The Poultry Keeper

marmite66 · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 7

Hi
Went out to chucks this morning and obvious signs of digging. Hubby finally prompted into action to help me fully enclosed run and dig in chicken wire around the enclosure (I think a bit guilty as had kept fobbing me off). There is a hole a bit away where it looks as if they have dug in. Is there anything else I should do
1. Chucks securely locked at night.
2. All food stuffs away
3. Run secured around edges
4. Rat poison at 'nesting' hole

Am I best to have food inside the house? Any hints and tips please
Marmite

CP · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:50 pm Post subject:

I haven't had a rat problem (yet) but it sounds like you're doing all the right things.

There are a few other posts on here about rats, so you could read them & see if there's anything else you can try. Wink

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

I think in this month's practical poultry mag there is a long article on ratty and his demise. I think they seemed to recommend that you put the rat poison (I think it was eradirat they were using) in cling film ~ in the hole that's been dug, and then put a brick over the top of it. Is this to keep him in so he has to eat the stuff, or to keep the girls out? I have no idea.

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

We have just started to get rats in the garden. They have burrowed under the concrete base for the shed. Nothing too bad until last few days and today Jackie saw 4 of them in the run at the food!! Chickens were out in the garden.

I have bought some poison and put it down, still in the plastic by there entrance. Fortunately it is out of the way at the side of the garden up close to the fence and I have blocked it off so nothing can get near it except the rats. I hope they take it into their hidey hole and have supper tonight!

Anyone else got any other plans, Jackie is not at all impressed and I am unhappy that they are going in the run!

The shed did used to have their mixed corn and container of feed in overnight, probably what attracted them into the garden in the first place... stupid me! Now there is no food kept outside at all apart from their feed during the day in the run.

Sue B · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 383 Location: Lincolnshire

I make sure that there is no food in the run overnight. So they have their last feed out in the garden. I also heard that rats are attracted to the water just as much as the dry food so its a good idea to use a drinker that can be hung up out of reach of rats and mice. Also when I use poison I put it in a length of pipe which I place on the ground outside their run which keeps it dry and out of reach.

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

I take feed and water in at night and it is off the ground in the day in the run. I will move the feeder away from the side of the run so it is hanging away from where the rats can climb, we also have a pond, so a bit stuffed there.

Had a check tonight and the rats have pulled one of the bags of poison down underground, the other is still there. How long does it take to kill them if they scoff it?? I am pretty sure the rats have only been in the garden for a couple of weeks, 3 max, so hopefully not too many of them, seen 4 in one go.

Sue B · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 383 Location: Lincolnshire

It can take a few days to see the rats off, keep putting the poison down until its left alone. You won't believe how satisfying it is when the poison doesn't get taken. Twisted Evil

Then just be vigilant in case of new visitors.

mojo · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:44 am Post subject:

i use snap traps ....after closing chooks for nite put down traps baited with chook food or peanut butter or chocalate........then lift them before opening chooks......this way you see what effect you are having.....mojo Razz

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

debcat · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 12:32 pm Post subject:

Heather · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:40 pm Post subject:

yeah , I wouldn't care about the chocolate , picking up a trap with a dead mouse / Rat in however Shocked

fenwoman · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 2:31 pm Post subject:

Bear in mind that the antidote to poison is vitamin K which is in layers pellets and I understand maize. So the rats eat the poison and if they can get at the moxed corn or pellets the poiuson will not kill them.

I keep feeders in the houses suspended from the roof at cochin shoulder height to make it hard for a rat to get to it.
I also use bait boxes to ensure no poison gets spilled or dragged about on the ground for other animals to eat. I use the bait blocks which get placed on a metal bar inside the bait boxes . I fpound I had a bit of a rat problem last month but refilled all the bait boxes and have since found several dead rats. At this time of the year I feed the chickens only wheat so the rats are not getting any antidote to the poison they eat.
I dislike the sachets of poison because I have found in the past that once the bag is open it may get spilled or dragged about and wild birds regard the little blue grains as food.
I have been happy with the poison I use. It is called 'tomcat' and they are square blocks with a hole through them so you can thread them onto the little metal bar inside thw bait box and be sure that nothing other than rats or mice go into the box for a snack. I have to be particularly careful because I have rabbits and guinea pigs which run about free opn my land and I don't want them poisoned.
I have the bait boxes placed about strategically on my land all year round and I check and refill where necessary every week.
You need to understand a little about rats to be successful at using poison and bait boxes I think. Learn what makes them feel safe and secure and bait accordingly.
e.g. they generally make runs against a wall or fence and don't normally sit out in the open. Place the box where the run is. They are also shy of new things so might take 2 weeks to feel safe around the boc and start going inside to eat the poison. Once you have decided the best place for the bait boxes, leave them there as moving them in the hope of getting them used quicker only makes it take longer.
Also for private people your local council should come and place safe bait free of charge.
The article about rats was not good inasmuch as the author advocated drowing live caught rats. As much as I hate rats. (glad Frederico my pat rat can't read) I don't believe any animal should have to suffer terror or take several minutes to die. It is also illegal to drown any animal because of the cruelty involved.

Frederico says "peek-a-boo"

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

Interesting stuff that, thanks. The entrance to the hole is in a small gap between a fence and the shed, and I have it blocked off, best I can, I put the bags down by the hole last night and one disappeared down pretty quickly, the other one was moved a bit but was still there this morning.

Today the other bag has now disappeared almost into the hole, I couldn't see if it had been opened as it was late and my torch was poor.

There has been no sign of the rats round the garden, run at all today, but I did see a young one on its own in the gap between shed and fence. I have moved there food to the middle of the run, hanging off the top, so it is too high for them to get at and too far away from the sides for them to jump at it. No other birds, animals can get at where I put the poison because of its location and at least it has been dragged under ground.

I have no idea how many there were there, I know they only moved in a max of 3 weeks ago or how many I may have got last night, I guess I will be keeping a close eye on it.

How long does it take to kill the rats once they have eaten the poison?

I will buy some more tomorrow, just in case it is needed!!! Shocked

debcat · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:30 pm Post subject:

what sort of poison did you use?
different ones have different actions

fenwoman · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 10:06 pm Post subject: