The Poultry Keeper

Hazel · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 5

I had no idea when I got chickens in the summer that I would be having a rat problem! My son spotted rats the size of BEAVERS! lol in the garden. Right enough we have now seen them and they are huge organically fed rats. Im disgusted about having them in our garden. I have young children playing out every day. And Im waiting for the neighbours to start complaining. I feel that sickened by it that I just want rid of the chickens (we are in NOrthern ireland if anyone wants them). I do love my 3 girls but I dont think I can cope with rats. Been putting out poison and they are eating it every day but keep coming back for more. Oh yuck. Rats. No way.
Any help?

Hazel

debcat · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:45 pm Post subject:

Hi,
first off rats are everywhere, The rat population is enormous.
if they are in your garden then your neighbours will be having problems with them as well - and not because of your hens.
if they are taking the poison they should be dying off, it does take a while though, Keep putting it down till they don't take it anymore. Then keep putting a bit out just incase
if you feed outside it would be a good idea to move the food inside a run where they can't get to it, make sure where you keep your feed is ratproof as well
pest control at your local council may be able help
HTH
Debs

mojo · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:54 am Post subject:

it will take about 3 weeks of baiting before you notice a differance as rats are such fast breeders................keep baiting

Seaside Landlady · Joined: 20 Feb 2006 Posts: 40 Location: Scotland

I hate rats too, we suddenly had loads in November, bold as brass nicking the hens food in the middle of the day. I made bait traps by putting bait in the middle of a drainpipe (joined in the middle for access) and lying it along their run beside a wall. It worked a treat, no sign of rats for weeks now. I am now very careful about clearing up any spilled food at night just incase...I think the best approach is to accept that their are rats everywhere, just don't make your garden any more appealing that anyone else's to them Rolling Eyes

CP · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:55 am Post subject:

Unfortunately we have rats too! Had chickens for nearly 5 years now, but only just got the rats. Embarassed

Ours are proving quite difficult to remove as we have our large shed on a brick-built base, with a cavity underneath. Sad

(already here when we moved in & too large/expensive to move) They have decided to occupy the compost heap as well now!

We started with just traps & caught 1 but no more. Now using Eradirat, but we still have them at the moment.

Hopefully we will conquer in the end! Wink

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

I think it takes a little while for the Eradirat to get rid of them, as they multimply at quite an alarming rate. I think I did it for about a week or 10 days and then no more was taken.
As an aside, my daughter (whose very good at these things, once she gets the bit between her teeth!) did a search of the internet for what to use to get rid of them. She came up with eradirat, because when they die, there is no smell, whereas if they die from eating other baits, as they decompose they smell.

CP · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 5:12 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the information summayah, especially about the smell! Shocked

fenwoman · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:32 pm Post subject:

I have to say that I have never noticed any smell. Surrounded by dykes and waterways here in the fens, even without poultry I would have a rat problem. I use bait boxes with tomcat 2 rat poison to keep the numbers under control. I know it is very effective because I no lomger have rat holes and rarely see evidence of them. They normall go into their burrows to die as this is natural for them, and from deep underground there is no smell.

Hazel · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 5

Well, the rats are still there. The poison has been going every day. Its like blue wheat. WE put out some traps in the shed as we noticed they had eaten through into the shed and there was lots of droppings etc. But so far none of the traps have been touched. I think they are too clever for it. Should we be hiding them somewhere dark perhaps?
Hazel

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

I seem to remember reading about putting a length of drainpipe down along side where they run with the bait inside. I think someone said they had put 2 piece together with the bait a ittle way inside one of them ~ that way it was easy to keep replacing.
I think maybe rats are like many other objectionable creatures ~ if you see one of them then you can be absolutely certain there are lots more than that one you saw ~ bit like tips of icebergs really.
So although the poison is going you know some of them are eating it but possibly not all of them yet ~ just keep putting it out until it stops going and then leave it for a few more days to be sure.

fenwoman · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:22 pm Post subject:

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

You're right fenwoman, it's so easy to think, 'oh good, they're gone' , stop baiting and then there they are again.

mojo · Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:32 am Post subject:

once you start NEVER stop

CP · Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:41 am Post subject:

I fear our infestation is worse than we first thought. Confused

Yesterday late afternoon we were clearing out the corner of the shed & found they have even managed to gnaw their way through into the shed from underneath. Shocked

We bought a bait box when we were at Salisbury & I have ordered some more rat poison. They will not get away!!! Twisted Evil

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

Oh dear that's awful, is that the shed where you chickens are?
Is it the same type that fenwoman uses? She seems very happy with that one.