clucker1 Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Ok! Just been out to clean out the girls and I find a rat drinking upside down from my Omlet glug !!!!!! They have kindly gobbled up all the poison but in the meantime any suggestions to sort the water issue out much appreciated! And I so hate rats!!!!! I'm going to buy a treadle feeder Asap too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 only suggestion I've got is put more poison out and keep it top up a rat that's only part poisoned will build up resistance plus they have a nasty habit of taking unsecured bait block away to store for time when food is scarce and not eating them I've not seen a rat proof drinker as long as they can't get into the water then that goes some way to reducing the problem. they other problem a rat proof drinker might be a chicken proof one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 I have just had an awful experience with rat poison. They took it away to store it (I had no idea they did this). My puppy found it and ate it. I'm never using it again. The best repellent is to take away any food or drink overnight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Chickabee I've always worried about that but never heard of it - how awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Luckily I saw her eat it. She spent all weekend at the vets and is on vitamin k for 4 weeks. She would have died if I hadn't noticed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyRoo Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Buy an electronic rat zapper. Much quicker than poison and arguably more humane... well, by perspective, you still end up with a dead rat. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Victor-M240-Electronic-Rat-Trap/dp/B000LNX06C Zap! The rat is gone... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyRoo Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Just realised that one was indoor use only, but you can get outdoor ones too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Chick Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 I know it's a touchy subject but using poisons should really only be the very last resort and used where the poison can't be reached by other wildlife (or pets) and the poisoned animal isn't going to enter the foodchain of the local wildlife. It's difficult I know, but the effects are more than likely going to be fatal for the animal that is an accidental victim of poisoning and as the victim is eaten and so on, it has a cumulative effect up the foodchain. I know a few haters of wildlife who wouldn't care at all but I think most of us don't like to see unnecessary suffering, especially when it's unintended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 Thank you all. I use the granules so hopefully the rats eat it in situ . I know with the blocks they can take it back to their nests and drop it on the way. The traps I use are only for rats, well covered....I hope no other small creatures like mice are tempted to eat the stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 After nine years of chicken-keeping with no rat problem (I wouldn't say 'no rats' but they weren't evident) I have been plagued with them this year. HippieChick you are right that poison should be a last resort but i have tried everything else I can think of - removing food, disturbing routes, removing potential habitat - and have run out of options. I have bait boxes down and the problem has reduced. I'm sure one of the reasons for the increase is the demise of my intrepid mouser Wellington, he didn't bring many in but I reckon that his presence may have deterred them from setting up home in such numbers. It's just felt as if they are thumbing their little rodent noses at me this year, I've looked out and seen them climbing the run - the story of the Pied Piper has seemed very relevant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I took charge of rat control for 18 months on the last Allotment I was on and in that time we only found 3 or 4 dead rats out in the open in the first month or so and they got burned or buried. but I kept the rats under control in that 18 months and for 12 months of it I never had top up the bait stations much more that once or twice. with in 6 months of me moving on they had a rat problem because they wouldn't keep the bait boxes topped up or they used blocks I prefer loose grain based bait in a bait box they have to eat it then and there so it works quicker and less chance of blocks been left out in the open. the trick is through don't put bait out in to many spots most domestic garden one is enough but it can take up to a month for them to accept that location I got lucky out of 8 bait stations I only had to move one twice until it was accepted I think it was to close to the main nest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Chickabee I'm glad puppy is OK. Lucky you saw her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Chickabee I'm glad puppy is OK. Lucky you saw her. I wanted to say the same. Poor little puppy has been very lucky. Having had a problem with rats ourselves we looked into the electronic repellants but a lot of them can't be used near animals so watch out for that. We solved the rat getting into my run by blocking off the end of the cube run - where the handle bit for the wheels goes down - with small wire mesh. The holes were a big enough entry point for a rat. He can't get it in that way anymore. We also paved the area they are on so that rat cannot dig in from underneath. We haven't seen a rat or any evidence of one since. Mind you, it also helps that next door got rid of some stupid decking next to their shed and have paved under it properly so rat can't hide there either. I hope you manage to get rid of him soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Horizontal Nipple Drinker Trigger happy chicken feeder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
