My eco solution to rat problems

[pepe]

I love your stories about all of your chickens, I have a rablu, but would dearly love some chickens next spring ,and oh is ok about it. But my only concern is getting rats in the garden, Iam very scared of them, maybe chickens are'nt for me as rats are bound to come, you can tell me I'm being silly, I don't mind how many of you have had a problem? please let me know.

[chelsea]

we are quite rural (fields nearby) and we were worried about rats. but have not seen any yet.

 

A lot of people take the food in at night so not to entice the scrounging rats, and put it back in the run in the morning.

 

I keep the feed securely in a large black bin with locked lid.

the eglu and run is kept pretty clean too.

 

Obviously sometimes people will get rats, but dont let this potential problem put you off keeping chickens...they are so much fun!

[The Dogmother]

I have a Rablu and an Eglu and have never had rats yet (fingers crossed). They are easily dealt with if they do appear.

[pepe]

Thanks Clare and chelsea, feel a bit better, I have houses around me but am semi rural, I live very close to a boating lake and riding stables, 2 minutes down the lane. Hopefully the local rats get enough food from the stables.Food for thought

[The Dogmother]

get a Jack Russel Mandy and train him to catch rats - you won't have any then

[PurpleHen]

I have had my chooks for more than a year now (at 2 diff houses) - and so far we haven't seen any... although we do have cats which may or may not help

[pepe]

Can't get another dog, even though I love jack russels, one good thing is we have loads of cats around here

[The Dogmother]

I have a Rablu and an Eglu and have never had rats yet (fingers crossed). They are easily dealt with if they do appear.

 

I have been asked to clarify my post (above): While I haven't had rats personally on this property, they were, however, a constant problem where I used to live in London and on my grandparents' small holding. From personal experience on both these properties, they are easy to get rid of if you keep on top of it by baiting traps, keeping them baited and watching out for new runs. I often used to help my GPs lay the traps and watch out for new runs, and am a dab hand at wielding a shovel when I find them. It isn't quite so easy in a city if your council are slack and aren't managing the rat problem on their patch - it can overflow onto private property as the little varmints look for somewhere new.

 

This is my personal opinion, based on my own experience - I am sorry if it wasn't initially clear to some. Many thanks to the person who pointed out to me that it was probably as clear as mud.

Edited November 7, 2006 by Guest

[Aunty e]

I live in london and have seen rats....in our communal bins when they weren't emptied for three weeks. I've never seen them or evidence of them around my eglu or my food containers, so I think you would probably be fine. We have lots of cats nearby who may well keep a lid on the ratty population.

[red]

I was very worried about rats too but have never had a problem with them (touch wood) in the 18 months that I've had my hens. We live in a rural hamlet with a farm next door, fields and stables behind the garden and a small stream adjoining our garden. You can imagine why I was worried about rats!

 

So far so good - I only bring the food and water in during the winter to avoid it getting frosty or frozen although I suspect this may help prevent rats. I leave the food and water out in the summer.

 

I have two cats but they are usually tucked up in front of the fire in the evening To my knowledge their mousing efforts have only resulted in voles and the odd newt

 

We do however have a mouse (or possibly a rat judging by the termendous amount of noise it is making) living in the cob wall of our kitchen

 

Funnily enough I think that - like foxes - they are probably a greater problem in the urban environment than the rural!