PeskyWabbits 464 Posted May 29, 2016 Report Share Posted May 29, 2016 Rats have been plaguing me for a while now. I lot 7 ducklings to them last year and there has been a lot of activity in the duck run this year. Been out with my air rifle but low numbers only. So, back to basics. Rats need food and harbourage. The young lady and myself, double gloved and pulled apart the rat hotel. This was my dry store of pallets but has been a haven for rodents. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted May 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2016 Found these poison victims lurking within 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted May 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2016 Then there were some live ones, but one was nobbled with a low velocity, large calibre projectile, aka garden fork and brick bouncing off its head for good measure. After a large bonfire, we dug over the area and it now looks like this. No doubt there will be more critters under those sheds though the foundations are pretty solid. Should have made an indent though. The piece of pipe has been a baiting station, with a stone reducing the entrance side to keep out hedgehogs. Want to stop using poison as so many other creatures are affected. The food for the hens is locked away at night but the ducks use open feeders and throw it all over anyway. I have a couple of dalek compost bins but these sit on a mesh base to let the worms in and keep rats out. Pesky 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sussex 5,777 Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 I leave a two or three fen traps set in tunnels around my outbuildings/ chicken run , find it just nips the problem in the bud so to speak ..the dry storage looked the ideal rat house .. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rat face 1,655 Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 if you need a local lad to pop up with the terriers let me know, corn isn't cheep as it is without the rats eating it as well 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted May 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 Thanks a lot Rat Face, I will let you know. Always nervous about my birds having an eppy. They don't like dogs at all. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted June 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 Progress. I haven't seen any droppings and the poison I have down hasn't been nibbled by anything except slugs. I have noticed some more tunnels though. The paint bucket below had Santex in it. I left it water filled for a couple of weeks, then filled it with soil, to remove the essence of man aromas. I now have it baited with broken eggs. In a few days I will put a Fenn trap in it. I drilled rat diameter holes in either end and have put the pie in front to deter sparrows, etc. I will let you know if it works Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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