susanbb Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 i also have them living nearby. I live by a railway line. I have 2 bait boxes down and also put bags of bait around my shed. You just have to be extra vigilent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farrowy Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 When we moved our eglu a couple of months ago we found rats had been chewing away at the hole at the bottom of the nesting box. You could also see the tunnels they had dug to get into the run. We picked up a square piece of metal mesh (v. small holes) from the garden centre which is just large enough for the eglu to sit on, and then we pop a brick under the eglu where the nesting box hole is. This has worked as the last few times we've moved our set up around the garden there's no sign that the rats. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris70 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I sympathise with all of you with rats. I've spent all weekend sorting out the end of my garden where the chickens are - 32ft square, and have moved god knows how much earth about the area. Well - I was sat in my lounge today - watching the girls - and this huge rat ran out from the middle of the garden, across it, then back and forth a few times before bolting past the girls up the middle of the garden. The reaction from the chickens was interesting though as I don't think they had ever seen a rat before as they all ran over to see it. I think doing the digging we have disturbed his house - lets hope Boris (the dog) or Bert (the cat) will see to him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I'm still waiting for our cats to get to grips with the rat that lives under the summerhouse before he moves his family in They would rather catch mummy blackbirds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Get the hosepipe going under the summerhouse if you can Chickencam. IF you soak his nest a couple of times, he'll likely pack his bags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
