Luvachicken Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 (edited) Just been catching up on my rat cam photos and videos to find ratty has managed to squeeze through the Omlet run bars He manages to get in and out !!!!! Horrible creature. When I first got my chickens, almost 9 years ago now, the main reason for getting an Omlet run was because they claimed, at the time, that it was fox proof and rodent proof. Omlet have since removed the bit about rodents. I have shut my girls in over night for the last couple of days to keep them safe. I have removed all of their food and water and their pecking treats. I am really hoping that the rat is tempted by a tasty pecan fixed into the rat trap with melted chocolate (now set). It seems to set the trap off without being caught When we can work out how to post videos I will show you how easily it actually gets in. Edited January 7, 2018 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeniseR Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 I sympathise with you and would be very interested in seeing your video if you can post it. I too have been plagued by rats especially since the builders moved in behind us and removed the old dilapidated chicken sheds from the old battery farm. I have been out in the garden today sorting out the hens enclosure now the girls are all together in the one coop and run. Lost count of the time the cheeky rat kept visiting! Wherever I looked I found another hole/tunnel - one tunnel went under the tray of the coop and up into the run totally bypassing the wire mesh skirt of the run, luckily it's the spare coop ( wooden, not Omlet's ) I use for introduction so has now been moved. The 2 rat bait boxes have been refilled but am beginning to think that it's a losing battle - costing a fortune in bait which doesn't seem to work anymore. What trap do you have? Does it kill the rat? And if not, what do you do with the caught rat? I think we need to try something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 The rat trap we have is an enclosed one and it is a killing one. We know it works because we have caught a few mice in it before. I thought maybe the rat was too big for the hole but having seen him get into my run I think he is just too clever If we catch it I will put its skanky body in the bin. We used to have a friendly trap but all we caught in that was a hedgehog (just once) I felt really sorry for it as we had stopped it searching for food and didn't use the friendly trap again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 I know it would be hard work but could you fix wire meld onto omlet WIR. I thought it looked too big a mesh and emailed them to ask was it rodent proof,they said no. It is such a nice shape and I wanted it for my cube, it is strange they don’t change it.Perhaps you need to put a few boxes about, I think if rentokil are doing it they put lots down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 I know it would be hard work but could you fix wire meld onto omlet WIR. I thought it looked too big a mesh and emailed them to ask was it rodent proof,they said no. It is such a nice shape and I wanted it for my cube, it is strange they don’t change it.Perhaps you need to put a few boxes about, I think if rentokil are doing it they put lots down. We were thinking of doing that But although I am not old yet my bones are getting less bendy than they were 9 years ago so I was thinking that I should get a new bit of run so I don't have to clamber from the nice tall wooden bit of the run to the low down Omlet part. I looked at adding the top layer of the Omlet run but apparently I have a mark 1 version and need to phone them. Then my son said it would look silly having different sized bits of run so I am thinking to just get more wooden run instead, with nice small wire. This afternoon though, we are going to put some wire for now over some of the Omlet run, so at least it makes it a bit more difficult. I tried to have a good look at the runs in the run section but sadly there are not so many photos to look at since photobucket ruined everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 Rat video - I think it's funny how he gets his bum stuck on the way out Thanks to my DS for putting the video on for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Brrrr that's one big rat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Brrrr that's one big rat! seen bigger than that rule of thumb if a rat or squirrel can get it's head trough a gap then it'll get it's body through. the smallest hole I've seen 25mm square weld mesh should keep them out but if it's to thin a gauge they will chew through it mice will get through through without stopping to think about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 Brrrr that's one big rat! I'm hoping he just looks big on screen 25mm is not very big is it ? These horrible creatures must be very determined to get through such small spaces. Still considering what to buy next ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Goodness, luvachicken yuck. I think I would rather not know the goings on at night. I got my WIR from Flyte so fancy,quite pricey. I then added to it via a local chap who was advertising on gumtree. He had them listed as aviaries. If you had time am sure they are easy enough to make with timber and wire meld. At least you can get them big enough to walk in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Brrrr that's one big rat! I'm hoping he just looks big on screen 25mm is not very big is it ? These horrible creatures must be very determined to get through such small spaces. Still considering what to buy next ..... a Jack Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 A Jack Russell would be handy but I would have to shut it out in the garden all night to catch the rat Lets hope that as it is a bit chilly tonight he really fancies my nut set in the chocolate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 I like him - I think rats are fantastic animals. I don’t want more than one or two around my girls though. My mum has a bit of a problem with them - she has a friend who shot a few but she’s now bought a Jack Russell / Border Terrier cross puppy - Buffy the Rat Slayer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 How many rats has Buffy caught so far mullethunter ? I was just saying last night how nice it would be to have a little waggy friend again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Or a schnauzer,they are rat catchers too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 So are my lurchers - they really enjoy it too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 10, 2018 Author Share Posted January 10, 2018 Perhaps I should ask you all to bring your dogs for a little rat catching holiday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 Happy to help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 I could bring a cat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasperaliceuk Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 Sympathise - two years now have had a rat, since my neighbour's total wilderness of a garden was completely cleared. Last year found himself a cheap hotel under the roosting bars of the Cub - just slept overnight, vacated by morning. Put small gauge wire all round bottom of WIR. This year found tunnelling inside WIR - he'd also stashed a load of food under a large plant pot in their run. Demolished his house to find him pop out and charge up the WIR and through the large holes at the top. Then he was back to taking up residence under the roosting bars, also with a stash of food. Have managed to stop that by folding a small piece of wire mesh just inside door but blocking his entry under the bars. How he gets and carry the food I'm not sure as it is a hanging feeder. I could do with a rat cam! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 Do you have bait boxes down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 Last year found himself a cheap hotel under the roosting bars of the Cub - just slept overnight, vacated by morning. Do you mean he was literally sleeping under the roosting bars ? I have a Cube but I'm hoping the poop trays would stop him going under the roosting bars or do you think he got in some other way ? Do you have bait boxes down? I have one nasty killing trap loaded with chocolate and a pecan nut but I wasn't sure if you were asking jasperalice that question. Nothing else as yet. On film he gets very close to going in the trap but just doesn't go far enough in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 How many rats has Buffy caught so far mullethunter ? Umm. Well. She’s killed lots of socks and pieces of firewood! And chased the poor chickens a lot. She’s still only 5 months old - she’s working on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 How many rats has Buffy caught so far mullethunter ? Umm. Well. She’s killed lots of socks and pieces of firewood! And chased the poor chickens a lot. She’s still only 5 months old - she’s working on it Our Daisy used to love killing socks too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
