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Rats

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chrissy

Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 238
Location: Pangbourne

Posted: Sun Jul 31, 05 2:10 pm Post subject: Rats
Rats are trying to burrow into the corner of the chicken house. O/H is a good shot and is prepared to take them out, but you never know how many more there are that you haven't got. I'm not very keen on the poison solution. What's your opinion on this? Thanks.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Jul 31, 05 3:33 pm Post subject:

I would avoid using poison near chickens for a couple of reasons, the hens may eat it or eat a dead rat that's eaten the poison. You also never know where the rat will die so it could end up rather smelly if you can't clear it away.

In the open I use a humane trap and then shoot the rat but the best thing I've found is a spring rat trap safely hidden in the bottom of an empty compost bin. It set it then place the bin over and sprinkle with corn with the hands well out of reach.

Also ensure you have gloves on when you touch a dead rat or a trap that's killed one.

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Sun Jul 31, 05 7:33 pm Post subject: rats

we have found the following solution to be the only one that works for us...........

the rats start to return just after the harvest so before they get too numerous my husband gets his tubes together...............

take a length of gray plastic downpipe maybe 2 feet long and cut a hole in the top half way down the length big enough to take a pile of bait and to see into....cut another piece of pipe to act as a collar and move it over the hole - you might have too work it a bit to make sure it slides...

then put the tupe in directly on one of the rat runs - they are easily found and put the bait through the hole into the pipe, then slide the collar back over the hole...............

the rats will run through the pipe into the dark and find the bait which they eat or take back to the nest. by moving the collar back and forth to check the bait you don't have to touch it and leave your smell on it.... animals and chickens don't touch it because it's to far down the length of the tube for them to reach.....we always put the tube the other side of the perimeter fence to be sure...............we also have tubes in the green house and in one of my sheds for mice...............we don't keep the bait down all the time but top it up two or three times in a winter so they don't get immune to it.

it really does work and it less worrisome than other methods

chrissy

Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 238
Location: Pangbourne

Posted: Sun Jul 31, 05 9:08 pm Post subject:
Very sound advice, thanks. There's also a lot of wildlife around which I would hate to put at risk. Will show this to O/H when he gets in, and keep you posted.

niko

Joined: 28 Jul 2005
Posts: 27
Location: ceredigion

Posted: Sun Jul 31, 05 10:21 pm Post subject:
hi there one thing i found good to put rats off(temporary measure)is peeing on there runs ,do it every day until long term solution is done .(works with rabbits to)

N.V.M.

Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Posts: 207
Location: British Columbia,Canada,eh!

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 05 12:33 am Post subject:
would you like rent my best buddy?

chrissy

Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 238
Location: Pangbourne

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 05 9:34 am Post subject:

N.V.M. wrote:

would you like rent my best buddy?

Awww - butter wouldn't melt! I have one of those, she's a good ratter, but she has also been known to kill chickens, so I daren't let her near. One of the reasons the chooks are enclosed within an electric fence.

We are going to try the spring trap route first so we'll see if that works.

chrissy

Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 238
Location: Pangbourne

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 05 9:36 pm Post subject:
He heh heh! We got her! I had it wrong. She had got into the chook house and dug down trying to start a nest underneath, burrowing from the inside out. No poison, just followed the wall around the outside and set a trap just ouside their house. And they are almost hermetically(sp?) sealed in now. How very satisfying!

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 05 6:01 am Post subject:
Well done. Don't forget the hens need good ventelation. Air holes covered in wire mesh on the outside should keep Miss Rat out.

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