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Hi, We have 2 very friendly, very good layers about 1 year old (Ginger and Pepper ) who even through the winter have kept on laying everyday - Our problem is that Mr Rat has discovered the run and burrows the eglu to get in and help himsle to food. We think obviously there is more than one as we've seen them in different sizes and even the presense of our Westie doesn't stop them. They just wait until she'e gone back in. We don't like the idea of rats running around the garden so can anyone give any help/ideas? :(

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Do you see them in the day or is it only at night? If it's only at night remove any food from the run overnight and replace it in the morning. They'll soon move away to to somewhere with a more convenient food source.

If you see them in the day then you may have to think about culling them.

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Hi there! We are just about to mount the next campaign against Mr Rat!! ... I have seriously considered having to rehome our two girls because of the rats, but they've made me so cross this morning, I'm determined not to give up! We've had some success with poison and bait boxes last year, although actually putting the bait down the holes and covering them with bricks has worked best.

 

We are now going to try a couple of traps ... but very carefully hidden, so as not to trap anything else. Reading through previous forum entries, I think I'll try flushing out the burrows with a hose pipe too! Failing that, hubby will have a go with an air rifle.

 

The local pest control man from the council said I should get rid of the chickens ... this annoys me, as there's a farm at the back of us with about 20 chooks, and another property with a huge compost heap right next to our fence. They seem to do nothing to control their side of the problem! Grrrhhh!!

 

Anyway, good luck with your attempts! I'll let you know how I get on too!

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Grrrr......I hate rats. I have an unwelcome visitor myself at the mo.

 

Here is my action plan. :lol:

 

I would recommend that you put slabs under the Eglu and run, to prevent them tunneling into the run. This works very well.

 

Bring in the food at night.

 

Make sure your compost bin isn't attracting them too. Put wire under it and make sure they can't get in through any gaps in uneven ground under it.

When putting food stuff in the composter, cover it with a spadeful of earth, to help prevent the smell attracting them.

 

Minimise hiding places such as piles of logs etc.

 

Clear out under and inside sheds. They hate being disturbed.

 

Keep areas along walls and fences clear, they like to run along these, and like to hide behind stuff accumulated. If there is nowhere to hide, they are lees likely to run along it.

 

If you feed wild birds, be very careful about tidying up spilled seed.

 

Traps.

 

You can set snappy vicious traps, but have to remember to place them away from the hens, and that other animals can accidently be caught.

 

You can set live catch traps....but have to decide what to do with the caught animal, which will be vicious. Don't take them and release them elsewhwere, they are vermin and that just passes your problem on to some-one else.

 

Bait boxes.

 

You can leave them around the garden, and keep them topped up.

 

There a e blood thinning poisons or maize blocks whick cause them to dehydrate, are species specific and wont harm the hens if any was spilled.

That is the option I go for. It generally works reasonably well.

 

Another tip I read recently was that rats don't like change, so keep moving stuff, and they don't like the smell of humans, so leave n old glove or similar around and it will help put them off.

 

A chap with a couple of Jack Russells is another option. I wish I could find one!

 

Good luck.

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Thanks, may have to borrow the father-in-laws air rifle. By tunnels, I mean they tunnel under the eglu to get into the run. I can'y actually tell where they are coming from as they just leg it under next doors fence when I go out there. I don't think next door would appreciate me asking them to keep there rats in there garden !

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Yes, Egluntine, I am very wary of using the traps (certainly wouldn't trap them live anyway, as wouldn't know what to do with them!). Feel so fed up this morning, but am determined to remain rational and deal with the problem!! Hubby is mounting military-style campaign, as we speak!

 

Incidentally, on the terrier issue ... looked on the practical poultry forum, and there is a link to a list of people who will bring their dogs to your property (usually free of charge!) to get rid of your vermin, and exercise their dogs in the process. Sounds great, but not very discreet if you have close neighbours!!

One in my area was particularly recommended, so if I get desperate I might give him a call ... not for the faint-hearted though!

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Incidentally, on the terrier issue ... looked on the practical poultry forum, and there is a link to a list of people who will bring their dogs to your property (usually free of charge!) to get rid of your vermin, and exercise their dogs in the process.

 

OoH...am off to have a look! Did you notice any in Sheffield? :lol:

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Sorry Egluntine, I'm not good at this computer stuff .... but I found the link on practical poultry forum, under Pests & Predators, then under the topic "Baiting Live Rat Traps" ... then it's reply no. 14 which has the link to the list of 'rat hunters' ! Oh, how long winded was that, eh??!

 

I looked at the one from Leicester ... but many of them seem to be willing to travel quite a distance to offer their services.

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We have rats too - around the compost heap but possibly/probably in the run too. we got the local pest man in (not the council!) and he has put down some bait. The dead bodies, if found, will not be toxic. He said it would take about 3 days.

 

I'm afraid I won't tolerate them at all and went straight in. The man said we had caught it early, so not too many casualties involved.

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Yes, I've only just started having problems again. I put bait boxes down last October and everything's been ok until a week ago, when I discovered 2 new tunnels under the shed (despite the bait box being right there!). However, my friend looked after my 'girls' while I was away for a few days, and I think he left their food out a couple of nights, which has obviously attracted the rats again (I always put the food away at night usually, and clean up any spilt bits).

 

I wonder if it's going to be another 'bumper' year for rats??

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Hi jman, yes you can get bai boxes etc from large garden centres, horsey/agricultural type stores, diy stores etc or you can look online.

 

I've been using the black plastic boxes, which lock with a key, so they are quite secure (unless they are tipped upside down etc.), but you can also get metal ones. I use Roban bait, but others have had more success with a product called Tomcat. You can also buy bait bags, which you put directly down the rat hole and then block it up with bricks etc, so your girls can't get to it.

 

There are also other products on the market, such as Eradibait, which are supposed to be safer,(for other animals & pets etc) but I don't know very much about them I'm afraid.

 

The other option, of course, is the air rifle ... favoured by many who don't want to put down poison. Also check out the forum on Practical Poultry website for more advice on Pests & Predators ... it's very useful.

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Im sure all of you know rats are able to compress their skull and other bones. Thins means they can crawl underneath the eglu (not the run) and up through the whole in the nesting box, through the straw (or whatever you use) and in the inside of the eglu. Rats also love chicken poo :shock: they will eat it - No this is not useful for you lazy people !! They can also squeeze through the gap in the run and into the food. They ate the end of my food (clip) and is a pain as i now have to bring the food in every night.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Timmy

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