there is a 1:3 chance of death.  

We may need to hire someone. 

Time to get paranoid.