Chicken bald back

[Elliebop]

We've got rats, and they are as bold as anything, coming out in the day, when I'm out there, showing me how they are getting into the chicken run - there's no tunnels, they just squeeze through the run mesh (We've got a Classic). We've chicken-wired the outside of the run and they haven't got through that, but they have found the gaps!!

 

They are completely underterred by me. We had one rat out there on and off for the past couple of weeks. I've not really acted on it yet, other than chicken wiring the run, as have had other things I need to deal with, but this morning there were 4 rats out there!!!

 

So, it's time to take action!!!!

[gavclojak]

I think it's time for the bait boxes for you! As for the gaps in the classic run I found zip ties are the perfect solution, you can them really tight too.

I found another hole by the platic storage shed, it's weird they keep digging but only go a few inches in and stop!!

[Beantree]

We used to leave a rabbit trap baited with apples in the garden. Caught Henry and Harry, the two hedgehogs we rescued, a few times in it. One morning I thought one of them had been caught again, but it turned out to be the biggest rat we had ever seen up to that point (saw Coypu on holiday later). Never did catch the rabbit!

[The Dogmother]

My friends with a rat problem are getting a couple of feral toms form their friends' farm. Until then, I have given them the number of a man with a ratting terrier. A sure sign that we're in for a real cold snap, I'm afraid.

[wez]

Yep ... after our adventure with a rogue rodent about 3 weeks ago we thought we'd won ... caught the biggest beggar imaginable (well, it was huge to me!) and after that, no more despite leaving traps out for about another 10 days ... cracked it we thought ...

 

Until this morning when letting the girls out there was a beautifully dug tunnel from the inside of the Cube run to the outside world ... it seems another raider had got through the slightly larger gap where the foot pedals for the Cube are operated to raise and lower the wheels ... cheeky git stuffed itself so much it seems it couldn't fit back through its original entrance therefore tunnelled out under the run itself!

 

Yes, we now need to start bringing in the food at night and yes, we were a bit shocked that it was so easy to rid ourselves of the pesky problem but we're now trap setting, coop closing and food-in-at-nighting in the hope that we can stop the bleeders! Seems that under the large summerhouse thing we inherited with the house that they are residing beneath there as I found another hole just visible around the base (even though thats on concrete) so I think thats their residence ... here we go again!

[mrsatroy]

After reading all the posts I suspect I have a rat too. A few weeks ago I noticed a tunnel/hole coming from under the Classic right into the run. When my ex batts arrived we moved the classic and saw it was a tunnel under the coop. I thought nothing more of it until yesterday I saw a tunnel in the very same place from under the classic - obviously whoever made the tunnel followed the coop! My coops are on grass so I'm not entirely sure what to do - should I get some poison and put it down the hole and block it off from the coop side??

[The Dogmother]

I would lay slabs under the coop and run if possible.

[newcountrygirl]

I have one too! I put a bait box in the run and all the bait has gone. My hubby actually set up his air rifle and winged the little "Ooops, word censored!" the other day. Looked out today and saw the cheeky blighter running in and out of the hen house. The two girls in that run were in the other far corner. Hubby shot and winged it again. We shall see................. The trouble is it is very difficult to get a good shot of it due to where it comes out.

[Cat tails]

Wouldn't a trap be safer? What if hubby accidentilly hits one of the hens?

[suzallie]

We thought that we had seen evidence of rats..in the compost bin and through to our classic run. I think they may have relocated from living under our shed (which we deolmished and repalced a couple of weeks ago... We demolished the compost bin..no rats seens, and had not seen any tunnels for a few days. Then this morning, there was a hold by the bag door...under the girls little house to the run. eurrghhh!

I have filled the hole and bashed the ground flat, and obviously take the food in at night (and empty water). There is a lot of talk of bait and poison..does anyone have any advice about this? I am anxious not to put my three girls at risk (or my two cats). The eglu in on ground..but it was pretty hard, and I thought was pretty inpregnable..but I think maybe the rain recently has made it easier for the nasty rats.

[Beantree]

Everyone who has chickens has rats. Just most keepers don't realise it yet.

[Cat tails]

I think it rather should be:

 

Everyone who lives in a house, bungalow, flat, trailer or cardboard box that's on ground floor, 99th or anything in between, with a garden, court yard, balcony, roof terrace or French balcony, surrounded by some shrubs, trees, grass, sand, stone or concrete has rats. Many people just don't realise it....

[newcountrygirl]

We already have a trap down Cat tails. We also take food in at night but the blighter is going in and out of the henhouse in broad daylight for the food. As my husband only came out of hospital on Thursday i cant do anything else at the moment as he is unable to lift paving slabs or anything and so am I.

[Mars]

Whenever you see a tunnel or hole. put water hose in it and fill it with water. rats really hate that and after a few times they will go away

The best thing you do is to get a rat proof feeder

[suzallie]

I'll give the hose..or watering can a go tomorrow! Thank you..

[The Dogmother]

Jet them out, then bung poison down and fill the holes. The best thing you can do is to have the housing and run on either slabs or concrete.

 

My friend has a rat problem at the moment (a sure sign that we're to expect a cold snap) and they've asked me to take my lurchers up to get rid of them; the hounds prefer bunnies, so I may send up my friend who has a couple of ratting terriers. I don't think that any rats would dare to come in my garden; either the hounds or the mogs would have them!

[Mars]

I'll give the hose..or watering can a go tomorrow! Thank you..

Try the hose. the watering can wouldn't deliver enough water.

[The Dogmother]

Pressure washer is best

[Valkyrie]

Just got rid of our opportunists. But in the greenhouse eating my unripe tomatoes. One young rat down and I put some poison in leftover peanut butter jar and mixed it with the butter (some will say no to poison and yes I could be sure the alternative worked - tried a long time before and it didn't work). Lid of jar strategically placed so I would know if there were any more ratties about. For several days nothing happened and then off came the lid. 2 days later I found a huge ratty in one of my tomato pots. Have been free for a while now so the girls can go back into the greenhouse when it rains. I expect there will be another sortie at some time by another opportunist but getting them before they multiply is of the essence. Pity I don't live closer DM.

[The Dogmother]

They breed unbelievably quickly

 

A friend was plagued with rats, then discovered that the old lady next door was leaving s"Ooops, word censored!"s and left-overs out on her lawn 'for the birds'

[Grandmashazzie]

There is a huge rat that runs threw our new garden.My WIR is on slabs so I hope it can't get in I would love to put poison out but there is a very cute squirrel that I wouldn't like to get poisoned.Would the jar work?

[Beantree]

I never use poison Grandmashazzie. All sorts of other animals are killed from it, despite what the users claim. Poisoned mice are eaten by owls and the owls die as a result.

[Cat tails]

Or even cats and dogs that stumble upon a poisoned mouse.

[suzallie]

Update on Rats!! We spent the weekend sinking in plastic lawn edging all round the omlet house, and then wire mesh under their roosting place. So far no digging..but am not complacent. I was going to try the hose thing, but actually the tunnels were too shallow, and I think I might have had more of a shock than the girls! I am still bringing int heir food and empting water at night. Have yet to see any rats (and dont really want to)..but seeing a squirrle in the garden wondered if they do the same sort of tunnelling?

[wez]

Must admit, last week I finally moved the Cube and run off the grass altogether. We're lucky enough to have a large area of patio near the side fence that had a small shed on so swapped things round a bit, and filled run with hardwood chips. Girls seem happy, hopefully nothing can get in or under the run now and we've kept the traps set but since the great tunnelling incident 3 weeks ago, we've caught nothing else. Pesky blinkers!