Tyla 3,179 Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 I have rats raiding my chickens and i want rid of them asap. Poison seems the best method but im concerned about my pup or any of the other dogs eating the dead or dieing ones and ingesting the poison. Is this a valid concern? If so am i better trapping and whats more effective fenn or livecatch? Not interested in using dogs etc, i do that already on other ground, i just want these gone as quickly and quietly as possible. thanks Quote Link to post
Stuart1985 256 Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 yeah ur right about the dogs eatting the dead rats!!! Get some glue boards or snap traps!! Quote Link to post
swagboy 9 Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 gas them with a smocker Quote Link to post
pitmanuk 2 Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 live cages work very well in our chicken shed. as they are already eating chicken feed bait it up heavily with that and you should catch one or two a night per trap Quote Link to post
lamaha 7 Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Using traps live and fenns is good, but you will find it hard to get full control without poisons. Secondary poisoning is an issue but if you bait underground i.e. burrow baiting, most dead will remain underground. Bait and block off as many burrows as poss and keep a very close eye on pets, opened burrows and for bodies. What about external preasure from surrounding rodent colonies? Do you know where they are coming from, could it be outside of your control? Best of luck! Quote Link to post
Tyla 3,179 Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Not interested in smoking them, do that for fun in more convenient places! Cant imagine the neighbours would be too pleased either. The garden backs onto the railway and we keep hens so we will always have rats coming in, just dont want so many! Are there poisons available that cant be passed on through the food chain? If not then it'll have to be traps. Are the multi catch ones the most efficient or should i go for fenns and tunnels? Quote Link to post
Stuart1985 256 Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 fenns and tunnels defo!! multi arent any good Quote Link to post
darbo 4,774 Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 we get rats on the allotment coming into the chicken pens. we use fenn traps. Quote Link to post
Ron Weasley 83 Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 yeah ur right about the dogs eatting the dead rats!!! Get some glue boards or snap traps!! Hands down the worst piece of advice I have ever read in relation to pest control! Secondary poisoning is an issue, of that there is no question, but a dog (obviously depending on the breed and size) will have to eat a good few rats before it comes to any harm! Active ingredient concentrations in rodenticides are calculated using whats called LD50 (Lethal Dose 50) - if you're interested, Google it and you should get a decent explanation. If you're not a pro pest controller (and I assume by the fact you're asking this question that you're not) I would advise against using rodenticides. I would also plead with you not to use glue boards. Glue boards are not an effective method of controlling rats, are not humane, and I cannot figure out how you would use them anyway...you can't use them outside for obvious reasons, and you can't use them in the chicken shed - again for obvious reasons! My suggestion would be Mk4 Fenn traps, set around the perimeter of the shed in tunnels. Keep them set permanently, and you should do ok. Quote Link to post
hickymick 37 Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 :whistling:OR get rid of the chickhens... Quote Link to post
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.