I've been ranting about rats for ever but still can't get rid of the things. I've tried lifting the food higher but this doesn't defeat them - I resorted to poison and this seemed to have a slight impact for a few days, I bring in the food at dusk so they just come out during the day and I've borrowed a terrior - again this just had a slight impact. They have started attacking my summer house where the food is kept at night.
I'm onto my third bag of layers pellets this month 45 kilos of food in a month for nine chickens. I can barely walk accross their run as it's a mine field of holes and tunnels and in the summer they killed a nearly full grown chick.
They are so brazen they are running around while I'm in there cleaning and my dogs are going crazy outside the run chasing them away. There must be about 40 rats in the run during the day.
Does anybody have any other suggestions - I really cannot afford to keep buying food like this. Are there any rat proof feeders out there? I'm at my wits end now. I have 3 cats and they kill them occassionally but there are far too many.
i have had no choice but to lay a concrete floor in my runn the hardcore is down on top of a wire skirt and the concrete gets poures on saturday if weather is okay total cost has been 80 quid i couldnt stand it filthy vermin near my girls its also the health hazard to us and the damn cheek of them
[center]HELPING THE LITTLE BROWN GIRLS OF THIS WORLD FIND FOREVER HOMES Humble chicken maid to a happy little flock Frankii Whippers leading the way with Dorey,Prila(aka Mrs Brown),Ann-a-Lou Greta, Delphine my adorable silkie,my twin girls Lana and Boudica (aka The Jedward Twins ) ,Augustine Eizabeth(aka Pippy), Rheima, Marnie and Fleur aka little miss chatterbox[/center]
Still loving and missing Skinnie Minnie and Queenie xx
Marlene you taught me how to live and laugh again xx
Isabella my darling top hen ,you stole my heart xx
Porscha my sweet little girl ,you left so suddenly xx
We still have the ruddy rat too Put down poison and traps last week but It doesn't go near. Saw it go into the run this afternoon and pinch the chooks food while they were in the garden. Anyone got any more ideas to get rid of the bl...dy thing
Hi - I can't use traps because of the cats, dogs, hedgehogs etc but the poison was one I bought from the poultry vet which apparently isn't as harmful to other animals. It's in a locked bait box.....actually I could set traps for the evening as nothing else gets in but the rats disappear after the girls have gone to bed as the food is taken away - they are so frustrating!
If you've got 40 rats sounds like its time to call in the professionals?? (Rentok*l equivalent in UK. Or does your town council provide some sort of service) at the rate they reproduce, you dont have an alternative if they're tunnelling etc.
Aiskali, if you have just the one rat, can you borrow a terrier to get rid of it?? Put the hens out to FR and lock the terrier in the run. I'd send you my lot but they're have to sleep-over (and they couldnt do that!)
pepi wrote: Aiskali, if you have just the one rat, can you borrow a terrier to get rid of it?? Put the hens out to FR and lock the terrier in the run. I'd send you my lot but they're have to sleep-over (and they couldnt do that!)
Pepi I'm only presuming its one rat as haven't seen any more. I don't think it can get in the run when its shut, It ran up to the door but when it found it was closed it disappeared under the patio again. I don't know anyone with a terrier, just Labs and Spaniels, oh and a Westie who is too fat to catch a rat The run is concrete all round the edges and I check every day for any holes but haven't found any yet. Its doing my head in Lord knows what I would do if we had 40
I've just sorted out a guy who kills rats on the farm - he's going to bring a gun, three terriors and ferret bedding. I live in hundreds of acres of forest so it's going to be difficult to deal with how many rats must live around me but if I can disuade them from coming into the garden that's all I can do. If they persist then I can contact the council and see what they suggest so thanks for all the suggestions.
I did wonder about treddle feeders but they will cost a fortune as I need three so £150 is a bit excessive unless I can get some second hand somewhere.
Treadle feeders are a good idea if you can do only one, but not good if you need a few.
Mind you, my friends have them and they swear they are great for saving money because hens don't waste feed and kick it into the ground. Also helps keep vermin away.
I think the chances of anyone just ever having one rat are very slim.
if you lay the hardcore yourself the concrete should be about the same cost as me a concrete firm will drop you some off from a leftover job thats how ive done it and at this time of year its a bit cheaper cos laying concrete isnt in fashion thi aggregate is usuallly free if you go on freegle or freecycle and 40 rats is definatley the time to take action i havent seen hide nor hair of mine just since the aggregate has gone down they hate having rough things brushing against them and under their feet
[center]HELPING THE LITTLE BROWN GIRLS OF THIS WORLD FIND FOREVER HOMES Humble chicken maid to a happy little flock Frankii Whippers leading the way with Dorey,Prila(aka Mrs Brown),Ann-a-Lou Greta, Delphine my adorable silkie,my twin girls Lana and Boudica (aka The Jedward Twins ) ,Augustine Eizabeth(aka Pippy), Rheima, Marnie and Fleur aka little miss chatterbox[/center]
Still loving and missing Skinnie Minnie and Queenie xx
Marlene you taught me how to live and laugh again xx
Isabella my darling top hen ,you stole my heart xx
Porscha my sweet little girl ,you left so suddenly xx
Put down poison and traps last week but It doesn't go near. Saw it go into the run this afternoon and pinch the chooks food while they were in the garden. Anyone got any more ideas to get rid of the bl...dy thing 
and forget about it!
ind
sounds like its time to call in the professionals?? (Rentok*l equivalent in UK. Or does your town council provide some sort of service) at the rate they reproduce, you dont have an alternative if they're tunnelling etc.
