Cassie Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Has anyone experienced rats inside their eglu? When I was cleaning out the girls this afternoon I noticed a rat had chewed around the drainage hole at the base of the nest, making the hole large enough for it to get in. I remove the hen food every night to discourage any visitors but I suspect it is pinching an egg now and again as the girls are regular layers. If it gets inside during the night will it frighten the girls or will they peck it? They don't seem too bothered when I let them out in the mornings. Thanks Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Oh no. I suggest you contact Omlet about it. They might be able to do something about it for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Yes......I had exactly this experience. I blocked up the bit under the Eglu which curves upwards and have had no further trouble. Ring Omlet and let them know. Perhaps a modification is in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I agree that you should call or email Omlet and send them photos or direct them to this thread. In the meantime perhaps you can find a stone a similar size to the hole and bung it in hard. Darned ratty!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I'm battling with rats at the moment as they live in the stone walls of our barn, which the "winter quarters" abutt. I haven't had a problem with them as such (other than the fact they freak me out), but I have read about rats gnawing at chickens while they sleep. I don't think they would be a danger during the daytime (apart from a hygiene point of view), but I would worry about them at night or with chicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I know someone who has had a chick killed by rats - not a nice sight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Does anyone know what that hole is for? It must be there for a reason? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I think it's for drainage and aeration - the nest can get quite damp if you use straw in it; mine used to until I switched to Aubiose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I have never heard of a rat being allowed (by the chicken) to nibble at an adult chicken (but there's a first for everything ). My grandfathers chickens would kill any rats that were brave/stupid enough to enter the barn, some rats were quite large too . Rats will kill chicks though, and in my experience of keeping pet rats and having limited knowledge of wild ones, they do keep returning to a food source once found, until they have stripped it bare, rather like foxes do. Rodents can gnaw and chew through most things including very, very thin sheet metal If you choose to poison them, mix it with a little finely grated chocolate, they LOVE chocolate Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassie Posted December 6, 2006 Author Share Posted December 6, 2006 Thanks to all of you for your advice. I'll certainly get in touch with Omlet to let them know and maybe some modifications can be made to the drainage hole and in the meanwhile I'll get a large stone to block the hole. I don't think ratty was about last night as there was no sign of him burrowing under the eglu. The food source is a concern though as, despite removing the hen pellets each night, there is always some pellets stamped into the ground which he could return for (Hilda & Maisie are really messy eaters!). You would think my two cats and my two terriers would discourage any rats - trouble is they're all so idle and don't like to get their paws wet in the bad weather - they watch me working outside from the comfort of the living room window sill! Thanks again everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Tracy, just thinking about it, I don't know how your eglu is sited, but I have sunk some paving slabs into the ground under mine, they extend a foot or so into the run to cover the weak spots where the run joins the eglu. This might help to stop ratty digging underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassie Posted December 6, 2006 Author Share Posted December 6, 2006 Thanks Clare, what a good idea! My eglu is on a mixture of soil and bark chippings, enclosed within a fenced area next to my stables. I haven't had a problem with rats around the horses since I got a muck trailer. They're usually attracted by warm manure heaps where they make nests, but my muck is loaded daily into a trailer and so solved that problem. I have plenty of spare paving slabs so will get that sorted over the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
