The Poultry Keeper

AnnieT · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 1:55 pm Post subject: Oh no rats!!

Hi I have only had my 3 bantams for about 3 weeks and this morning I discovered a hole leading under the ark which I suspect to be a rat going into the area. I am usually careful to take the feeders out at night and wash and replace in the morning. I am a bit scared as I am on a residential area and the neighbours will not be happy if I start a colony of rats!! Embarassed

Any help on this would be appreciated. annie

Knobby · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 4:28 pm Post subject:

Put it this way.................The rats would have been around before you had your chooks, you just wouldnt have noticed them !! Confused

CP · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 4:29 pm Post subject:

Unfortunately they are quite a common occurrence. Mad

There are 3 other posts on the 1st page of this forum alone regarding the furry vermin! Shocked

You will probably have to get either traps or poison, or both. Identify the run & bait the traps carefully. It may be a while before you catch anything, as they are suspicious of anything new.

Good luck! It took many weeks before we noticed the rats had gone, but AFAIK if you get them once, you're likely to get them again, so you can never let your guard down & always have the traps set & baited.

fenwoman · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 4:54 pm Post subject:

if you use a trap you can only kill one at a time. You need to take care that nothing else can get caught in the trap which could easily break a chickens leg, or main a pet cat or kill small birds.
Many people prefer to use poison in bait boxes because it gets rid of the rats you have, and the new rats which will move into the empty territory you have created by killing the current rats. It is also safe inasmuch as only rats and mice can get into the bait boxes to eat the poison and generally they will hide away in their nest to die.
Be sure that if you see a rat hole, you have more than one rat and that rats can easily kill chickens and steal eggs aswell as causing fatal diseases to animals and humans.

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2133 Location: North Cornwall

We sometimes use lenths of drain pipe if we haven't got enough bait boxes. You need to leave them baited in position for the rats to get used to them.

I caught a robbin in a trap once Crying or Very sad

Hope you get them, dont have any sad thoughts about doing them in.

Knobby · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 5:41 pm Post subject:

NannyP · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 5:51 pm Post subject:

I've got a bag of poison down at the moment, I'm waiting before I look to see how much has been taken. Have 2 more bags at the ready. May wait til after I come back from en France.

mojo · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 6:54 pm Post subject:

nanny leave some posion for the rats whilst you areaway

NannyP · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 7:00 pm Post subject:

Oh I will, don't worry, wouldn't want them to go without Rolling Eyes

Dixie Chicks · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 296

We put a trap inside a covered drainage gulley which we knew the rats were using. Appallingly, we caught a red squirrel which somehow managed to survive and we were able to release it. The only traps we use now are live traps and hubby shoots the legitimate encumbants. So far, we have released a cat and lots and lots of birds!

Lisa · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 11:13 pm Post subject:

nigel · Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 6:34 am Post subject:

I use bait box around mine which i keep constantly topped up. Sometimes it doesn't go down for weeks then it starts again. Unfortunately there will always be rats. Remember rats avoid new things so give it a few days for them to get used to it. They also have set runs or paths they frequently use usually against walls etc. These are the good places to place bait boxes.

If you're not comfortable using rat poison, there is a natural product called Verm-X which works on a rats inability to process cellulose. I'm not sure how effective this is as I have never used it. I know other members have, so I'm sure they'll let you know what they think of this option.

AnnieT · Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 7:50 am Post subject:

Thanks for the help - I think I will buy one of those black bait boxes - (I have seen the sort round the grounds of our office ) go to Scats to get some rat bait. We have a cat - but she is scared of the chickens and never goes down that end of the garden so will be unlikely to catch any.

redgeorge · Joined: 06 May 2006 Posts: 7

As mentioned above unfortunately rats are eveywhere and you are never more than a few feet away from one where ever you are. I have had my chooks a couple of weeks now and touch wood no sign of any rats yet, but I'm sure my turn will come. I always try to make sure there is nothing left out that they might like to eat though. I worry about having to use any posion as I have dogs and I would be worried about them getting hold of it.

mojo · Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 9:37 am Post subject:

the 4 foot length of drain pipe with bait in the centre is the best to use ....laid against wall or fence....or if you dont want to use poisin get a live rat trap( but you need to cull the rats you catch