sharon539 Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I have a bit of a rat problem As well as eating my cabbages and sprouting brocolli in my beg patch they have tunnelled under the eglu and appear in the run I am going to put the chickens on slabs to try and stop them getting in I m also going to put my compost bin on slabs as they are under there as well Does anyone have any suggestions and does anyone know if this or something like it would be worth getting http://www.rattraps.org.uk/Rat-Traps/Outdoor-Ultrasonic-Rat-Repeller Regards Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Have a look **here** I have an infestation at the mo. Bloomin' things. They are clever enough to remove the food from traps so vicious that I can set them off by just glancing at them. I have half a dozen bait stations around the hen run. I am flooding every hole I can find and then filling it with expanding foam, have just this afternoon set up my treadle operated vermin proof feeder and have had a chap around to clear all the debris away. I might have to send for Bert and his terriers if I can't get rid. Grrrrr. I like the look of the products in your link. The trouble with the live catch traps is that you are obliged by law to kill the rat and not everyone would have the stomach for that task. I think I would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharon539 Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 I saw your link to that and am going to have a word with hubby later On the website i put the link for there was an electronic outdoor ultrasonic rat repeller that was what I was wondering about getting The shop said it would not bother the chickens Just not sure if they are any good so was hoping someone would have tried them I have got the man from the council pest control coming round on thursday only trouble is they come in the most brightly painted obvious van you could imagine with pest control in orange letters down the side Might have to ask him to park down the road My neighbours will think I am a scummer as I hve had them round 4 times this year for fleas, wasp nests and now rats Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 hi the electronic outdoor ultrasonic rat repeller, are on ebay and lot cheaper, i was looking other night but hubby was worried about the chickens with it. would be interested what others think or if have them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharon539 Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 I think i will do another post titled ultrasonic rat repeller and see if i can find out if anyone has used them Got to say it sounds a bit to good to be true and so much better than bait etc The shop said they would not bother the chooks but not too sure Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah-w Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I have this problem too at the mo My girls are on woodchip so its real easy for roland and mates to dig in, but I'd not seen any evidence of rats until this morning. Something has dug a rat sized tunnel through the fence and surrounding earth up onto the chicken patch, then tunnelled under the run. I have 2 cats and a dog (and kids) so not keen on leaving poison down, so I've been up the garden centre and bought a good ol fashioned rat trap, sorry to all those who would rather use humane traps but after working nearly 20 years in vet practice and seeing lepto (weils) first hand I'd rather the little blighters were dispatched quickly (with the aid of a shovel too if needs be!) The trap is under a box which I've put over the tunnel and weighted down so nothing else can get at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I think you are the first to mention the sonic rat repeller Sharon. Many of us have Foxwatches, which act on the same principle, but I haven't seen the rat version mentioned before on this forum. I agree about the "humane" rat traps sarah-w. For one thing it is illegal to release a caught rat elsewhere and for another you have to clonk the caught animal on the head or shoot it. Neither are attractive prospects for the back yard chicken keeper. The snap type traps are better. I bought an all singing all dancing Nooski trap a while back. It isn't exactly earning its keep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah-w Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I've just had a look at the nooski on ebay, it looks a bit complicated, have you caught anything with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Not yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokbokbok Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 I have two Nooskis. There have been two firings and we finally (you don't need to know the details of the. .. . maggots . . ) found the two bodies but one thing that I hadn't thought through is that in the cold the elastic bands take forEVER to tighten round their necks - so none of this *expelling 2 feet from the trap* for us. One got almost as far as the next door's garden and the other managed to make its way to the back of the shed - had it got under it we would never have found it. I think they must have shouted out to all their friends not to go into the tunnel as the elastic tightened.. . . The traps DO work - they were very dead - but I haven't had any more firings since those two. As Egluntine says "not earning their keep" I now have bait down in a proper Rentokill bait box - but of course you don't know if they have been there - I like to see the bodies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
