Luvachicken Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Today, I went to see if there were any eggs - there wasn't - but there was a hole I wasn't expecting. I was quite shocked to see it and wasn't sure if foxy had tried to get in but given up. The hole was at the outer edge of the Omlet skirt leading into the run. Strangely the other day a load of soil appeared at the end of the run which I assumed the girls had done from their giant plastic dog bed (used to be Daisy's) . I swept it all up and told them off for chucking all the soil out but it wasn't them. Ratty has been visiting and helping himself to their food and stockpiling it in the soil he had dug out. I blamed the girls for that too thinking they liked the position of one feeder over the other and that's why it was emptying quicker. Now it all makes sense We've been out and bought a rat trap and some long patio stones to go over the top of the skirt. These fill the space between my run and the wall so ratty won't be able to get in via the skirt at all now. I know the trap is a bit mean but then at least when I catch one I know it will be dead and won't poison anything and that it's death will be quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Oh gosh poor you. In still having an ongoing fight with several rats. I have seen three in the enclosure. See my other post if your interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 17, 2016 Author Share Posted January 17, 2016 Yes, I've been reading about your problems with rats gavclojak Such disgusting creatures. They are obviously very determined and can dig an awful amount when they want to. Well tonight he will be in for a shock when he realises all ways in have been blocked and hopefully he'll bang his head digging his tunnel into a breeze block Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Depending on the size of the hole, you can try sticking a crocodile trap (those traps also used to catch moles) in the hole. The rat won't have a choice, but to be caught. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 19, 2016 Author Share Posted January 19, 2016 Depending on the size of the hole, you can try sticking a crocodile trap (those traps also used to catch moles) in the hole. The rat won't have a choice, but to be caught. Oooh that's a good idea Cat tails After all our blocking he still got in last night I gave them a good clean out today and found lots of droppings down the side of my spare house which sits on a big shelf, which shows there are either a lot of them or that it's been coming for a while. I know usually people say that where there is one rat there are an awful lot more. Tonight he will be in a for a bigger shock when he realises that he can't get from one run to another. I'm just hoping it will be so cold again tonight that he just really needs to eat the peanut butter in my trap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Well, ratty still keeps getting in We have blocked everything. We think the only way he can get in now is at the front end of the Omlet run in the corners, under the end of the cube. I've always thought the gaps in the corners were big enough for things like rats to get through and had blocked one off before with a brick. If these gaps are the cause then I'm surprised Omlet hasn't done something about it or that they made them like that in the first place. I'm sure I read before ordering my cube that things were rodent proof ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Ditto....my "visitor' is still getting in and STILL not taking the damn bait.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Ditto....my "visitor' is still getting in and STILL not taking the damn bait.... I know the feeling Gavclojak, I was hoping that as it was so cold last night the peanut butter would beckon but it hasn't yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 Ratty didn't get in last night I've been reading up about rats - disgusting little things. They piddle everywhere so they can find their way around by smell They love living under sheds, compost heaps and decking. Rats also have a pecking order - the top ones tend to be the ones who feed at night, with the young and old ones being forced to feed during the day. Seeing rats during the day meant that there was a bigger problem in how many there are. It can take up to 7 days for them to get used to a trap/bait box and that you should use gloves to dispose of any dead rats. I didn't really find anything that helpful but the most important thing was to remove the food source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adams Egg Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Rats communicate ultrasonically and also use it a bit like a radar to work out where they are when tunnelling. Ultrasonic deterrents can be of use as part of the plan to reduce them. I have had one getting in and out via the cube vents and so have stopped them up with mesh. They can live for ages undetected in the run, especially if you block up all the possible entrances in a walk in run, to discover the rats can no longer get out and build a home under the slabs with food on tap and no predators Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 Thanks Adams Egg Last night Ratty got back in He definitely got in through the gaps in the corners of the cube run/the slots where the handle goes up and down, even moving one of the mini bricks we put in his way. Tomorrow, hopefully it won't be raining like today, we are going to put extra wire over the two corners. I really don't understand why Omlet makes the run with corners big enough to let vermin in - a 2 inch hole is all they need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 I feel your pain luvachicken, I haven't seen my "visitor" for a couple of nights but I'm sure he is out there....just waiting...with his mean beady eyes...and segmented tail...waiting...not taking the bait and driving me to the edge of a psychotic episode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 Gavclojak, try not to worry about ratty too much. You know you are doing your best to get rid of him and any friends. I'm going to leave my trap out permanently from now on as he is obviously very, very determined to get in the run even though there is no food left out. Hubby wired over the gaps earlier as the sun popped out for a bit so hopefully he won't get in now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 I found this bait station very useful. I built two of them, no rats no mice now Edited to say: so far "for 18 months" http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/955474/lightbox/post/14859267/id/6607806 From http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/955474/how-to-build-a-better-mouse-trap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Many years ago I used the inners from a musical Christmas card in a tin and popped down a rat hole, to fend off rats. It appeared to work in the short term. We now have rats visiting the garden and they have tunnelled around and into the new chicken run, so we have stuck clumps of wire wool deep down into the holes and covered it over. Apparently they hate the wire wool in their claws and teeth. They have not been back yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 23, 2016 Author Share Posted January 23, 2016 we have stuck clumps of wire wool deep down into the holes and covered it over. Apparently they hate the wire wool in their claws and teeth. They have not been back yet. Once the foil from a new bottle of salad cream fell into the salad we made and I accidentally chewed it. It caused some really horrible feeling between my teeth so I can understand why a rat wouldn't like it. There is a hole under our shed that has been there for a long time so tomorrow will be a good time to shove some wire wool into it, thanks Charlottechicken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Once the foil from a new bottle of salad cream fell into the salad we made and I accidentally chewed it.It caused some really horrible feeling between my teeth so I can understand why a rat wouldn't like it. It's called galvanic reaction and I'm pretty sure that rats don't get it unfortunatetly ..I have gone through bales of the stuff before the chicken wire and bait blocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 24, 2016 Author Share Posted January 24, 2016 It's a shame the rats don't get the same feeling in their teeth, I think it would certainly put them off. Anyway, for the second night running ratty hasn't got in I know it's still early days and he will probably try somewhere else to get in but I am pleased that so far the wire at the end seems to have done the job. To be honest, ratty getting in has been my fault as I had been leaving the food in the run overnight so it was there when the girls get up, but I won't be doing that again. I just wondered what you all do in the Summer if you leave the pop hole open. I know my girls get up in the Summer between 4.30 and 5 am so what do they do until you bring any food out ? It would be a good couple of hours before they would get any food from me and I would hate it if they just made a load of racket while they were waiting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 It's called galvanic reaction and I'm pretty sure that rats don't get it unfortunatetly ..I have gone through bales of the stuff before the chicken wire and bait blocks Oh bother! I'll await their return then and it's on to plan 'B'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 It's a shame the rats don't get the same feeling in their teeth, I think it would certainly put them off. Anyway, for the second night running ratty hasn't got in I know it's still early days and he will probably try somewhere else to get in but I am pleased that so far the wire at the end seems to have done the job. To be honest, ratty getting in has been my fault as I had been leaving the food in the run overnight so it was there when the girls get up, but I won't be doing that again. I just wondered what you all do in the Summer if you leave the pop hole open. I know my girls get up in the Summer between 4.30 and 5 am so what do they do until you bring any food out ? It would be a good couple of hours before they would get any food from me and I would hate it if they just made a load of racket while they were waiting. I bought a hopper feeder and have not seen them since . it just fits in the eglu run and no more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 25, 2016 Author Share Posted January 25, 2016 Thanks Blackrocksrock, I had thought about one of those feeders but not sure if my girls are clever enough Would they be heavy enough only being pekins ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Pekins are very clever Luvachicken - they just hide it well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 Pekins are very clever Luvachicken - they just hide it well hmmm, too well maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Thanks Blackrocksrock, I had thought about one of those feeders but not sure if my girls are clever enough Would they be heavy enough only being pekins ? I would recommend Grandpas Feeders. They are a lot more expensive than the other tredle feeders, but the difference in quality is really noticeable. When I first moved to using a treadle feeder (for our allotment hens), we bought a couple of the cheaper upright ones. I kept cutting myself when moving them, and I found a load of gunked up food at the bottom where water had got in. I bit the bullet and bought a grandpas feeder, and it was definitely worth the investment. Gradually we bought additional ones for the allotment and that's all we use there now. We had a squirrel problem at home, so I bought one (then another) for my home run. It took the older girls a while to get used to using it. You start off with it in a wedged open position, that's no problem for any of them. Then a partially wedged position. That causes some trouble as they are scared of the noise. Then it's fully closed. Some girls pick it up within a couple of days, some take a couple of weeks. Usually you just need one or 2 to work it out, and then the others copy. We've foud it best to not rush the switch from partially open to fully closed. Regarding pekins being heavy enough - we use a Grandpas for our chicks when they are outside, and they don't have to be very big to operate it from the partially open position. By 6 weeks they can operate it from the fully closed position so pekins should be OK. I'm not in any way affiliated with Grandpas Feeders, I'm just a very satisfied user of their products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted February 1, 2016 Author Share Posted February 1, 2016 I haven't looked into the feeders yet as I have been good at bringing the food back in, but I must admit I have got used to not getting up early, and I certainly don't intend getting up at 4.30 am in the Summer. We haven't seen any evidence of ratty at all since we have blocked up the ends but I don't want him sneaking back in just because I can't be bothered to sort the food. I have Christmas money left so could use that to get a Grandpa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
