Sarahsausage Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 There is a rat that keeps visiting my garden, well I hope it's only one but you very rarely just get one! It has starting digging under the run and despite having slabs in the coop area where I put the food, it tunnelled under them and got into the run that way too! I'm quite upset about this and worried that it might hurt the chickens. I've managed to put heavy objects around the edge of the run but will be putting wire down to try and prevent this happening again. I've also called in the pest control chap as I really can't have rats bothering my girls! Has anyone else had problems with rats and how do you stop them getting in to your runs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Shirl Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Rats are horrible things. I'm sorry to hear that you have one. I did what my father in law advised when we had some rats, that was to put broken glass down the hole and back fill it. It's what they used to do during the war. I must say we never saw them again, so it worked for us, plus we are very careful now that we don't leave any spilt food on the ground. Not easy, I know, but we feed our chooks on a tiled patio. I have read on here that a board under the feeders works. I know that others recommend poison. My sister gets the man from the council to come and look around for evidence of rats every few months, and that works for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Poison Poison Poison Poison Poison Poison! Not normally into killing animals, but rats are different! Good quality poison in a protected box, and wait for them to start munching. Keep topping up the poison until no-more disapears. It will probably take longer than you think, so keep watching out. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 I have a problem to be honest, OH has now put concret footings inside the ran and also put wire into that. We also have two bait boxes and a trap as well. Seem to come in fits and starts, OH often sits by the landing window with an air rifle I know I should but I dont take food in infact when I get home from work I refill all their food stuff as I dont have time in the morning. + WIR Lavender Mabel Posh Marjorie Violet. P S I FOUND A EGG IN NEST BOX TODAY...1st in a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Here's my experience (too lazy to type it all out - sorry!) http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16945 Basically, council 'rat man' was excellent. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trunkey Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 My garden is equipped with two feline rat catchers, next door's garden has four feline rat catchers so hopefully they will prevent any such problems. A house two doors down had a pony for a while and a few rats were seen, then the cats got into them and the bodies they left got smaller and smaller as the adult population was exterminated cat style! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Bexley Council want £120.00 pounds to come out !!!!! +WIR Lavender Mabel Posh Marjorie Violet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Article re dealing with rats **here**. I find that bringing the food in at night helps, and I put Neosorexa gold in the bait boxes around the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 I saw a rat last night when it ran over my foot as I stepped out of the porch door This morning when I was in the WIR I saw a lovely little tunnel Ratty had made. this is the first time this week I have been in the WIR in daylight. Going to buy a trap at the weekend but as we live close to 3 huge barns which I know have rats living there I am not sure a trap will have any effect. This is the first time we have had a problem with a Rat/Rats. I will be closing the Eglu door at night until the problem is sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarahsausage Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 Thanks for your replies guys. Came home tonight and despite putting heavy logs round the run as a temporary measure, the rat had still dug under them and left me a huge pile of soil as evidence! I was gutted! Got the pest control man coming tomorrow and shall be spending the weekend put wire down and other obstacles!! I had a rat problem a couple of years ago, they bred and were running round the garden in broad daylight taking the mickey! It was so depressing! I bring the food in at night and even hoover the coop with a handheld hoover (neighbours must think I'm bonkers) but obviously as I'm at work during the day the rat has all the time in the world to dig it's tunnels and stuff it's face. My poor girls must wonder whats going on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Sorry but the picture of you with a hand held hoover you must be the topic of conversation at many a dinner party Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarahsausage Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 Ooo I haven't told my friends...sssshhh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Shirl Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Glad to know someone else is as crazy as me. I go around looking for bits of stray kibbled maize every night. Barking mad my DH calls it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Had lots of trouble last year. So we got the little blighters with several rat traps baited with peanut butter, and a poison bait box that we bought from an agricultural suppliers. That got rid of 'em We do try and make sure that the chooks' food is brought in at night - not a pleasant job in this rainy weather. Thankfully we haven't suffered from them much this year. One of our neighbours has a lovely big cat too!! He's a true hunter - maybe he helped! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Cats are brilliant. We don't have one ourselves but recently acquired a little black stray. Not very friendly but has definitely reduced rat numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Despite our moggies being intrinsically lazy, and one having learning difficulties, they do act as a deterrent. When Ozzy and Squeaker can be bothered to move they are alarmingly effective. As well as our three, one neighbour has five and across the road have a whole range of semi-ferals. Between them, when they aren't having noisy disagreements at 4am, they keep the rodent population under good control. Willoughby, the one with learning difficulties, has never caught anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarahsausage Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 I have two cats! Amy is very old so stays indoors most of the time and Molly spends all day sitting on the front door mat! Useless Have spend the morning putting wire round the base of the coop and run so hopefully that will stop them digging in, got pest control coming round shortly, can't wait till the rats have gone, I can feed the 'free' birds (as my friend calls them)again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
