Grain Drill Storage Ideas

[Brokenbear]

As I started this spring's drilling season with my Great Plains 3P606NT (first over winter for me and this machine) I had a mouse nest in one drop in the Large box that took a bit to clear out ...
The seed tubes, drop hoses and drop fingers had been cleaned out and the inside of the hopper vacuumed clear of seed and the seed gates were left a #2 setting ..all hoses were left attached ...

This drill replaced an old John Deere Van Brunt 12 footer that had a hundred ways for mice to get in but very successfully I used ..setting in the bottom of the hopper a large cottage cheese cup full of ammonia in the middle of one side and another cup of vinegar in the middle of the other side and then took loosely balled up aluminum foil about the size of or a tad smaller than a tennis ball and stuffed the seed chutes above the seed meters ..this worked very well ...

But this GP hopper is painted sheet metal and the old JD Van Brunt is galvanized sheet metal ..so I am unsure if the fumes from the ammonia and vinegar would soften the paint or not ..
So as I ponder mouse proofing this GP I wonder how others are doing this process??
What do you do?
1. All seed hoses remain attached or (A.) detach at the bottom of the seed cup or (B.) detach hoses only at the drop tube (C.) Detach and store all seed hoses
2. Seed gates (A.) fully open( B.) fully closed
3. Feed rate handle (A.) fully open (B.) fully closed
4. Sealing with a foil ball will not work for my busted up hands so I will likely build some individual seed "row blockers" ...maybe a wood block with a way to wedge it against the agitator bar???

Please be kind here folks as I have a piecemeal owners manual but no storage suggestions section ...I am thinking 1. B ....2. B ....3. B ... 4.....I will check into the factory row blockers but I am sure $$ will dictate I build some ..

Ideas please if you will ..

Bear

 

[Tree Spud]

Try putting a box of moth balls in the seed bins. Should repel the mice.

 

[Foggy47]

I dont have a mouse problem in my shed.....but I have read enough about mice liking to eat those plastic seed cups to take precaution. I use dryer sheets in each seed cup. First I fully open the cups to "drain mode" and vacuum well from both ends. I place a dryer sheet in each cup. I leave hoses attached (too much hassle to remove 'em) but if I had an outside storage issue I may detach them too.

The dryer sheets are easy to place / remove. Moth balls or moth crystals seem like a good choice too.

 

[buckdeer1]

We put moth balls in panty hose so that way you can hang them.I also have had good luck with Irish spring soap and these herbal packets called cab something.They are made to keep mice out of farm trucks

 

[Foggy47]

We put moth balls in panty hose so that way you can hang them.I also have had good luck with Irish spring soap and these herbal packets called cab something.They are made to keep mice out of farm trucks

There is a product called "Fresh Tractor Cab" that really repeals mice. People put them in the cab for winter storage.....so the mice will leave the wires alone. The past few years I have found a new product of this sort that is allot cheaper. I think it is called Grandpa's xxx (I cannot remember). These come with about 3 pouches in a box and are far cheaper than the Fresh Tractor Cab product. I bought mine at Menards, but I think Mills Fleet Farm also has this product.

I have also used them in a few box blinds where we have had a mouse problem. Also use dryer sheets with good success.

https://www.amazon.com/Grandpa-Guss-Mouse-Repellent-Pouches/dp/B07JMDYDVJ/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?adgrpid=1330409637472416&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zD1JG3RsKiSniT9CJRsl0qOa0UCqFDi3PsCcnJsCocB0ZLkAkNtQ4lQtA1tCrWJ47lRinjfHnRqwWEsyShywj2I_Eql6x6-JYEIoRQicAkHB0nE3ngBNx9NZHunkGV_rtUwHljzXr8AvHsZXXoIzTWVj1QlOn8ZHuO5SS_hHp4IZGUL2SzgPsLcQQD1r6dT7zuMl4jgxfabsA55deik5UWB3e0Ot43dQrXso_-MgRnyG2vZatNM5EC56-1BD-pHwEpVkSNNsoCWIiEimoH25A1YHmXxT3oLL2OfxBVm0R00.OX9I4Sd-DKgyukDlbCQWAzAJ7J2lE3InSw5OMkfstCk&dib_tag=se&hvadid=83150673653178&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=53822&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=p&hvtargid=kwd-83150957705077%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=22316_10610548&keywords=fresh+cab+rodent+repellent&msclkid=89c4900069b01e8b16f5f6bd5f82891a&qid=1723676227&sr=8-4-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

[swat1018]

I don't really have any mice issues in the drill. Duct tape is a good way to close off the seed box. I've also known people to pack holes with steel wool to keep mice from getting through. I guess shutting down the seed cups and the gates to as small as possible makes sense as a way to maybe slow them down, but they can get through about any opening.

I have found that leaving the hoods on the tractors opened has prevented mice from building nests in my engine compartments. Apparently they like the protection of the enclosed area, since leaving the hoods up, haven't had a nest on the motor.

 

[buckdeer1]

One of the things I checked on before I bought my tractor was what the wiring insulation is made of,John Deere said petroleum where alot of them are vegtable oil.I think the vegtable oil attracts rodents.