snaps Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 I've tried trawling through this forum but can't find anything about rats which I thought might be a common problem. A couple of times lately when I've moved the eglu there have been rat holes underneath the pod about where the door is. We're into our third autumn now of having eglu chickens and although we've always had the odd rat in the garden and no doubt dozens more we haven't actually seen this is the first time we've seen evidence of them in the chickens' patch. We've put down some poison - not in the hens' area! - but is there anything else we could do? I assume they're after the food but are our hens in any danger from them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Me too,Snaps I went into my chicken shed yesterday to find holes in the bag of corn that I had not yet decanted into a feed bin,& big rat poos everywhere I have put some poison down,got rid of the corn on the floor & am hoping for the best! We also had an incident today where "something" was trying to dig into the pen (I have a large walk-in pen with an Eglu inside),but whatever it was got stopped by the chicken wire skirt. Good luck,& keep us posted Here are some ratty threads for you http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5988&highlight=rat http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4164&highlight=rat Use the search button above & left to seek out plenty more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Sheila is another good person to ask about rat problems, but she's got internet probs at the moment and can't geto on the forum. Send her a PM and she'll pick it up when she gets back on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaps Posted September 5, 2006 Author Share Posted September 5, 2006 Thanks for the links, Cinnamon. I think the paving stone underneath sounds like a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 We've had rats - its pretty unavoidable since we live on the marsh edge. Every now and again I put down poison, which I don't like doing, in the way of the rat-run. Obviously you have to be really careful to make sure the chickens can't get at it. However I accept the rats as part of the deal. Our fox terrier was a great deterant but sadly she died at the weekend (aged 11). I bring in the girls food in the evenings, and keep all the food in a metal bin in a wooden shed - the rats gnawed a hole in the shed to get in, but once I'd patched that up they didn't repeat the operation. But I don't kid myself that it will stop them - I'm sure they'll get back and I think that keeping the food in bins, not leaving food out overnight, and , unfortunately, the careful use of poison is all you can do to keep them temporarily at bay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 I have a massive rat living in my compost bin, I suspect he is the individual who nibbled my Eglu and made the hole in the nesting box bigger. I have tried a Rat Zapper (cost me £30 and is bog useless, he just helped himself to the bait). I put down some Eradirat and stopped putting tasty items such as veg and fruit in the bin and I have to say I haven't seen him for about a week. If he comes back, I have hardened my heart and have reluctantly decided to poison him. I don't think we can ever completely relax though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 I keep pet rats and they absolutely love chocolate (so do mice), so if you need to bait traps use some. Also maybe grate a little (finely just for the smell) and sprinkle with the poison to lure them if you are having trouble getting them to take the poison. Keeping any foodstuffs in metal bins as well will stop them. Fancy rats have strong enough teeth but wild rats are three times the size! Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 its as common as having chickens hun! my birds get clead out at least once a week! they also live in a large walk through run. a while ago I noticed the bird food running out very fast. it normally lasted a week (well in the bird food container they eat out of) but it started to last for 2 days at most so I had I look around and to my horror roland rat had mad a large nest under their hut! there was loadsa and loads of pellets and greens and veg etc but no rat so I brought something off ebay and cornered it off so the girls cant get too it.......... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rat-Bait-Tube-easy-view-poultry-chickens-hatching-eggs_W0QQitemZ7754040094QQihZ018QQcategoryZ46292QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem i have cornered off that area so the birds cant scratch near by and eat the poisen but it seems to be keeping them at bay!!! all the best emma xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Thanks for the link Emma. Have ordered one! I am determined to get the bu**er! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 persevere.. rats are naturally suspicious - they won't go into a rat-tube or a baiting station immediately (who could blame them!!) - it can take a while before they will venture somewhere new... so be patient! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 true some dont but these ones were obviously greedy lil bu~@ers and cleared the long as it we poisen grean (a blue colour!) Please remeber to put something like a net or wire from the top to the bottom of the run so that the bird cannot get to it!! as it only takes on gran to be eaten.. all the best Emma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 (edited) Emma wrote true some dont but these ones were obviously greedy lil bu~@ers and cleared the long as it we poisen grean (a blue colour!) I'm sorry Emma, maybe I'm a bit thick, but I don't understand this. I must be thick because I can't fathom out how to insert a quote into a post. Can someone instruct me??!! (It worked!! (See posts below from Revnev).) Edited September 6, 2006 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 basically you need a [*quote] at the start and an [*/quote] at the end. (remove the asterisks) if you want to be personal... (must have the "" around the name) at the beginning you can do this manually or you can highlight a section of text and click the quote format button - it will do it for you or (more likely) you can use the red quote button (next to the blue exclamation mark) in the top right of the post - and it will quote the entire post for you. you can trim it down as much as you like - but be careful not to accidentally delete the beginning or end tag... [*quote=person] or [*/quote] (remove the asterisks) now that sounds complicated - but it isn't really! Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 the best way is to experiment - and use the preview post button - that way you can fiddle with it until you are happy - before posting Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Ta muchly. Will give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 where I have put the rat tube I have put a net accross from top to bottom of the run so the birds cannot get it but the rats can get to it from otherside between the hut and the run side (the run is attached to the fenceon one side) hope that helps Emma xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaps Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 Many thanks for all ideas. We have put down poison, blocked up the rat holes, taken food in at night and checking every day for new holes etc. Do rats ever attack hens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I think they tend to be more interesteed in the food / eggs or chicks - but I guess they can sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
