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Post by Shirls on Sept 8, 2017 11:16:50 GMT
Unfortunately I now have a rat problem in the garden. The chooks fre-range and so does the rat!! As far as I know it is a single one, have only ever seen one at a time and my neighbour has seen him too. I have spent a fortune on traps and have now reverted to a humane cage type. I have twice caught a hedgehog (two different ones, I could tell easily by the size of them). I can't put the cage out now until the hedgehogs have hibernated as they need to eat as much food as they can get beforehand, so trapping them rather prevents this.
I don't want to put poison down obviously and would rather humanely catch the rat and drive him to some far away place, before he brings his wife and children!!
I know rats are quite prevalent in this country, but I really don't need them in my garden!!
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Post by starlingqueen on Sept 8, 2017 13:37:01 GMT
We had the same thing but they were living under the greenhouse and in the neighbours garden. There were a few of them too. Fortunately it was when the chooks were confined due to bird flu so I put poison down and they went.
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Post by jellybean on Sept 8, 2017 15:10:37 GMT
Would they attack the chooks Shirls
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Post by starlingqueen on Sept 8, 2017 16:59:53 GMT
Would they attack the chooks Shirls They don't generally attack adult chooks but will kill chicks or eat the eggs. If there is a lack of food they may start on the adult chooks.
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Post by Learner on Sept 8, 2017 17:59:10 GMT
In this area our local authority will visit to help assess and advise. I believe they also operate to eradicate the things.
Give your local council a call to see if they can help. There is obviously a food source somewhere nearby or you wouldn't be seeing them.
And... rats do not live solitary lives - unfortunately where there is one there will be a family hiding in the background. I detest the things. Had them on the allotment and inside my father's shed....as well as under it.
A new local take-away food outlet had opened and the problem started... lived on the plots, ate out but wandered home. One plot holder yelled to tell me I had a rabbit crossing my plot. (There have never been RABBITS on our plots!!) They grow to quite a size when well fed. Act promptly would be my advice.
Best of luck.
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Post by Shirls on Sept 9, 2017 9:35:39 GMT
Would they attack the chooks ShirlsI sincerely hope not jellybean!! But starlingqueen seems to know different. I have seen one rat run passed the chickens to get to the compost area. I expect they would eat chicks and eggs though as they are so small. My girlies are quite large! I am now setting traps in the daytime so as not to catch hedgehogs! (Hopefully)
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Post by suesbird on Sept 11, 2017 21:49:49 GMT
We have rat problems too. Five out of 6 houses reported them. The council came out and charged us all £37 each and visited us all within 15 mins!!!!! We have a derelict house behind us and a not very house proud lady as well!
Hope you catch him soon Shirls
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